The Sandman's Return

Traces the reappearance of Coppelius/Coppola and his role as a catalyst for Nathaniel's tragedy.

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Childhood Sandman figure

The Origin of the Sandman The Nursery Tale Nathaniel's nanny told him the Sandman was a bad man who threw sand in children's eyes and carried them to the half-moon to feed his owl-like children. This story terrified Nathaniel and merged with his real-life fear of Coppelius. The First Encounter Nathaniel discovered that the Sandman was the barrister Coppelius, who visited his father at night for alchemical experiments. Coppelius threatened to tear out Nathaniel's eyes, leaving a permanent psychological scar. The Father's Death After Nathaniel's father died in an explosion during Coppelius's visit, Nathaniel believed Coppelius was a devilish murderer. The Sandman became a symbol of evil and impending doom.

Barometer peddler encounter

The Sandman Returns The Unwelcome Visitor A barometer salesman entered Nathaniel's room. Nathaniel immediately recognized him as Coppelius, despite his different clothes and hairstyle. The salesman now called himself Giuseppe Coppola, a Piedmontese mechanic. The Emotional Impact Nathaniel threw the salesman out, but the shock was profound. He wrote to Lothar that this reappearance was a sign of bad things to come. He resolved to confront Coppelius and avenge his father. The Beginning of the End This encounter reawakened Nathaniel's childhood trauma and set him on a path of obsession and paranoia. He began to see dark forces everywhere.

Coppola the lens grinder

The Peddler of Eyes A Terrifying Sales Pitch Coppola returned to Nathaniel's new apartment, this time selling eyeglasses and telescopes. He cried out 'A pair o' lovely peepers!' and laid out hundreds of glasses that seemed to stare at Nathaniel like eyes. The Looking-Glass Purchase Nathaniel, trying to overcome his fear, bought a small pocket looking-glass. This glass would later reveal Olympia to him and become a symbol of his delusion. The Laughing Departure Coppola left laughing, and Nathaniel felt a strange dread. He briefly thought that the terror was a figment of his imagination, but the looking-glass would prove to be a dangerous tool.

Coppola's role in the automaton

The Automaton's Maker The Party At Spalanzani's party, Nathaniel saw Olympia and was captivated. Unbeknownst to him, Coppola had supplied the eyes for the automaton. The looking-glass he bought from Coppola allowed him to see Olympia as alive. The Revelation Fight When Nathaniel went to propose to Olympia, he found Spalanzani and Coppola fighting over the automaton. Coppola tore the figure apart, revealing it was a doll. He then threw the eyes at Nathaniel, triggering his madness. The Disappearance Coppola fled with the automaton's body, laughing. He vanished from the town, but later reappeared at the market square just before Nathaniel's suicide, where he taunted the crowd and then disappeared again.

Final appearance at the tower

The Final Temptation The Crowd Below While Nathaniel was raving on the tower, a crowd gathered. Among them was Coppelius, who had just arrived in town. He laughed and said the madman would come down on his own. The Suicide Nathaniel saw Coppelius below, screamed 'Eyes a pretty!' and jumped. As his body hit the ground, Coppelius disappeared into the crowd. His role as the agent of doom was complete. The Unanswered Question Coppelius's fate remains unknown. He vanished without a trace, just as after the father's death. The Sandman's power over Nathaniel ended only with Nathaniel's death.

Nathaniel's childhood

30 October, at noon, in Nathaniel's student apartment

Shortly after the barometer encounter, in Nathaniel's new apartment

The night of Spalanzani's party and during the revelation scene

The climax of the story, during the tower incident