As I was reading “Eisenheim the Illusionist,” I started thinking about “In the Reign of Harad IV” and how, in both stories, nothing was ever enough. They are both always striving to do more and better work than what they had already achieved to the point that it becomes unrealistic and fantastic. They both are written in third person, and they both sound like poetic fairy tales.
While magic in itself is fantastic, Eisenheim goes to extremes, even competing with himself (as Passauer) and eventually causing his own disappearance.
Herr Uhl believed Eisenheim “crossed the line” and attempted to arrest him. That reminded me of the discussions we have had in class: How many cats? In another literature class (Nevison’s Deviant Bodies) we have talked about how when things go beyond normalcy, they become monstrous. They create fear. Eisenheim’s magic had that effect on Herr Uhl because it was beyond any explanation.
Do you think Eisenheim actually had magic, or do you think he was an especially clever cabinet maker and engineer who devised a lot of really clever tricks? I wonder if there’s a point at which being especially clever becomes fantastic.
This was something I wondered about, too. A lot of Eisenheim’s performances seemed so fantastic that it’s hard to believe they could be tricks. And because they’re hard to believe as tricks, would the performance of the trick be considered fantastic? It’s certainly interesting to think about, especially in relation to other Millhauser stories where things aren’t necessarily fantastic in the way we usually think of, like “A Change in Fashion.” Scale definitely plays a big role in what makes something fantastic.
I like that you tied in discussions from Nevison’s class. It’s really interesting to see how many of the things we talk about in both of these classes overlap. I agree; by blurring the lines between illusion and reality, Herr Uhl believed that reality (and normalcy) were threatened, and like so many of the protagonists in Nevison’s class, he wanted to restore the sense of normalcy.
Interesting question, Rachel, about whether or not Eisenheim had magic or if he was just very clever; in my response to Lashlee, I mentioned how modern readers might not view this story as fantastic due to all the crazy illusions that can be created these days. Much like “A Change in Fashion,” this story feels plausible, but it can also feel fantastic as well–it all depends on what you know (or believe) to be possible; this is, I think, my favorite variety of the fantastic.