Although E.T.A. Hoffmann is widely recognized for his contributions to short fiction, his ventures into novel writing, particularly later in his career, have not garnered the same level of acclaim. One of his lesser-known yet significant works is The Life and Opinions of Kater Murr. This novel occupies a pivotal, albeit complex, position in the tradition of the Bildungsroman—a genre focused on the protagonist's formative years—and its subgenre, the Künstlerroman, which revolves around the life of an artist. Despite its somewhat ambiguous standing, the novel is a remarkable exploration of the artistic potential of Tierdichtung (animal literature), the intersection of music and literature, and the narrative style of Romanticism.

Central to the novel is the character of Kreisler, first introduced in Hoffmann's earlier work, “Johannes Kreislers des Kapellmeisters musikalische Leiden” (1810; The Musical Sufferings of Johannes Kreisler the Kapellmeister). Kreisler epitomizes the Romantic hero and artist, an individual at odds with societal norms. Hoffmann leverages this character to critique German society, a theme less prevalent in his novellas. Each setting within the novel exemplifies the shortcomings of the three estates of German society: the aristocracy's preference for form over emotion at Sieghartshof; the monks' aesthetic indulgence at Kanzheim; and the pretentiousness and hypocrisy of the burghers and academics in Murr's Sieghartsweiler. In stark contrast is the natural world, representing irrationality and artistic inspiration—a realm of danger for Hedwiga but a sanctuary for Kreisler.

The sections dedicated to Murr are particularly sharp in their satire, targeting various facets of contemporary German politics and society. Hoffmann critiques the student movements that played a pivotal role in the country's quest for independence and unification, and also lambastes the stagnation of the middle class, or Philistertum. The novel's scope spans a wide array of literary and intellectual currents, from Enlightenment ideals and Romanticism to the educational philosophies of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and the broader genre of the Bildungsroman.

The Life and Opinions of Kater Murr is imbued with a pervasive sense of negativity, an irony that even turns upon itself. It reflects Hoffmann's own disillusionment with love, art, and politics, as well as the looming paralysis that would claim his life the following year. Yet, the novel's acerbic tone is brilliantly offset by its wit, intricate and suspenseful plot, and linguistic prowess. It stands as the "musical" masterpiece Hoffmann aspired to create, transcending his personal disappointments through its artistic excellence.