Friedrich de la Motte-Fouqué stands out as a notable, though not preeminent, figure in German Romanticism. Drawing heavily from historical sources, his works are a testament to the Romantic era's fascination with folklore and myth. Among Fouqué's extensive body of work, the novella Undine remains his most celebrated contribution.

Romantic Inspirations and Folkloric Sources

Like many of his Romantic contemporaries, La Motte-Fouqué found inspiration in the past. He cited the work of the renowned German physician and chemist Paracelsus as a primary source for Undine. Paracelsus's Liber de nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandribus et de caeteris spiritibus explores the idea of elemental spirits, a theme central to Undine. In the novella, these spirits are portrayed as salamanders in fire, gnomes in earth, wood-folk in air, and water-spirits in bodies of water—a concept Undine explains to her husband Huldbrand.

The plot of Undine is a reimagining of the medieval saga of the knight of Stauffenberg. This reworking aligns with the broader Romantic movement's embrace of folk traditions, seen also in the Grimm Brothers' famous folktale collections and literary fairy tales by authors like Ludwig Tieck and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Reception and Legacy of Undine

Upon its release, Undine was met with immediate acclaim from several leading contemporary writers. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe described it as "most enchanting," Heinrich Heine found it a "wonderfully lovely poem," and Sir Walter Scott praised it as "captivating." What set Undine apart was its ability to evoke genuine emotions despite its fantastical nature, a quality Sir Walter Scott particularly noted regarding the heroine's realistic suffering.

Beyond literary circles, Undine has inspired a multitude of adaptations across different art forms. It has served as the source material for operas by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Albert Lortzing, Antonin Dvorák's Rusalka, and Wolfgang Fortner. Additionally, it inspired Jean Giraudoux’s play Ondine and a ballet by Hans Werner Henze.

Christian Morality and Elemental Spirits

One of Undine's enduring qualities is its intertwining of the wishes of water-spirits with Christian moral values. Both systems oppose adultery and identify Bertalda as a threat to Undine’s marriage. This thematic overlap is illustrated when Kühleborn, a water spirit, warns Undine of Bertalda and attempts to scare her away. Similarly, Father Heilmann, reappearing at the story's end, vehemently advises Huldbrand against marrying Bertalda, warning that Undine may still be alive.

In the narrative, the elemental spirits and religious figures work towards the same moral goals. In the end, Huldbrand's fate is sealed by the water spirits' laws, yet Undine's love mitigates this grim outcome, demonstrating a fusion of supernatural and moral justice.