Princess Brambilla "is an artistic fairy tale created by E.T.A. Hoffman, with a complex narrative structure and five levels of plot. The work revolves around the activities of the protagonist Giulio Fava in Rome, depicting his growth from a theatrical actor to an excellent actor. Dramatic performance occupies a central position in the story, driving the development of the plot. Hoffman incorporates his own reflections on the profession of actors, theatrical creation, and stage practice in his works, implying criticism and reflection on Goethe's theory of theatrical performance, and demonstrating his differences with Goethe in theatrical artistic concepts.

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By analyzing the image of the fairy tale protagonist Giulio, this paper explores E.T.A. Hoffman's critique of Goethe's theory of theatrical performance. Giulio is a narcissistic actor who immerses his stage experience into real life, forming an unrealistic self-awareness that leads him to be immersed in the "vanity of love" for Princess Brambilla, making it difficult for him to extricate himself. Giulio's narcissism and vanity made his performance lackluster, and he couldn't accept the questioning of his acting skills from others. Hoffman believed that theatrical performance is an art that relies on the "artist's personality", and actors should not treat the stage as a showcase to showcase their personal style, but should integrate into their characters, think what they think, and feel what they feel. Giulio's narcissism clearly violates the taboo of acting and does not meet the prerequisite for becoming an excellent actor. Both Hoffman and Goethe demanded that actors abandon themselves to meet the needs of their roles, but in "The Princess," Hoffman used Giulio's tragic performance as a starting point to launch a comprehensive critique of Goethe's performance theory.

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The Actor's Code of Conduct is Goethe's performance theory based on the experience of Weimar theater activities, which includes 91 rules covering dialogue norms, body posture, etc. It aims to cultivate excellent actors and form a unique performance style. Goethe emphasized that actors should give up on themselves and fully study the rules of performance, but excessive emphasis on dialogue and body movements led to the neglect of the plot and formulaic performance. Hoffman criticized Goethe's performance theory in "The Princess" through the roles of Abat Kiari and Giulio, arguing that formulaic performance lacks vitality and actors become puppets. Hoffman also criticized Goethe's demands on actors' daily lives, pointing out that Giulio's integration of performance into daily life resulted in a fusion of self and character, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion, ultimately leading to madness. Hoffman showcases the possibility of breaking free from formulaic tragic performances and providing a new path for actors' growth through Giulio's inner duels and transformations. Hoffman's criticism is related to the prevalence of Weimar performance style in Berlin at that time, reflecting his profound reflection on Goethe's performance theory.

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Hoffman criticized Goethe's performance theory through "The Strange Troubles of a Theater Manager" and "Princess Brambilla," arguing that it ignored the diversity of theatrical art and the complexity of human nature. Hoffman's humorous theatrical philosophy emphasizes the fusion of tragedy and comedy, reflecting a transcendence of Goethe's classical theatrical ideas. Goethe's theatrical philosophy is based on the relationship between art and nature, emphasizing the imitation of nature and the pursuit of artistic authenticity, while Hoffman believes that irony and humor in human nature are the core of theatrical art. In Princess, Giulio's growth symbolizes the transition from a tragic actor to a comedian, as well as a revolution in theatrical philosophy. Hoffman's humorous theatrical concept echoes Hugo's romantic literary viewpoint, reflecting the debate between classical and romantic literature.