Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773–1853) was a leading architect of German Romanticism and a pioneer of the “literary fairy tale.” Tieck was a versatile storyteller, critic, and translator — most notably producing the definitive German editions of William Shakespeare. In PUSS IN BOOTS (Der gestiefelte Kater, 1797), Tieck created a masterpiece of “Romantic Irony.” By shattering the “fourth wall” and turning the audience and critics into characters themselves, he transformed a simple folk tale into a daring, meta-theatrical satire that remains a landmark of avant-garde drama.