How did Giselle explore the Romantic ballet theme of the real world and the spiritual world?

Giselle (1841) serves as a quintessential example of the Romantic ballet’s preoccupation with the dichotomy between the real and spiritual worlds. The narrative structure explicitly juxtaposes these realms, using the contrast to drive the emotional and supernatural arc of the story.12

In Act 1, the ballet is grounded in the real world, focusing on the human experience of love, betrayal, and the tragic descent into madness and death. This reality is contrasted sharply in Act 2, which introduces the supernatural realm of the wilis—ghostly spirits of maidens who died before their wedding day.32

The transition between these worlds is facilitated by the development of pointe work, which allowed dancers to achieve an ethereal, weightless quality perfectly suited for portraying otherworldly characters like the wilis. By returning as a spirit to protect her betrayer from the vengeful wilis, Giselle bridges the gap between the two worlds, ultimately using her capacity for mercy to transcend her fate. This thematic exploration highlights the Romantic era's fascination with the tension between human emotion and the supernatural.23