DREAM – ARTHUR SCHNITZLER

Dream

MY COMMENTS :

The work, written by the author Arthur Schnitzler, is about the mysterious events that the main character named Fridolin experiences.

The novel is also the book upon which the famous film Eyes Wide Shot was adapted. In the novel, the main character, a doctor, encounters a musician friend named Nachtigall and learns that his friend will be performing as a musician at a meeting of secret organizations. The main character then rents robes and a mask to accompany him to a detached house on the outskirts of the city. He manages to enter the house disguised as a monk by reciting the password, which changes with each meeting. However, upon entering, a woman disguised as a nun recognizes him and tells him to leave, but the main character ignores this.

Finally, while trying to reach another area with the nun, he is asked for another password and is exposed for not knowing it. Surrounded by judges, the main character is rescued by the woman disguised as a nun. However, the nun's fate, which she declares will sacrifice herself to save him, remains unclear.

After that night, the doctor goes to the morgue to identify the woman who risked being sacrificed for him, but he cannot fully diagnose the woman he sees there by looking at her body.

The main character's wife, Albertine, has a dream the night she attends the ball, leading the reader to question whether her husband is a member of a religious order. In the dream, she states that a Danish nun saved her, and also mentions that she has been condemned to death by a large number of people.

Rather than providing clear clues throughout his narrative, the author has chosen to make the reader suspect certain passages and draw inferences. Even at the end of the work, it's unclear whether his wife is a member of the cult, and it's also stated that the doctor's investigations were interrupted by his inability to attend another ball.

As expressed in the quotes on the last page of the work, Albertine's words show that she faced her husband's experiences in a cool and composed manner, and also managed to attract attention again with a much calmer reaction than a person who is a stranger to this world should give, and continued to leave the reader in doubt.

Although the work does not progress quickly in the beginning due to the environmental descriptions and character analyses, it succeeds in drawing the reader in due to its quite impressive story.

It is known that the director, who died shortly after the film's release, was threatened by certain groups to refrain from filming certain scenes. While the film's plot is said to be based on the aforementioned work, the author appears to have kept the details to a minimum, avoiding any detailed discussion of the cult.

In conclusion, the work can be considered as one of the works that should definitely be examined by readers who are interested in unusual novels and plots.

MY QUOTES(*) :

1. Fridolin: " What does it mean to you, unknown gentlemen, whether you finish this festive comedy, even if it's supposed to end seriously, or not? Whoever you are, gentlemen, you live a different life than here. But even here, I don't play a comedy, and if I've always been forced to do so, I'm giving up now ."

2. What significance did another's life, or one's own, have? Should one risk one's life only out of duty or self-sacrifice, or could one not do so out of pleasure, ambition, or a temptation to compete with fate?

3. Albertine “ I am certain enough to sense that the truth of one night, or even the truth of a whole human life, is not the deepest truth of that human life .”

MY EVALUATIONS:

Subject : The work is about the mysterious events that the main character named Fridolin experienced.

Style: Although the work, which is prepared with a simple and clear narrative, initially gives the impression of a situation-based story with environmental descriptions and character analysis, it is understood that we are facing an event-based story thanks to the complex and mysterious plot that follows.

Originality : The book clearly stands out as one of the most original books in terms of its subject matter. Given the scarcity of books on secret organizations, a subject that continues to spark considerable curiosity even today, it can be considered one that will retain its originality for a long time to come.

Character : In addition to the main character and supporting characters, the work features three or four supporting characters. For a story set in a crowded setting, it's crucial to avoid distracting the reader by not expanding the character set too much.

Fluency : Considering the points mentioned in the style section, it should be noted that while the work initially lacked fluidity, it eventually became quite fluid. However, it should also be clearly stated that the work's subject matter is compelling.

General : In the evaluation made out of 10 in accordance with the criteria stated above:

Topic: 8

Style: 8

Originality: 8.5

Characters: 8

Fluency: 7.5

The overall average of the work, which received 8 points, is 8. Reaching the 8 threshold and with its gripping story, it definitely deserves to be among the books that must be read.

(*) : All sections under the title My Quotations:

DREAM

Author : Arthur Schnitzler

Publisher : Zeplin Publishing

Edition : 1st Edition - 2019

The photo used on the cover was used as a quote from the book.