The border between dream and reality in literature and film

Table of contents or introduction

In the following, the division and the aim of this work are described in more detail. An introduction to the cultural-historical and theoretical background is followed by an analysis section in which three scenes are analyzed and their respective forms of realization (literary and cinematic) are compared with one another. In addition, the important metaphorical meaning of the ball mask will be emphasized. The aim of the analysis will be to clarify the question of which written language and cinematic means are used to represent the transition between dream and reality and which effect is achieved thereby. A summary of the analysis results is followed by a brief excursus into the didactic significance of both works under the aspect of media literacy in school lessons. Finally, an overall conclusion is drawn and an outlook is dared.

“And not a dream […] is a complete dream. “This quote closes the” Dream Novel “by Arthur Schnitzler. A work which not only at the time of its publication, but also in the present day deals with a highly modern topic – the escape from dreary everyday life into the world of our dreams and The fact that this work from the 19th century has modern problems is also shown in the film adaptation of “Eyes Wide Shut” by director Stanley Kubrick, which was made in 1999. This film also had top-class cast with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise This film is now 20 years old, but the subject is still relevant. In times of terror, fear and economic instability, the flight into one’s own dreams and longings is more central than ever.

For me, as an admirer of Stanley Kubrick’s film art, it quickly became clear that I wanted to take a closer look at him and his work. When looking for a suitable topic, his film adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s “Dream Novel” quickly came into focus. The fact that the “dream novel” has already been used several times in the Central Abitur in North Rhine-Westphalia gave me the opportunity to pursue my interests in this context and at the same time to establish a didactic reference for my later professional career as a teacher.