The Power of Dreams

The Dream
Lord Byron

Our life is twofold; Sleep hath its own world,
A boundary between the things misnamed
Death and existence: Sleep hath its own world,
And a wide realm of wild reality,
And dreams in their development have breath,
And tears, and tortures, and the touch of joy;
They leave a weight upon our waking thoughts,
They take a weight from off waking toils,
They do divide our being; they become
A portion of ourselves as of our time,
And look like heralds of eternity;
They pass like spirits of the past -they speak
Like sibyls of the future; they have power -
The tyranny of pleasure and of pain;
They make us what we were not -what they will,
And shake us with the vision that's gone by,
The dread of vanished shadows -Are they so?
Is not the past all shadow? -What are they?
Creations of the mind? -The mind can make
Substances, and people planets of its own
With beings brighter than have been, and give
A breath to forms which can outlive all flesh.
I would recall a vision which I dreamed
Perchance in sleep -for in itself a thought,
A slumbering thought, is capable of years,
And curdles a long life into one hour.


Upon reading this stanza from Lord Byron’s poem:“The Dream", one comes across that enigmatic secret and unfathomable power of dreams. Lord Byron questions the nature of dreams : “The dread of vanished shadows-Are they so? Is not the past all shadow?-What are they? Creations of the mind.” So let’s try to answer Byron’s questions and shed the light on this excerpt from the standpoint of Sigmund Freud.

Byron starts his poem by saying that “our life is twofold; Sleep hath its own world”. Life has two parts: The waking part and the dreaming part, and hence it is a mistake to regard the dreaming part as nonsensical. According to Byron they belong to “the wide realm of reality and dreams in their development have breath, and tears, and tortures, and the touch of joy.” On the other hand Freud emphasizes that dreams are the syntheses of a person’s life that represent his/her unconscious wishes and desires. Freud divides the dream work into two parts: the manifest content and the latent content. The manifest content is the content of the dream which is presented in our memory. The latent content is the dream thoughts. Thus, it is from the dream thoughts and not the manifest content that Freud draws from to “disentangle” the meaning of the dream. However, all the tears, tortures, and joys that Byron talked about are the dream content. They are expressed according to Freud “as it were in a pictographic script, the characters of which have to be transposed individually into the language of the dream-thoughts. If we attempted to read these characters according to their pictorial value instead of according to their symbolic relation, we should be clearly led to error.” Also, Byron questions whether these pictorial images are” heralds”, “spirits”, or “sibyls”: “And look like heralds of eternity; they pass like spirits of the past-they speak like sibyls of the future”. Indeed, they are like highly condensed heralds and sibyls from our deepest unconscious, but once decoded and connected they can fill pages of interpretation, manifesting our deepest, innermost, and unconscious desires that shape our past, present, and future. Byron fully realizes the power of dreams: “They have power-the tyranny of pleasure and pain-what they will, and shake us with the vision that’s gone by.”
This coincides with Freud who thinks that in dreams the most complicated and intellectual operations take place just like in the waking state. In a dream “statements are contradicted or confirmed, ridiculed or confirmed”. Moreover, Freud argues that the dream content does not resemble that of the dream thoughts because the dream distorts the dream wish which resides in the unconscious. Freud calls this process the “dream displacement” which acts like a self-censorship of the deeply buried repressed wishes, and this process is indispensable in dream interpretation.

We can end this discussion by saying that most of the the thoughts presented in Byron’s “The Dream” are thoroughly explored in Sigmund Freud’s concepts regarding the complex phenomenon of dreams and dream interpretation. According to Freud the dream content is like a picture puzzle that needs to be carefully put together in order to fully comprehend the enigmatic work of our unconscious. Dreams are an inseparable part of our being; just as Lord Byron conveys in his insightful poem: “They do divide our being; they become a portion of ourselves as of our time”. A dream is a “slumbering thought, is capable of years, and curdles a long life into one hour.”

Works Cited:

Byron, George Gordon. The Dream. 1816
Freud, Sigmund. From "The Interpretation of Dreams". Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. W. W. Norton&Company,Inc. 2010

Autumn Desolation

As Emily sat in the flaming red autumn forest, her thoughts fluttered in her mind like dead leaves in the wind. Memories flowed in her being like the frigid water of the creek beside her. “Why do dreams have to wither and die after their brief blooming? Why does warmth have to give way to coldness? Why does love keep fleeing me like a mirage?” The crisp evening wind battered her cheeks as a chill ran down her spine. She tightened her coat around her and scanned the meandering path for a glimmering sign of hope. From far away, she saw two dark dots moving in her direction. Her heart beat faster. “Could it be him?” Memories of a near past tormented her heart. She saw herself sitting on that same bench in the midst of a once green forest. Everything around her beamed with life as the warm sunlight broke through the trees and spilled like golden syrup on her lap. All of a sudden, she saw him, walking with his friend, engaged in a merry chat. She remembered the way their eyes met and held for a moment. She recalled how the flow of words paused on his lips as they saw each other for the same time. Emily knew right away that with that encounter her life would change forever. Her dreams bloomed in the spring, ripened in the summer, and withered in the autumn. He came into her life, filled it with warmth and laughter, and then left her all alone to face the sneering desolation.
The two dots came closer, but she didn’t dare to hope anymore. “He’s not coming back." The forest that had witnessed the birth of their story was witnessing the crumbling of Emily’s world. She stood up, and hastily wiped the tears off her face. She then trod towards the sunset in the distance.

Tranquil Grief
Let’s look at the painting above: " Wooded Path in Autumn” by Hans Anderson Brendekilde from the perspective of Edmund Burke, a significant figure in Enlightenment Theory and Criticism whose approach to aesthetics is highly remarkable. The impression that we get when we look at this painting for the first time is that of "Novelty" or "Curiosity" as Burke mentions. Yet, this feeling is the most momentary of all. Burke notes that “curiosity is the most superficial of all the affections; it changes its object perpetually; it has an appetite which is very sharp, but easily satisfied.” Thus, with the subsiding of curiosity, it is time to perceive the object from a deeper perspective.

Burke explains the misconception of both pleasure and pain. Some people tend to believe that pain is caused by the removal of pleasure and that pleasure is caused by the removal of pain. According to Burke,the mind is most of the time in a state of indifference that is neither pleasure nor pain. If we look at the painting closely, one notices an aura of tranquility transmitted. We discern a peaceful autumn forest, a calm creek, and a serene pensive lady on a bench. This is the state of “tranquility” or “indifference” that Burke discussed. Based on the painting, the lady and nature are in neither a state of pleasure nor pain. We have no evidence whether a state of pleasure or pain has preceded the moment portrayed in the painting. Burke says, “Pleasure of every kind quickly satisfies; and when it is over, we relapse into indifference, or rather we fall into a soft tranquility, which is tinged with agreeable colour of the former sensation.” On the other hand, Burke stresses that “when we have suffered from any violent emotion, the mind naturally continues in something like the same condition, after the cause which first produced it has ceased to operate. The tossing of the sea remains after the storm, and when this remain of horror has entirely subside, all the passion, which the accident raised , subsides along with it ; and the mind returns to its usual state of indifference".
Now, if one approaches the painting from the perspective of the narrative provided above, one can tackle the concepts of positive pain and pleasure discussed by Burke. If as in the story, the pensive lady is lamenting the loss of her love and the withering of her dreams, we can here apply the concept of "Grief". Burke defines grief as the feeling that is produced by the loss of the object of pleasure. “If the object be so totally lost that there is no chance of enjoying it again, a passion arises in the mind, which is called grief.” As depicted in the story, Emily’s grief is “willingly endured”. That is, as Burke explicates, she dwells on the lost pleasurable moments, repeating every minute detail in her mind, and even reliving her sweet first encounter with her beloved in the same setting.

Therefore, the painting expresses Burke’s theory on indifference and tranquility which contradicts the states of pleasure or pain. On the other hand, Emily’s state of mind is that of grief which Burke emphasizes to have no resemblance to absolute pain “which is always odious, and which we endeavor to shake off as soon as possible.”

Hans Anderson Brendekilde.Wooded Path in Autumn, 1902
The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.New York: W.W. Norton&Company, Inc.,2010

The Great Dictator's Sublimity

When I first watched the YouTube video of Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator speech, one word kept ringing in my mind: Sublimity. It is the sublimity of mind, thought, and diction. This classic speech is from the movie The Great Dictator (1940) which is a satire on Nazi Germany. It is delivered by the genius, Charlie Chaplin, who plays the role of a Jewish barber who is mistaken to be the ruthless dictator of Tomainia, Hynkel, and is forced to give a victory speech. The barber then reverses Hynkel’s anti-Semitic policies and gives an emotional speech that celebrates love, brotherhood, liberty, and peace. The sublimity of this speech has made it one of the greatest speeches in our modern times because it is an illustration of the human condition in all ages. It has left me awed by its grandeur and, therefore, confirmed my belief that it is the best example of what Longinus, the ancient Greek critic, discussed in his theory “On Sublimity”.

Longinus defines sublimity as “the echo of the noble mind”. He continues that it is “a kind of eminence or excellence of discourse.” Throughout the whole speech given by the barber, we hear the echoes of nobility conveyed in excellent diction. In his essay “On Sublimity”, Longinus stresses that when the speaker adds grandeur to his words, amazement and ecstasy is born in the hearers’ minds. It “tears everything up like a whirlwind, and exhibits the orator’s whole power at a single blow”. This is greatly manifested in the speech in The Great Dictator that creates a torrent of exhilaration and inspiration in its hearer’s hearts. The scene of the crowds cheering madly is a perfect example of how powerful his words are. Even Chaplin is certain that his profound words will find way to every anguished heart. He said, “Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say: 'Do not despair.”
In his essay, Longinus discusses the five sources of sublimity: the power to conceive great thoughts, a strong and inspired mind, the use of figures, the use of noble diction, and the employment of dignified and elevated word arrangement. As evidenced, the speech is the product of a noble mind because of the grand ideas it tackles. It sheds light on the issues of prejudice, brutality, and war brought forth by the technical advancement and greed of the 20th century. This is marvelously depicted in the barber’s wise words: “We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.” The text is a perfect example of sublimity that goes hand in hand with elevation. Moreover, The Great Dictator speech reminds us of the great speeches that were given in ancient history; this brings to mind Longinus’s notion on imitating earlier writers as a means to sublimity and greatness. Also, Longinus stressed that the use of rhetorical visualization adds a sense of clarity in oratory art, and this is abundant in The Great Dictator speech: “Greed has poisoned men's souls - has barricaded the world with hate - has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.” In addition, figures of speech play an important role in this speech as they add to the depth of emotions and grandeur. Longinus talked about Hyperbaton, which is “the arrangement of words or thoughts which differs from the normal sequence.” As when the barber says, “More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.” This creates a sense of urgency and makes the audience feel that the speaker is not giving a premeditated speech but one forced on him by the circumstances. Therefore, this is typical in the case of the barber who is forced by the circumstances to give a speech that spurs on invasion and racial eradication. Examples of that are: “I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white.”
The speech is also enriched with the great choice of diction which adds power and charm to the speech. Still, it is presented in a manner which involves the use of everyday words. Furthermore, the use of metaphors and similes in the speech adds to its strength, like when Chaplin compares soldiers to cattle and dictators to machines. The word arrangement in the speech adds a feeling of harmony and unity to the thoughts conveyed just as Longinus suggested in his essay. Lastly, we can say that putting such sublime and grand words in the mouth of an ordinary barber did not lessen its excellence. It is great evidence of innate and general greatness which Longinus prefers to artistic impeccability that can sometimes be mediocre.

Finally, it can be said that The Great Dictator speech is a perfect example of sublimity which Longinus discussed lengthily in his essay. It’s a great model of grand thoughts, inspiring emotions, and noble diction. As we hear Chaplin’s words, one cannot but bring to mind Martin Luther King’s immortal speech I Have a Dream. It is no doubt one of the greatest speeches in the history of filmmaking with its profound effect on people’s hearts and minds asking them to rise above hate, greed, and slavery. It’s indeed a sublime universal message that “the kingdom of God is within not one man or a group of men, but in all men!”


Works Cited:
-The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton&Company, Inc., 2010
-The Great Dictator (1940)