tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post8408193180020873531..comments2023-11-04T01:41:23.277+00:00Comments on Memorabilia Antonina: Predictive dreams, or why many historical novels are science fiction reallyTony Keenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07125792825206480340noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post-58471470102843636542009-08-03T16:29:44.721+01:002009-08-03T16:29:44.721+01:00Oh, lots of medieval dreaming! Especially in the C...Oh, lots of medieval dreaming! Especially in the Carolingian era: the <i>Visio karoli</i>, <i>visio wettini</i> and so on, though these all tend to be of the pattern "I saw the king in Hell atoning for his current wrong-doing" I have to admit. There's one obvious book to recommend: <a href="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UHQEP3oJDsoC&dq=Dutton+Politics+Dreaming&source=gbs_navlinks_s" rel="nofollow">Paul Dutton's <i>The Politics of Dreaming in the Carolingian Empire</i> (London 1994)</a>, which has the advantage of being by an engagingly readable author though I must admit that I haven't tested that with this particular example.<br /><br />By the way, good to see you return to the blogosphere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post-16457432063884600982009-07-27T11:43:55.886+01:002009-07-27T11:43:55.886+01:00Clarence’s dream in Richard III – “ Oh, I have pas...Clarence’s dream in Richard III – “ Oh, I have passed a miserable night…” is, I think, the most powerful piece in the play. Would that count ? It falls into the Cassandra class and perhaps accounts for no-one noticing her hit-rate – Clarence doesn’t even believe his own power of prophecy.<br /><br />Then there’s Frankenstein’s dream in chapter 5 after he has first created his creature, a Fulci-esque nightmare if ever there was one, <br /><br />I thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and surprised, I embraced her; but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death; her features appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse of my dead mother in my arms; a shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the graveworms crawling in the folds of the flannel.<br /><br />Pierre Bezhukov has two important dream predictions in War and Peace - one where he flashback’s to his duel then encounters his dead patron, and another after the death of Platon Karataev – which he sees as prophetic and which affect the choices he then makes. Andreii Bolkonski, like Clarence, foresees his death before the Battle of Borodino but his reaction is not to disbelieve it, contrary to the usual response, but to become accustomed to the idea of his own mortality and to see a pattern to his life, achieving a degree of the peace he has been searching for throughout the novel. <br /><br />You mentioned Dr Who’s The Myth Makers but there’s also Kinda, wherein Tegan wanders through a dream-state encountering avatars of her fellow TARDIS crew-members, a fascinating and never repeated on-screen depiction of a character’s subconscious. Most impressive for a supposedly “bland” period of the show’s production.Gatchamandavenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post-87476338798145663562009-07-22T19:13:59.506+01:002009-07-22T19:13:59.506+01:00Over the years, I've learned that many people ...Over the years, I've learned that many people don't remember their dreams; don't dream in color; or take little notice of their dreams. I dream in brilliant color and I remember the details when I wake. In addition, I dream of my close family and friends who have passed away. For years I kept a Dream Diary and found it to be very interesting to read the dreams years later. Everyone should try this at least once in their lifetime. Most of my dreams involving tornadoes have come to pass a day or so after I've had the dream. Go figure!<br /><br />Check out my first and recently released novel, Long Journey to Rneadal. This exciting tale is a romantic action adventure in space and is more about the characters than the technology.Sharon E. Dreyerhttp://www.crazyanticsanddreams.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post-33406573690539942272009-07-22T13:57:12.969+01:002009-07-22T13:57:12.969+01:00I can't think of any at the moment, but am fai...I can't think of any at the moment, but am fairly sure there are. But my gut feeling is that they are of the same sort of prophetic dream you are talking about, and may have to do with the sorts of re-writing of dynastic history that exists in the <i>Aeneid</i>. That is, they are dreams/prophecies that were invented in the time, but included in the historical novel. Oh -- lots in Shakespeare, I think.Another Damned Medievalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05231085915472400163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10659275.post-28135222022759000232009-07-22T12:03:43.924+01:002009-07-22T12:03:43.924+01:00Yep, my thesis is on dreams - focussing on dreams ...Yep, my thesis is on dreams - focussing on dreams in Greco-Roman literature and attitudes to dreams in the second century AD. Harris' book is the most important recent English-language work - there are also a couple of very large studies of dreams in literature published in German.<br /><br />My mind has gone blank and I can't think of any more non-fantasy examples at the moment, though I'm sure there must be some. Will come back if I think of any...Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.com