Dream Story (orig German title Traumnovelle) is a 1926 novella by the Austrian writer Arthur Schnitzler. It details the thoughts and psychological transformations of Doctor Fridolin over a two day period. In this short time, he meets many people who give a clue to the world Schnitzler is creating for us. This culminates in the masquerade ball, a wondrous event of masked individualism, sex, and danger for Fridolin the outsider.

Major themes

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The mystery of this novella comes from the self-discovery that Fridolin experiences, a descent into the depths of his own mind, and the changes in the relationships between people. It incorporates a plethora of psychological imagery and symbolism.

Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

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The book belongs to the period of Viennese decadence after the turn of the century.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

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In 1999 the book was adapted into the film Eyes Wide Shut by director, screenwriter Stanley Kubrick and co-screenwriter Frederic Raphael. It has also been dramatized for BBC Radio 4 as Dream Story.

English translations

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• 2004, USA, Green Integer ISBN 1931243484, Pub date 1 July 2004, paperback (Eng. trans)
• 2004, UK, Penguin Books ISBN 0141182245, Pub date 6 August 2004, paperback (Eng. trans. by J.M.Q. Davies)

1926 novels | Austrian novels

Traumnovelle | Traumnovelle | Traumnovelle | Doppio sogno | Drømmenovelle