Rhapsody: A Dream Novel

By Arthur Schnitzler and Arthur Schnitzler; Otto P. Schinnerer [trans.]

Book Overview

"He again had the sense that all this order, balance and security in his life were really an illusion and a lie".... "Everything seemed to be slipping from his grasp; everything was becoming increasingly unreal, even his home, his wife, his child, his profession, his very identity."

Originally published in 1926, Rhapsody: A Dream Novel is a psychological novella written by Arthur Schnitzler. Following Doctor Fridolin and his wife, Albertine, Rhapsody: A Dream Novel sees the couple embark on a two-day odyssey in the erotic underworld.

One night a successful doctor, Fridolin, and his beautiful wife, Albertine, attend a masked masquerade ball. Seeing naked men and women and propositioned for sex, the lust-filled couple are inspired to make love to one another; and Albertine-in the heat of passion-admits a sexual fantasy she had the previous summer. Taken slightly back, Fridolin admits his own fantasies to his wife and begins to question his place in their marriage, the strength of their love and the middle class life he has found himself living. Filled with erotic fun, secrets, and sensuality, Rhapsody: A Dream Novel is a psychoanalytic novella that explores sexual guilt, fantasy, love and death.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CBM14Q35
• ISBN13: 9798888975367
• Release Date: April 2024
• Publisher: Mint Editions
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Elegantly strange and tinged with regret

Rhapsody is a quick read and one that creates an aura of delightful anticipation at a rapidly accelerating rate. I found a copy at a local University library-a tiny volume printed in 1927 by Alfred Knopf. I am a diehard Kubrick fan and was thrilled as I turned each page and recognized many scenes seen in the Eyes Wide Shut promo. Leelee Sobrieski's film character in the carnival shop must be the somewhat deranged adolescent kept by the sinister costumer. (This character is never thoroughly explained- indeed this level of teasing ambiguity is what makes Schnitzler's narrative so compelling.) After all the hullabaloo concerning the "supposed" cross-dressing and drug-use in the film, I was pleased to find that Rhapsody is all dark undercurrent and dancing shadows. There are real moments of danger and sexual angst to be sure, but it's so subtle it hurts. The original title Dream Novel is apt- the protagonist's adventures happen within the space of night and the following day. As he journeys through the town in the afternoon glare he begins to doubt that any of the peculiar and frightening things he's been a part of could actually have happened. He strives to understand his relationship to these experiences in a rational way- to no avail. Get the book! It's scintillating and sharp leaving lots to the imagination and plenty of leeway to interpret the characters motives.I know that Kubrick (who talked about creating a Schnitzler-based film as long ago as the 1960's) has done the story justice. I can hardly wait for July 16th!

A European Story

This novella has a beatiful "light at the end of the tunnel" story to it. With beautiful surreal setting that make a story wonderful, and provides the perfect imagery from Europe during the day. Kubrick picked a great book to paint a picture for. Cruise and Kidman better not screw it up.

Dream Story: A study in the relation of dreams to reality

Arthur Schnitzler's "Dream Story", is a psychological novel which explores the relation of dreams and fantasies to reality. The principle characters, Fridolin and Albertina, are a happily married couple who confess their sexual might-have -beens to one another. However, whether or not the events are reality or merely dreams is not known. The book puts it this way, "no dream is entirely a dream." This book was optioned by film director Stanley Kubrick, director of "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "A Clockwork Orange", and is being filmed under the title, "Eyes Wide Shut". Kubrick described the book this way, "It explores the sexual ambivalence of a happy marriage and tries to equate the inportance of sexual dreams and might-have-beens with reality."