Traumnovelle

Schnitzler describes in this novella the seemingly harmonious marriage of the doctor Fridolin and his wife Albertine. Beneath the surface, both are haunted by unfulfilled erotic desires and dreams, which, through mutual alienation, grow into a marital crisis. The mystery of this novella stems from the journey of self-discovery that Fridolin undertakes, a descent into the depths of his own psyche, and the changes in relationships between people. It embodies a wealth of psychological metaphor and symbolism, but ultimately conveys to the protagonist, in the final confrontation, the realization of the threat to their relationship posed by the unconscious and the need to cope with it. The strange events of one night and the following day, which befall Dr. Fridolin and his wife Albertine, are narrated. The highly erotic experiences of that night threaten to destroy their marriage. Arthur Schnitzler (1862-1931) was an Austrian storyteller and playwright. He is considered one of the most significant representatives of Viennese Modernism. Schnitzler wrote dramas and prose, focusing particularly on the psychological processes of his characters. Along with insights into the inner lives of Schnitzler's characters, the reader also gains a picture of the society that shapes these figures and their inner lives. The plots of Schnitzler's works mostly take place in Vienna at the turn of the century.