Dreams in Shakespeare's Plays

Paper Summary:

This paper briefly explores the significance of dreams in William Shakespeare's plays, "Richard III", "Macbeth", and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". It examines and explains how dreams serve chiefly to add depth and complexity to the main characters, reflect the belief systems of the audience Shakespeare was trying to enthrall and underscore the subjective nature of human "reality." The paper suggests that Shakespeare successfully uses dream sequences for commercial and dramaturgical purposes.

From the Paper:

"By emphasizing the angst and suffering of the killers and conspirators, dreams also bolster the moral lesson that appears to lie at the heart of the drama. Just as in Richard III, those who ignore dreams in Macbeth do so at their own peril. For example, in Act II, Scene 1 of the play, Banquo announces to Macbeth that he has dreamt of the strange apparitions he and his untrustworthy friend encountered only a short while earlier. But although Banquo admits that the three strange sisters "have showed some truth" (Garber 113) as it pertains to Macbeth's elevated station, he fails to appreciate that the dream might also offer some insight into his own future. Banquo allows Macbeth to simply and disingenuously dismiss the prior encounter with the witches as meaningless even though their cryptic message is now impelling Macbeth to view his long-time friend as a rival who needs to be terminated (Garber, 114). As with Clarence and Hastings in Richard III, Banquo's inability to recognize the portents coming to him in dream prepares him for his tragic end."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Coursen, H.R. (1997). Macbeth: A Guide to the Play. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Retrieved August 17, 2006, from Questia.com <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15348057>
• Garber, Marjorie B. Dream in Shakespeare: From Metaphor to Metamorphosis. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
• Lathe, Agnes M. (1891). A Study of Midsummer Night's Dream. Education, 12(7): 406-13.
• Zuk, Gerald H. "A Note on Richard's Anxiety Dream." American Imago, 14 (1957): 37-39.

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