Science of Sleep

While reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream, I kept thinking about the movie The Science of Sleep. In this movie, the main character is in a constant struggle to determine his dreams from reality. The movie depicts his dream state as a cardboard television set from which he crosses in and out of while dreaming. He often sleep walks, and so sometimes what he thinks he did while dreaming, he actually did in reality. At one point he even writes a love note to his neighbor and slips it under her door, complicating their real-life relationship.

This made me think that whether or not Shakespeare's characters were in a dream or reality, the night still had real effects on their waking lives. Their relationships were definitely altered after the night. The subconscious can often reveal truths about myself; things I was not aware I was feeling are often brought out through dreams. Reading into my dreams often lets me make connections and become more introspective.

It is one of my favorite movies and I recommend it if you are interested in sleep or the subconscious. Or you want to see something really beautiful. Here is a clip of one of the main character's dreams.