The most painful thing in life is to wake up from a dream and realized there is no way out. He who dreams is happy; if he does not see a way out, it is important not to wake him up.
So I think that if we do not find a way out, what we want is a dream.
Lu Xun (1881 – 1936) The father of Chinese Modern Literature
in “What Happens After Nora Leaves Home”
In “What Happens After Nora Leaves Home”, Lu Xun discussed about a play “A Doll’s House” by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in his speech given at Beijing Women’s Normal College in 1923. This is a very interesting speech to observe the feminism in China from a male scholar – Lu Xun. He was pessimistic toward freeing the society from the patriarchal system. In his opinion, this can be achieved when women granted financial independency. At that time, financial independency of women was unthinkable, unless a revolution happen. A revolution cost a great price and it is painful, so maybe it’s better to keep sleeping?
The corresponding content could be found in Wilhelm Müller’s poem “In The Village” in “A Winter’s Journey” collection, which Franz Schubert set music on them.
Dogs bark, chain rattle, people are asleep in bed, dreaming of much they do not possess, consoling themselves with good things and bad, and by morning all will have vanished.
Still, they’ve enjoyed their share, and hope to find in their dreams, what is left to enjoy.
Bark me on my way, watchful dogs, give me no rest in this hour of sleep! I’m finished with all dreaming, why should I linger among those who sleep?
Wilhelm Müller- In the Village, Song of Life and Love – A Winter’s Journey
The villager are sleeping and dreaming. Only the traveler “I” is waking and he beg the dogs to keep barking to avoid fall asleep. Alone by reading this poem, did not point me to the Lu Xun’s “What Happens After Nora Leaves Home”. The idea came to me after reading the introduction of a Schubert’s “A Winter’s Journey” CD Album. The interpreter emphasis “dream” element in this song cycle, and how the 19th century “dream” motive still relevant now. You can read the excerpt here:
Now let’s come back to the question: To wake the dreamer up or not?
To my opinion, yes. Even there is no way out? Still yes. Only when we realized the darkness, we will start to act; and when we start to act, the light breaks in. Eventually, we will find a way out together.
We can listen to the music compose by Franz Schubert for this poem:
Dogs bark, chain rattle, people are asleep in bed, dreaming of much they do not possess, consoling themselves with good things and bad, and by morning all will have vanished.
Still, they’ve enjoyed their share, and hope to find in their dreams, what is left to enjoy.
Bark me on my way, watchful dogs, give me no rest in this hour of sleep! I’m finished with all dreaming, why should I linger among those who sleep?
Wilhelm Müller- In the Village, Song of Life and Love – A Winter’s Journey
Note:
- The booklet of Benjamin Appl’s Winterreise Album is available in English, German and French to download for free via the website.
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/schubert-winterreise-2
- Original Text (Chinese) of “What Happens After Nora Leaves Home” by Lu Xun.
https://zh.m.wikisource.org/zh/%E5%A8%9C%E6%8B%89%E8%B5%B0%E5%BE%8C%E6%80%8E%E6%A8%A3#
- Information around “What Happens After Nora Leaves Home” by Lu Xun in English
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_happens_after_Nora_leaves_home