A dream within a dream is a poetic device or literary term used to describe a situation in which reality and illusion blend together It is most famously used in Edgar Allan Poe's poem, 'A Dream Within a Dream,' which is a reflection on the unreality of life and the idea that our memories are often dreamlike and devoid of definitive truth.
The term is most commonly used to describe a situation where an individual is experiencing a dream within their own dream. This can take a number of forms, from a reoccurring dream which is experienced within another dream, to a dream which can be interpreted as within another dream. The concept of a dream within a dream is often used to explore the idea that reality and perception are not fixed and can be manipulated.
The five best examples of a dream within a dream are as follows:
1) In the film “Inception”, the protagonist Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his team are able to plant an idea within another person's dream by entering their dream within a dream. This is an example of a dream within a dream, as the characters are able to enter the dream of another person's mind and manipulate it.
2) In the poem “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the poet is inspired by a vision of a city that he experienced during a dream. He recounts the dream as a “vision in a dream” and in this instance, the dream within a dream is being used to explore the creative power of dreams and their ability to evoke powerful imagery.
3) In “The Matrix”, Neo (Keanu Reeves) learns that his reality is actually a computer-generated dream world constructed by a powerful artificial intelligence. This is an example of a dream within a dream, as Neo believes the reality he is in is real, but in actuality is an artificial construct.
4) The story of Alice in Wonderland is a classic example of a dream within a dream. Alice falls asleep in her bedroom and finds herself in a strange world, populated by talking animals, peculiar creatures, and an enigmatic rabbit. This world is revealed to be a dream, within which Alice has dreamt of another dream.
5) In the TV show Twin Peaks, the main character Dale Cooper finds himself stuck in a dream within a dream. While investigating a murder, he enters the dream of the dead woman and is quickly caught in a web of dreams and memories. This is an example of a dream within a dream, as the character has to navigate the various dream worlds as a means of uncovering the truth.