About Poem: A Dream Within a Dream
| Poem Title | A Dream Within a Dream |
| Author | Edgar Allan Poe |
| Date of publication | 1849 |
| Genre | Lyric poem |
| Theme | The nature of reality, the fleetingness of life, and the power of the imagination |
| Form | Two stanzas of four lines each in iambic tetrameter with a rhyme scheme of AABB |
| Key literary devices | Metaphor, simile, alliteration, and assonance |
| Famous lines | -All that we see or seem -Is but a dream within a dream. |
Themes: A Dream Within a Dream
The themes of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “A Dream Within a Dream” are:
- The nature of reality: The speaker questions whether life is real or simply a dream.
- The fleetingness of life: The speaker contemplates the fact that all things are impermanent and that nothing lasts forever.
- The power of the imagination: The speaker suggests that the imagination can create worlds that are just as real as the physical world.
A Dream Within a Dream Poem
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! Can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
A Dream Within a Dream Summary & Analysis
A Dream Within a Dream is a renowned poem by the American poet Edgar Allan Poe. It’s a short yet thought-provoking piece that explores the transient nature of reality, the elusiveness of time, and the human desire to hold onto moments slipping away. The poem is divided into two stanzas, each delving into these themes.
Stanza1
In the first stanza, the speaker reflects upon the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of experiences. He is distraught, feeling that the sands of time are slipping through his fingers like grains of sand on a shore. The speaker is despondent, unable to retain the moments and joys of life, expressing a deep sense of loss.
Stanza 2
The second stanza continues to grapple with the theme of impermanence. The speaker contemplates the idea that everything, even the most precious moments, ultimately dissolves into the abyss of time. He expresses a sense of despair and questions the reality of life itself. The last lines, “Is all that we see or seem / But a dream within a dream?” suggest that life may be nothing more than an illusory dream within a larger dream, emphasizing the fragility of human existence.
FAQs: A Dream Within a Dream
What’s the meaning of A Dream Within a Dream?
The meaning of the poem “A Dream Within a Dream” by Edgar Allan Poe is that life is fleeting and uncertain, and it is difficult to tell what is real and what is not.
What point of view is dream within a dream written in?
The poem is told from the perspective of one person, who is the speaker.
Who is the speaker in A Dream Within a Dream?
The speaker is a contemplative person who is questioning the nature of reality and the meaning of life.
What does the sand represent in A Dream Within a Dream?
The sand represents the fleetingness of life.
What does it mean when you have a looping dream?
A looping dream can be interpreted as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of life and death, or for the illusion of reality.
What does the speaker suggest throughout the poem A Dream Within a Dream?
The speaker suggests that life may be an illusion.
What are the symbols in A Dream Within a Dream?
The symbols in Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “A Dream Within a Dream” are: dreams, sand, and the tide.
-Dreams represent the uncertainty of reality and the fleeting nature of life.
-Sand represents the passage of time and the impermanence of all things.
–The tide represents the ever-changing nature of the world and the futility of trying to hold on to anything.
