Dream Story · Scholarly Essay
Written by Arthur C. Rauscher · Ovid Publishing Group
Arthur Schnitzler was a Jewish author writing in a Vienna increasingly marked by political antisemitism, and Jewish identity — often implicit rather than stated — runs through his major works in revealing ways.
Schnitzler's novella can be read as subtly engaging with themes relevant to the Jewish experience in early 20th-century Vienna. The protagonist Fridolin, a respected doctor, can be interpreted as an archetype of the assimilated Jew — outwardly conforming to societal norms while harboring a sense of otherness. In the masked ball scene, the men are dressed like monks and the women like nuns, representing the Catholic majority of Vienna. Fridolin is the outsider Jew invading their space and, when caught, is cast out — a metaphor for the precarious position Jews faced in Austria and Europe at that time.
While Schnitzler does not explicitly identify Else as Jewish, her characterization and circumstances allow for a reading that resonates with the complexities of Jewish identity. Else's acute awareness of social expectations and her constant self-scrutiny reflect the hypervigilance often associated with marginalized groups striving to maintain their place in society. The character of Herr von Dorsday can be read as representing the exploitation often faced by those in vulnerable social positions — a dynamic that often played out along ethnic and class lines in Viennese society.
This play deals most directly with antisemitism, portraying the exclusion of Jewish professionals from Austrian Catholic institutions. Schnitzler uses extensive dialogue to explore different perspectives, avoiding simplistic moral judgments and instead revealing the complex social dynamics at play. The play was banned from performance in Austria until after World War I — testament to its controversial nature.
Schnitzler's posthumously published autobiography offers candid insight into his Jewish identity. His approach is characterized by a blend of acknowledgment and ambivalence — he does not shy away from discussing his Jewish heritage, but neither does he allow it to define him entirely. He describes attending schools with both Jewish and non-Jewish students, noting the subtle and sometimes overt manifestations of antisemitism he encountered. These experiences fostered in Schnitzler a keen awareness of social boundaries that influenced his later literary explorations.