Aurelia, oder, Der Traum und das Leben

by Gérard de Nerval

"Aurelia, oder, Der Traum und das Leben" by Gérard de Nerval is a narrative written in 1855. At the end of his life, Nerval penned this unfinished work to free himself from his emotions and describe his mental state during episodes of madness. The story follows a man devastated by losing a woman he had "deified," convinced he will soon die. Blending narrative, speech, and letter forms, the work follows the logic of dreams as the protagonist recounts and reflects on his visions. Nerval was found dead with the manuscript in his pocket.