Artemidorus’ Oneirocriticism and the Dreams of Seth Bahramji Naurozji Modi in the River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh

Abstract

Dreams play an important role in the well-being of human psychology. In the present paper,
we shall apply the Artemidorus’ oneirocriticism on the dreams of Bahramji Naurozji Modi, a
central character in the novelRiver of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh.
Keywords:Enypnia, Oneiroi, State Dream, Event Dream, Theoretical dream, Allegorical
dream,Kata Nomon, Para Nomon, Para Physin and Aphrodisia.
Artemidorus Daldianus or Ephesius was a professional diviner who lived in the 2nd
century CE. He is best known for his five-volume Greek work: the Oneirocritica or
Oneirokritikon or The Interpretation of Dreams. Artemidorus believed that dreams are unique
to the individual and that the waking life of a person will affect the symbols in his dreams.
Michel Foucault described the text as a practical, experiential guide, the work that reveals
culturally salient patterns relating to ‘the ethical experience of theaphrodisia.