The Dream - Introduction into the Psychology of Dreams complicated works", which could then build up on his own work. "The Dream" was written in 1918, a time in which Europe had suffered from World War I for nearly four years already when it was finally about to come to an end. Furthermore, it originates from a period in which the field of psychology was greatly influenced by psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and like-minded psychologists. Especially since the publication of Freud's Interpretation of Dreams ("Traumdeutung") in 1900, psychoanalysis in general, and dream interpretation in particular, became of increasing interest among professionals as well as laymen. Many people were
Dream interpretation waking beliefs and desires. The ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia have left evidence of dream interpretation dating back to at least 3100 BC. Throughout Mesopotamian history, dreams were always held to be extremely important for divination and Mesopotamian kings paid close attention to them. Gudea, the king of the Sumerian city-state of Lagash (reigned 2144–2124 BC), rebuilt the temple of Ningirsu as the result of a dream in which he was told to do so. The standard Akkadian "Epic of Gilgamesh" contains numerous accounts of the prophetic power of dreams. First, Gilgamesh himself has two dreams foretelling the arrival of Enkidu.