The Sandman is a world where all the imagination begins, and Morpheus himself is the creator of all our dreams. The lord of Dreaming is the source of human stories when the darkness falls upon us at night. The show depicted that Dream gives life to monsters and fairies that go into the human mind while they are asleep. The series was not a mere representation of Dream’s journey to find his tools of supernatural powers. But it also showed how dreams are connected to human existence and their concealed talents like underrated writers. Keep reading to learn more about how some of the greatest authors of English history made it evident in the series.

The Sandman depicts two celebrated writers of the Elizabethan age

William Shakespeare was the greatest playwright of the English language who gifted the world with several literary works. Christopher Marlowe was another enormously famous writer, who thrived in the renaissance age. Episode 6 of the series shows us a glimpse of these two writers sitting together in a Tavern in London.

In the episode, viewers are taken back to 1389 Dream and Death, entering a tavern where a man named Robert Gadling wishes to escape death. Hearing his unique views about Death, the Endless grants him the wish. Dream strikes a deal with him that they will meet in the same place after the passing of every century.

In one of those meetings when Hob became a wealthy knight in the reign of Henry. We saw young Shakespeare and Marlowe, who were discussing their plays. William was seen praising Marlowe’s masterpiece Doctor Faustus narrating some lines from the play. He went on to say how he “would give anything to have your [Marlowe’s] gifts. To give men dreams that would live on long after I’m dead. I would bargain like your Faustus for that boon”. 

Seeing his enthusiasm, Morpheus asks Hob about him. Hob replies that the fellow was Will Shaxberd and calls Kit Marlowe a good playwright as we know he is believed to influence Shakespeare. Dream asks Will if he really wants to spur people’s minds with his words. Then they both go out together, which indicates that the greatest writer received a boon from the King of inspiration himself.

However, this is not the first time we are coming across such incidents happening in the waking world. For instance, S.T. Coleridge himself mentioned this after writing one of his admirable works Kubla Khan. The author revealed that he wrote the poem was inspired by his dream, and that’s why he also called it “A Vision in a Dream.” Perhaps, there walks a version of The Sandman’s Dream amongst us.

The Sandman is exclusively streaming on Netflix.