“The circus arrives
without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when
yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an
utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le
Cirques des Rêves, and it is only open at night.”
Through her depiction of Le Cirques des Rêves, or “The
Circus of Dreams”, Erin Morgenstern highlights the importance of coexistence and
balance. Every tent within the circus is a world of its own, and each provides
its visitors with an experience unlike any other. However, despite being
completely unique, the tents do not feel isolated or separate from each other.
Instead, they come together as part of a working whole. Each tent and its
contents are part of a balanced system. The distinct elements that the tents
provide are instrumental in the creation of the intoxicating adventure that is
the circus. Similarly, each character within the circus
is essential to its
whole. The Night Circus shares a
number of elements with Shakespeare’s The
Tempest. In Shakespeare’s play, the events of the plot are controlled by the
protagonist, Prospero. In The Night
Circus, the setting and events are controlled by five separate characters.
One of which, however, is Prospero the Enchanter. Prospero is father to the
protagonist Celia, whose name he attempts to change to Miranda; Miranda is the
daughter of Prospero in The Tempest. Every aspect of the circus, and the people
within it, are manipulated by the five characters mentioned afore. However, it
is the balanced control of the characters that allows the circus to exist. The
novel explores the effects of balance, or imbalance, in the cases of inborn
talent vs. learned talent, past vs. future, dreams vs. reality, and choices vs.
destiny. Even the imagery of the novel illustrates the impact of balanced
elements. The circus is predominantly black and white, resulting in a color
scheme that is striking in contrast, yet also harmonious.
Out of
the hundreds of books that I have read so far in my life, only one from this past
year has made it on to my top ten list. That book being The Night Circus. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the
novel, but the reason it is among my favorites is its imagery. The world of the
circus is completely engrossing. Not only would I describe it as visually magical,
but the smells and sounds of the circus are crucial as well. Personally, I
found the circus to be a perfect union between dreams and reality. Erin
Morgenstern inserts a city of otherworldly tents into a very mundane world, and
the result is riveting. I think that this novel contains a truly beautiful
experience. I find myself reading and re-reading it just to feel as if I’m
within the circus. The different attractions of the circus showcase the beauty
that can be found in human experiences, while the novel itself illustrates the
beauty that can be created with words. I think it is important for every book
enthusiast to read this novel. The best books are ones that you can immerse yourself
in; books that can you can pull around yourself like a blanket. The Night Circus is most definitely one
of those books, and I truly hope that this post will inspire you to visit Le
Cirques des Rêves.
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