The Jew Is Within You, But You,

You Are in the Jew

SLAVOJ IEK

Ismail Kadares The Palace of Dreams tells the story of the Tabir Sarrail, the
palace of dreams in the capital of an unnamed, vast nineteenth-century
Balkan empire (modeled on Turkey). In this gigantic building thousands
assiduously sift, sort, classify, and interpret the dreams of citizens systematically and continuously assembled from all parts of the empire. Their
intense work of bureaucratic interpretation is Kafkaesque: intense yet a
meaningless fake. The ultimate goal of their activity is identify the MasterDream that will provide clues to the destiny of the empire and its sultan.
This is why, although supposed to be a place of dark mystery exempted from
the daily power struggles, what goes on in the Tabir Sarrail is caught in a
violent power strugglewhich dream will be selected (or, perhaps, even
invented) as the Master-Dream is the outcome of intense dark intrigues.
In my opinion, Kurt went on, it is the only organization in the
State where the darker side of its subjects consciousness enters into
direct contact with the State itself.
He looked around at everyone present, as if to assess the effect
of his words.
The masses dont rule, of course, he continued, but they do possess a mechanism through which they influence all the States affairs,
including its crimes. And that mechanism is the Tabir Sarrail.

alon15758_cl.indd 159

7/6/11 8:00 PM