Hypnosis in the Arts and Entertainment
Most people get their first introduction to hypnosis through books, movies, TV, theatre, and stage hypnosis which is more entertainment than hypnosis. We write about the representation of hypnosis in different arts in this section.
I'll start with my first encounter with hypnosis. I was not seven when I started reading a book by Alexander Dumas translated into Persian. I don't know which Dumas this was (Pere or Fils). Anyway the book was called, "Joseph Balsamo." The book was titled after the protagonist who was a freemason and hypnotized his wife. His wife was under the influence of the clergy or some other evil forces (in the context of this book) and would be normal (that's to say would love the husband) when he would hypnotize her. In those days many translated books were serialized in Iran and each week we would wait for the publication of the magazine with which the serial came. We would detach it and read it between my sisters and I passing it along. I remember being fascinated by this character and hypnosis. I have a vague memory that he was able to hypnotize his wife from a distance.