- Title: The Sandman – Calliope
- IMDb: link
The Sandman doesn’t offer a very flattering view of humanity. In “Calliope” we are introduced to the former wife (Melissanthi Mahut) of Dream (Tom Sturridge). Calliope, a muse who, like him, becomes trapped by a human for years. In this case it’s an author (Derek Jacobi) who has used the muse’s gifts to earn fame and fortune. At the end of his life, rather than releasing the muse, as was their agreement, he sells her to another young writer (Arthur Darvill) struggling to write a second book who too finds the allure of fame and fortune too much to ever let her go.
The episode touches again on the idea that Dream’s captivity has changed him. His punishment for the author is severe, but not permanent or deadly, as he’s overwhelmed by ideas for novels to the point of madness until he agrees to free Calliope. The episode also hints at the pair’s relationship without delving too deeply into it, mentioning a child and a tragedy that split them. The episode is packaged with a short animated tale involving the dreaming of cats which is interesting, but doesn’t really fit together thematically with “Calliope.”
