In his early twenties, despondent over his failures as an actor, August Strindberg determined to take his life. He climbed up into the small attic in which he lived and swallowed an opium pill, expecting to die. But he did not die.
Who is August Strindberg?
August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright and novelist and is known as ‘the Father of modern Swedish literature.’ Strindberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden on 22 January 1849. Strindberg’s father, Carl Strindberg, worked as a shipping agent and his mother, Eleonora Norling, was a maid.
What is Strindberg's full name?
Johan August Strindberg ( / ˈstrɪn ( d) bɜːrɡ /, Swedish: [ˈǒːɡɵst ˈstrɪ̂nːdbærj] ( listen); 22 January 1849 – 14 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter.
What was August Strindberg's Inferno crisis?
He entered the period of his "Inferno crisis," in which he had psychological and religious upheavals that influenced his later works. August Strindberg's Inferno is his personal account of sinking deeper into some kind of madness, typified by visions and paranoia.
What happened to Strindberg after Det nya riket?
In 1883, the year after he published Det nya riket (“The New Kingdom”), a withering satire on contemporary Sweden, Strindberg left Stockholm with his family and for six years moved restlessly about the Continent. Although he was then approaching a state of complete mental breakdown, he produced a great number of plays, novels, and stories.
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What was August Strindberg known for?
Johan August Strindberg (January 22, 1849 - May 14, 1912) was a 19th-century Swedish writer frequently called “the Father of Naturalism.” A complex and deeply troubled individual, Strindberg wrote some of the most prominent and tonally varied plays of his time.
Where did August Strindberg live?
ParisAugust Strindberg / Places lived
Who influenced August Strindberg?
Henrik IbsenWilliam Shakespe...Friedrich NietzscheJean‑Jacq... RousseauSøren KierkegaardÉmile ZolaAugust Strindberg/Influenced by
Who is the father of Swedish writing?
August StrindbergDied14 May 1912 (aged 63) Stockholm, SwedenResting placeNorra begravningsplatsenOccupationPlaywright Novelist Essayist Poet PainterNationalitySwedish9 more rows
Which was Osborne's most successful play?
Look Back in AngerJohn James Osborne (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter and actor, known for his prose that criticized established social and political norms. The success of his 1956 play Look Back in Anger transformed English theatre.
What is the plot of The Stronger by August Strindberg?
The play represents a triangular situation in which two actresses—one married, Mrs. X, and one unmarried, Miss Y—meet accidentally at a café while Christmas shopping and begin considering their past rivalry in love for Mrs. X's husband.
What is a dream play about?
“A Dream Play” begins as Agnes, the daughter of Indra, descends to Earth in the form of a beautiful woman to find the roots of humanity's discontent with their existence. Her journey is intended to reflect the story of Jesus, as she experiences the pain of being human.
Is Strindberg public domain?
Works about Strindberg Works by this author published before January 1, 1927 are in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Translations or editions published later may be copyrighted.
Is the most famous playwright of slice of life drama?
Anton Chekhov. is the most famous playwright of "slice of life" drama.
Who is the most famous Swedish author?
Astrid Lindgren continued to publish many best-selling children's books which eventually made her the most read Swedish author, regardless of genre, with over 100 million copies printed throughout the world and translations into over 80 languages.
Where did Swedish massage come from?
As the name suggests, this type of massage originated in Sweden in the 1830s. Swedish fencing instructor Per Henrik Ling reportedly cured his elbow injuries using percussion strokes around the affected area.
What is the father of massage?
In the early 1800s, Peter Henry Ling (also Per Henrik Ling) was perhaps the first to discover what countless others have since learned in the past centuries: massage is critical for healing pain. Though somewhat controversial, Ling is widely considered the "Father of Massage".
Is the most famous playwright of slice of life drama?
Anton Chekhov. is the most famous playwright of "slice of life" drama.
Is August Strindberg public domain?
Works about Strindberg Works by this author published before January 1, 1927 are in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Translations or editions published later may be copyrighted.
What are the birth and death dates for Chekhov?
Anton Chekhov, in full Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, (born January 29 [January 17, Old Style], 1860, Taganrog, Russia—died July 14/15 [July 1/2], 1904, Badenweiler, Germany), Russian playwright and master of the modern short story.
What is a dream play about?
“A Dream Play” begins as Agnes, the daughter of Indra, descends to Earth in the form of a beautiful woman to find the roots of humanity's discontent with their existence. Her journey is intended to reflect the story of Jesus, as she experiences the pain of being human.
What was the crisis that Strindberg described in Inferno?
A period of literary sterility, emotional and physical stress, and considerable mental instability culminated in a kind of religious conversion, the crisis that he described in Inferno. During these years Strindberg devoted considerable time to experiments in alchemy and to the study of theosophy.
What was the significance of the rejection of Mäster Olof?
The Royal Theatre’s rejection of Mäster Olof deepened his pessimism and sharpened his contempt for official institutions and traditions. For several years he continued revising the play—later recognized as the first modern Swedish drama—thus delaying his development as a dramatist of contemporary problems.
Who was Gustav Vasa married to?
In 1901 he married the young Norwegian actress Harriet Bosse; in 1904 they parted, and again Strindberg lost the child, his fifth.
Who is August Strindberg?
August Strindberg, in full Johan August Strindberg, (born Jan. 22, 1849, Stockholm, Swed.—died May 14, 1912, Stockholm), Swedish playwright, novelist, and short-story writer, who combined psychology and Naturalism in a new kind of European drama that evolved into Expressionist drama.
What is the name of the stage that Strindberg created?
Revolutions in Word and World Strindberg had previously attempted to open his own theater, without success. In 1907, he succeeded, founding the Intimate Theatre with a young producer named August Falk. For this stage, Strindberg wrote a series of “chamber plays”—plays composed like chamber music, with theme and development rather than plot and character. The chamber plays are usually set in a house that quickly assumes metaphorical significance: its respectable exterior hides the lies and deceits in the rooms within. The chamber plays culminate in the extraordinary Ghost Sonata (1908), with a peculiar blend of occult, fantastic, and surreal elements.
What is the name of the book that Strindberg wrote about a widow who tries to persua?
Surprisingly, just as his marriage was growing brittle, Strindberg began writing one of his sunniest novels, The People of Hemso (1887), about a farmhand who seduces a widow and tries to persuade her to marry him and sign over the farm. The novel has become a Swedish classic and mandatory reading for Swedish high school students.
What was the book that Strindberg wrote?
The book gave Strindberg new and powerful enemies , and its negative reception was probably the catalyst for Strindberg's decision to leave Sweden, which both ruined his marriage and was extremely productive for his work: he published more than twenty volumes of writing in the ensuing six years.
How many plays did Strindberg write?
In the next five years, he wrote twenty-two plays, including one of his masterpieces, The Dance of Death (1900). Coming home after many years abroad, Strindberg negotiated the tensions of his return by composing a remarkable series of historical dramas. The eleven plays he wrote between 1899 and 1908, together with Master Olof from 1872, form a cycle dramatizing seven centuries of Swedish history. His model for this enormous project was Shakespeare. The best-known plays of the cycle portray leading Swedish figures such as Gustav Vasa (1899), the nation's founding father, and Erik XIV (1899), the psychopathic king who proposed to Queen Elizabeth of England and was rejected.
Where did Strindberg live?
Berlin and Paris Strindberg moved to Berlin in 1892, and found there a following of artists and writers, as well as directors eager to stage his plays. He met his second wife there, a twenty-one-year-old journalist named Frida Uhl. The marriage lasted a year and a half; their parting became the opening scene of his pivotal novel, Inferno (1897). Strindberg then turned his hopes to Paris, where he tried hard to market himself and had a victory with a Paris production of The Father.
What is the theme of Strindberg's plays?
If conflict is the driving force of Strindberg's mature plays, his principal theme is the battle of wills , especially as applied in the battle between the sexes for intellectual and psychological supremacy. Strindberg's attitude toward women was more ambivalent than negative. He was acutely aware of the problems facing women in the patriarchal societies of nineteenth-century Europe. Henrik Ibsen had fueled the debate in 1879 with his play A Doll's House, and Strindberg was one of many to respond to that important drama. Strindberg initially advocated an egalitarian relationship between the sexes. In his plays, though, female characters often appear as diabolical usurpers of man's “naturally” dominant role, cruelly shattering his psyche and draining his intellect.
What is the Red Room?
Controversy and Exile Strindberg's breakthrough as a prose writer—and the breakthrough of realism in modern Swedish literature—came with The Red Room (1879), a collection of satirical short stories about bohemian life in Stockholm. The title comes from a room at the popular Berns Salonger restaurant, where a coterie of young artists gathered regularly. The book was an overnight success, and put its author in the limelight. He followed this up with Old Stockholm (1880), a popular history of daily life in the city.
What did Strindberg do after he failed at chemistry?
Having failed at chemistry Strindberg began studying aesthetics and modern language. Strindberg started a literary club in the university and the group would read and critique each other’s work. 1870 saw Strindberg publish his first literary work and the comedy In Rome was performed at Sweden’s Royal Theatre. The play received some mild praise but Strindberg felt deeply embarrassed by it after seeing it performed. Strindberg copied the Shakespearean technique of using modern speech in historical plays. Using this technique he rewrote the historical tragedy Sven the Sacrificer as The Outlaw. This attracted a lot of criticism and controversy as many considered historical works as deserving a certain standard of reverence. Strindberg in spite of this received Royal patronage from King Charles XV. Strindberg left Uppsala University without graduating and would later write very critically of the institute in his book on his student life, Town and Gown. 1879 saw Strindberg reach his lowest point as he was declared bankrupt but by the end of the year he had his breakdown as his novel TheRed Room was published. The book received huge critical acclaim in Denmark, while Swedish audiences were more lukewarm to it. Strindberg was lifted by the success of his novel and quickly followed it up with an historical drama The Secret of the Guild. The play was accepted by and performed in the Royal Theatre.
What was Strindberg's political view?
Like his religious and philosophical beliefs, Strindberg’s political views were ever changing. While in France Strindberg was drawn to the history of the Paris Commune. He was interested in the class struggle but did not write excessively on any particular topics. Instead, most of Strindberg’s political writings are concerned with attacks on individuals or institutions he felt aggrieved by. Strindberg’s early writings were very egalitarian, but as his relationships with his wives soured, he was prone to misogyny. Despite this due to the targets of Strindberg’s ire were the upper classes his writings remain very popular with socialists.
Where was Carl Strindberg born?
Strindberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden on 22 January 1849. Strindberg’s father, Carl Strindberg, worked as a shipping agent and his mother, Eleonora Norling, was a maid. His mother died when Strindberg was thirteen, and his father married Emilia Patterson who worked as a governess for the Strindberg’s. Strindberg had an unhappy childhood. He had a poor relationship with both his mother and stepmother. Strindberg was also unhappy at his early schooling in the Klara district of Stockholm. He found the Stockholm Lyceum more to his liking and excelled at religion, science, and photography. After graduation, Strindberg attended Uppsala University. To support himself Strindberg work as a schoolteacher. Strindberg began studying chemistry but ultimately failed his exams in the subject.
Was Strindberg a Lutheran?
Strindberg was raised as a Lutheran by his family. During his time out of Sweden, Strindberg drifted through some beliefs and philosophies. He abandoned Lutheranism and became an atheist and was drawn to the work of Rousseau while he lived in France. Upon moving to Germany, he began to identify with the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. While married to his second wife, Frida Uhl, he became influenced by Catholicism. In his later life, he was influenced by Swedenborg’s writings on divine providence and claimed he felt the Christian God influence his life after that.
Who was Strindberg's first wife?
Strindberg married his first wife Siri von Essen in 1877. Strindberg was infatuated with his actress wife and wrote some plays for her to perform in. Siri had a great effect on Strindberg’s writing, and the disintegration of their marriage was reflected in his work. They had three children together, Karin, Greta, and Hans. Siri also lost a child to premature birth during their relationship. The two divorced in 1891. In 1893 he married a young German writer, Frida Uhl, the marriage was soon dissolved although they had a daughter, Kerstin, together. Strindberg was forty-one years older than his third wife, Harriet Bosse. Their marriage was short-lived, lasting from 1901 to 1904 and produced a daughter, Anne-Marie.
What is the theme of the Ghost Sonata?
The Ghost Sonata (1907) by seminal Swedish playwright August Strindberg (1849-1912) follows a young man’s increasing realization of the world’s wickedness. Strindberg was a key contributor to the style of expressionist art. He completed over 60 plays during his lifetime, and The Ghost Sonata remains an innovative play for its unique dialogue, staging, and subject matter. Its themes include supernaturalism, intergenerational crime, guilt, deception and social masks. The Ghost Sonata is a one act play in three scenes; it is considered a chamber play because of its limited cast and small staging space required. These forms were popular in the early 20th century and may reflect the increasing anxiety around global politics.
What is the Colonel's daughter's fate?
The Colonel’s Daughter is severely depressed and wishes to die. Hummel blames her sad fate on the various people gathered at the table. He also wants the younger generation to see the world’s current sins and work toward a brighter future. Yet Hummel, for all his supposed-goodness, is not so innocent.
Why does Arkenholz apologize to Hummel?
Arkenholz is embarrassed by his family’s loss of fortune, and apologizes for lashing out at Hummel. Hummel claims that he can find the young man a good job through the Colonel, who happens to live in the fancy building Arkenholz was admiring.
Why do all the people living in the apartment have a connection?
All of the people living in the apartment are connected, often due to some act of deceit. For instance, the Colonel, who lives on the top floor, once seduced the attractive wife of the Superintendent, who lives in the basement. Arkenholz sees the Colonel’s Wife, who is “mad” after living in a cupboard for the past 40 years. She makes parrot noises all days. Everyone, including the servants Bengttson and Johanson, refers to her as the Mummy.
What happens to the Colonel's Daughter in the play?
The play concludes with the Colonel’s Daughter dying. Arkenholz is furious at the world he’s found himself in, and prays she will have a better life after death.
Why does Arkenholz want to take her away from this sinful house?
Though her joie de vivre is seemingly sapped, and she passes most of her time playing melancholic tunes on the harp, Arkenholz wants to take her away from this sinful house so she can lead a happy life elsewhere. However, she declines. She is convinced she is doomed to die in misery.
Where does the movie Arkenholz take place?
It opens in Stockholm, Sweden. Mr. Arkenholz, a young and idealistic student, wonders (almost enviously) about the rich people living in an opulent building. He’s always wanted to live in a building like that and with a beautiful wife, like the Colonel’s Daughter, whom he spots in the window. Arkenholz has a good heart, and first appears on stage very dirty, having just taken part in the rescue effort of a collapsed building.
Overview
- August Strindberg is considered one of the most important Swedish writers of the modern era. His drama Miss Julie (1888) has proven to be a classic, and several of his later plays, such as The Dream Play (1907) and the trilogy To Damascus(1898–1904), are recognized as forerunners of expressionism and the theater of the absurd. His psychologically a...
Works in Biographical and Historical Context
- A Distressing Childhood in Stockholm Johan August Strindberg was born in Stockholm on January 22, 1849. His father was a steamship agent; his mother, Nora, had at one time been a waitress in a tavern and later became the housekeeper of her future husband. In his autobiographical novel The Son of a Servant(1886), Strindberg underlines the class difference b…
Works in Literary Context
- August Strindberg's career was remarkable in the stages of its development. At every turn, he departed from literary conventions and customary dramatic norms. Many of his plays, particularly Master Olofand his later historical cycle, follow a Shakespearean model of stagecraft, but he absorbed numerous other artistic and philosophical influences along the way and innovated free…
Works in Critical Context
- During his lifetime, August Strindberg frequently courted controversy and deliberately outraged the establishment. It is no wonder that reaction to his creative work was often mixed. The first few years of his career were marked by his unconventional, grassroots approach to Swedish history; his outspoken assault on powerful leaders and institutions in The New Kingdom; and his 1884 bl…
Responses to Literature
- August Strindberg championed naturalism in his early career, and then later rejected it and pursued more expressionistic theatrics. Write about the uses and limits of naturalism in his plays, citin...
- Explore the theories of the eighteenth-century mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, who influenced many famous writers. How do Strindberg's post-Infernowritings reflect Swedenborgian ideas?
- August Strindberg championed naturalism in his early career, and then later rejected it and pursued more expressionistic theatrics. Write about the uses and limits of naturalism in his plays, citin...
- Explore the theories of the eighteenth-century mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, who influenced many famous writers. How do Strindberg's post-Infernowritings reflect Swedenborgian ideas?
- Write about the theme of power as expressed in Strindberg's work. How do his characters acquire, display, and use power?
- Many scholars have written about the bitter relations between men and women in Strindberg's dramas. Do you think his is a sexist point of view? Explain your position using detailed analysis of pass...
Bibliography
- Books
Bellquist, John Eric. Strindberg as a Modern Poet: A Critical and Comparative Study. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of CaliforniaPress, 1986. Carlson, Harry G. Out of Inferno: Strindberg's Reawakening as an Artist. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996. Kvam, Kela, ed. Strindb…
Childhood and Early Life
- Strindberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden on 22 January 1849. Strindberg’s father, Carl Strindberg, worked as a shipping agent and his mother, Eleonora Norling, was a maid. His mother died when Strindberg was thirteen, and his father married Emilia Patterson who worked as a governess for the Strindberg’s. Strindberg had an unhappy childhood. He had ...
Work as A Writer
- Having failed at chemistry Strindberg began studying aesthetics and modern language. Strindberg started a literary club in the university and the group would read and critique each other’s work. 1870 saw Strindberg publish his first literary work and the comedy In Rome was performed at Sweden’s Royal Theatre. The play received some mild praise but Strindberg felt deeply embarras…
Personal Life
- Strindberg married his first wife Siri von Essen in 1877. Strindberg was infatuated with his actress wife and wrote some plays for her to perform in. Siri had a great effect on Strindberg’s writing, and the disintegration of their marriage was reflected in his work. They had three children together, Karin, Greta, and Hans. Siri also lost a child to premature birth during their relationship. The two …
Religion and Beliefs
- Strindbergwas raised as a Lutheran by his family. During his time out of Sweden, Strindberg drifted through some beliefs and philosophies. He abandoned Lutheranism and became an atheist and was drawn to the work of Rousseau while he lived in France. Upon moving to Germany, he began to identify with the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. While married to his seco…
Politics
- Like his religious and philosophical beliefs, Strindberg’s political views were ever changing. While in France Strindbergwas drawn to the history of the Paris Commune. He was interested in the class struggle but did not write excessively on any particular topics. Instead, most of Strindberg’s political writings are concerned with attacks on individuals or institutions he felt aggrieved by. St…