Srindberg Gender Roles
Scandinavian Literature Final Paper
12/8/13
August Johan Strindberg is a quintessential author of the Modern Breakthrough movement due to his controversial ideas of society and naturalistic style of writing. Strindberg’s eccentric perspective on the world stems from his troubling childhood and mental instability. His ideas illustrate the core ideal of the Modern Breakthrough, that of the opposition to Romantic ideals. During the Modern Breakthrough, the importance of marriage, the role of women in society, sexual morality, and atheism were all questioned. Strindberg’s provocative ideas about women, sex, and religion, which defined this turn-of-the-century era, are expressed openly in his poems, novels, and plays. His one-act allegorical …show more content…
monologue “The Stronger” illustrates the juxtaposition of old and new while focusing on the debate of gender roles and the woman question in society through characters based on his personal life. The Modern Breakthrough began as a reaction to the ideas of Romanticism in the late nineteenth century. Emphasis on beauty and an ideal world was now replaced with hard objective truth and debates about social conflicts. This new style and subject of writing, also known as naturalism, was extremely controversial as it dealt with issues of sexuality and gender in society, both of which were never openly discussed in the Romantic era. The start of the Modern Breakthrough movement is attributed to Georg Brandes, who in 1870 protested “against the dominance of outdated bourgeois romanticism” (Liet). Brandes was a well-traveled man and identified that the Scandinavian society socially lagged behind the rest of Europe and he made it his mission to embark on a “quasi-religious assignment of self-sacrifice” in order to bring the Scandinavian society to the level of the rest of Europe (Liet). The most prevalent problem he witnessed in the old-fashioned society was that of gender roles and relationships between sexes. During the first half of the nineteenth century middle-class women were “only respectable as members of a family” (Sjögren). As the nineteenth century progressed, economic and political changes led to this idea to be challenged. Women were becoming a more prominent contributor to society as they began to outnumber men. Their work was necessary for economic stability. This upset of the social norms is reflected in the writings of the Modern Breakthrough authors.
August Strindberg’s ideas originally coincided with these Modern Breakthrough ideas and he became known as a significant writer of this time. His maturation and changing ideas were always one step ahead of the social norm, making him an outcast and controversial to society. His initial feministic views were challenged by society; however his later misogynistic views proved to be the most controversial. His feministic views were swiftly transformed to misogynistic views as he described himself as a “complete rabble and woman hater” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 287). Unafraid to voice his ideas through his plays, he was often criticized and was even accused of blasphemy. Although an influential part of naturalism, many of Strindberg’s later ideas even contrasted with the typical naturalistic views. In his monologue “The Stronger,” he voices his controversial opinions, combining his initial feministic ideas with his later misogynistic concepts. By doing so, Strindberg ironically creates a dichotomy between the New Woman and the traditional woman and allows the audience to decide which woman more desirable. This symbolic monologue, “The Stronger” is a quintessential naturalistic play as it is simplistic in nature and captures the ideals of the Modern Breakthrough; the struggle “between the old and new” and the “simple scientific demonstration of the survival of the fittest” (Sjögren) (Brustein). It further reflects the changing idea of what a woman was meant to do and be in the turn-of-the-century society. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, women had virtually no power and held “no legal status in their own right”; however as the century progressed, women’s presence in the work force began to be demanded (Sjögren).
This change opened the door to a further discussion of gender roles. In the latter half of the century, the new ideas in society created the New Woman: the “self-supporting middle-class woman” (Sjögren). This New Woman figure led to a conflict of the definitions of femininity and sexuality. The lines of masculinity versus femininity were sometimes blurred as females were now performing male jobs and were no longer tied down to a family. As women became more prevalent in society, femininity began to be seen as a danger to masculinity. Women began writing more publicly, further infiltrating the public sphere. As this was uncharacteristically feminine, Strindberg claimed all women writers were “whores: (women) who have lost the characteristics of their sex” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 311). He opened up the criteria for being a “whore” and further claimed all “emancipated women are the spitting images of whores” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 311). Sexuality also came into question and the concept of pre-marital sex for women was debated. The “so-called chastity debate” became an important part of the “woman question” and it was questioned why men were allowed to have premarital sexual relations while it was forbidden for women (Sjögren). This …show more content…
sexual revolution scared many at the time.
The society’s fear of this New Woman is reflected in the literary works of this time as a “femme fatale,” or a woman character who is dangerous to men.
“The femme fatale loves herself through the love of men, but she does not love them back, she just greedily devours love, and she is insatiable” (Sjögren).
Strindberg captured the femme fatale in a majority of his works because it was relatable to his life.
This destructive woman was familiar to his own world. The women in his life, including his multiple wives, often unintentionally emotionally scarred him. Strindberg claimed “all evil of the greatest evil I have seen is of the female sex” (Johannesson). He accused them of being “tribade” or lesbian because they acted upon the Modern Breakthrough ideas and tried to stand on their own feet (Swope) Strindberg’s fear of these newly independent women is reflected in “The Stronger.” Mrs. X represents his wife, Siri von Essen, while Miss Y represents her friend, Marie David. Strindberg worries the New Woman, Marie David, will challenge and potentially replace masculinity. By doing so, Strindberg fears he and all men will eventually become “superfluous” (Swope). This fear became increasingly common during the Modern Breakthrough as feminism began to thrive and the New Woman began to
flourish. As the New Woman flourished, men fought to conserve their power. While some men supported women’s rights and the “woman question,” others, such as Strindberg, opposed this new revolution. Strindberg initially agreed with his fellow Modern Breakthrough writers, such as Henrik Ibsen, that women should gain equality. Strindberg’s ideas, however slowly changed as his mental stability diminished and the women in his life began to leave and betray him. He began to fear his intense biological desire for women. Strindberg created ironic pieces in which “Strindbergian misogyny garnish(ed)” his work and called for a return to traditional gender roles (Sreekumar). His play, “The Stronger” is a one act play consisting of only two women. Despite the fact that only the two women are present, Mr. X, or Bob, is the main focus of the play. This illustrates the omnipresence of the male sex. Bob is also one of the few characters important enough to receive a name. Miss Y and Mrs. X remain unnamed, keeping them as symbols of the New Woman and the traditional woman respectively, as opposed to actual individuals. Additionally, Mrs. X assumes Miss Y had an affair with her husband. Although expressing anger towards Miss Y, she claims that it “doesn’t trouble (her)” and she is “going home to love him” (Strindberg, The Stronger). This illustrates the hold a man had on his traditional wife. Even after the husband has been unfaithful, the woman, Mrs. X in this situation, would run back to her husband because she felt she needed him. This misogynistic outlook overpowered the hints of empowerment for the new woman.
Strindberg "vacillated between an intense worship of the female and an even more intense misogyny” (Brustein). He admits his misogynistic views were “only the reverse side of (his) fearful attraction towards the other sex” (Brustein). His misogyny is most prevalent in his play “Miss Julie.” The main character, Miss Julie has a “masochistic and hysteric nature (that) has paved way for her degradation” (Sreekumar). Misogyny, or the hatred of women, underlies all of Strindberg’s works. His misogynistic view could be attributed to his fear of the male gender losing power to the New Woman. During this controversial time period, men had to fight to stay in power and make sure the New Woman did not replace masculinity. Strindberg creates the equation “woman = criminal” in a letter to Ola Hansson (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 305). This equation shows us insight into Strindberg’s misogyny. Aside from fearing a loss of power, he believed the New Woman would be at fault for the degeneration of society as a whole. This power shift was seen as a debate of gender roles and proved to be the main concern of the Modern Breakthrough’s. Women were gaining political and social power, upsetting traditional society. The traditional married woman was becoming a thing of the past and the New Woman was “working professionally, participating in politics and entering public space” (Sjögren). “The Stronger” juxtaposes the two different types of women and creates a dichotomy between new and old. Mrs. X represents the traditional woman who believes “going home to love [her husband]” is the meaning of life (Strindberg, The Stronger). Miss Y on the other hand represents the New Woman who is “unable to hate or love” (Strindberg, The Stronger). Although seemingly negative, this inability for these intense emotions illustrates a man is irrelevant to her happiness. Miss Y is the “self-supporting middle-class woman” (Sjögren). Strindberg believed this New Woman would damage the relationship between men and women as it disrupted views of femininity and masculinity (Sjögren). This is in part due to the fact that he believed his wife was falling for the New Woman figure and he was becoming superfluous.
Furthermore “The Stronger” exemplifies the strong emphasis the nineteenth century placed on the importance of marriage. The two main characters are represented by titles: Mrs. X and Miss Y. The stress on the titles illustrates how women primarily got their power through their husbands. Mrs. X implies that Miss Y should do whatever she can in order to hold on to a man and have a marriage. She argues with Miss Y “home is the best of all” and Miss Y should have forgiven her fiancé for whatever he did simply so she could now be married (Strindberg, The Stronger). Mrs. X assumes Miss Y is indeed “unhappy” and lacks the “power to hate or to love” because she does not have a husband (Strindberg, The Stronger). These ideas illustrate the common beliefs about marriage at this time. The fact that the New Woman
“voluntarily rejected marriage for professional work, independence and intellectual activities was seen as unnatural and a threat against the ‘natural’ order” (Sjögren).
Although power was achieved through marriage, the fact that Miss Y essentially created Mrs. X and her personality proves that the New Woman was gaining power and revolutionizing society. This slow change can be seen through the works of other Modern Breakthrough authors. As a leading author during the Modern Breakthrough, Henrik Ibsen wrote many works opposing gender inequality and fought for the New Woman. His play “Doll House” suggested that there “are more important things in life than being a wife and mother” (Sjögren). This idea was a growing one and can even be seen in “The Stronger.” Miss Y is sitting in a ladies café alone with a beer on Christmas Eve, a family oriented holiday. Her nonchalance toward her situation reflects her lack of a need for a man in her life. This idea is revolutionary as women of this time were typically defined by their man. These small steps paved the way for the women’s rights movement. August Strindberg is one of the most controversial authors of all time. As a part of the Modern Breakthrough his topics of sexuality, gender roles, and equality were provocative in nature; however, the extent to which he discussed them and the way in which he did so led him to be an outcast and accused of blasphemy. “The Stronger” is a discussion of new versus old reflecting the very ideals of the Modern Breakthrough. His discussion of the New Woman in his pieces and his letters conflicted the views of most of his fellow writers, making them even more controversial. As Strindberg always was a step ahead of societal norms as the Modern Breakthrough progressed, his writings also progressed and ultimately evolved to a different version of naturalism expressed in his autobiography “Inferno.” August Strindberg is a quintessential author of the Modern Breakthrough movement and can be seen as the father of modern literature.
Bibliography
Brustein, Robert. "Male and Female in August Strindberg." The Tulane Drama Review (1962).
Johannesson, Eric O. The Novels of August Strindberg: A Study in Theme and Structure. California: University of California Press, 1968.
Liet, Henk van der. "Georg Brandes as a literary intermediary." n.d. http://dare.uva.nl/document/464199. Article. 5 11 2013.
Sjögren, Kristina. "Transgressive Femininity: gender in the Scandinavian Modern Breakthrough." University College London, 2010.
Sreekumar, Praseedha. "Social norms and feminine sensibility a study of August Strindberg 's Miss Julie." Language in Media: Literature Resource Center. (2012).
Strindberg, August. "Strindberg 's Letters." Ed. Michael Robinson. Trans. Michael Robinson. London: The University of Chicago Press, 1992. Print.
—. "The Stronger." Trans. Edith and Warner Oland. n.d.
Swope, Martha. "The Prophetic Anguish of August Strindberg." New York Times (1977): D1. Article.
12/8/13
August Johan Strindberg is a quintessential author of the Modern Breakthrough movement due to his controversial ideas of society and naturalistic style of writing. Strindberg’s eccentric perspective on the world stems from his troubling childhood and mental instability. His ideas illustrate the core ideal of the Modern Breakthrough, that of the opposition to Romantic ideals. During the Modern Breakthrough, the importance of marriage, the role of women in society, sexual morality, and atheism were all questioned. Strindberg’s provocative ideas about women, sex, and religion, which defined this turn-of-the-century era, are expressed openly in his poems, novels, and plays. His one-act allegorical …show more content…
monologue “The Stronger” illustrates the juxtaposition of old and new while focusing on the debate of gender roles and the woman question in society through characters based on his personal life. The Modern Breakthrough began as a reaction to the ideas of Romanticism in the late nineteenth century. Emphasis on beauty and an ideal world was now replaced with hard objective truth and debates about social conflicts. This new style and subject of writing, also known as naturalism, was extremely controversial as it dealt with issues of sexuality and gender in society, both of which were never openly discussed in the Romantic era. The start of the Modern Breakthrough movement is attributed to Georg Brandes, who in 1870 protested “against the dominance of outdated bourgeois romanticism” (Liet). Brandes was a well-traveled man and identified that the Scandinavian society socially lagged behind the rest of Europe and he made it his mission to embark on a “quasi-religious assignment of self-sacrifice” in order to bring the Scandinavian society to the level of the rest of Europe (Liet). The most prevalent problem he witnessed in the old-fashioned society was that of gender roles and relationships between sexes. During the first half of the nineteenth century middle-class women were “only respectable as members of a family” (Sjögren). As the nineteenth century progressed, economic and political changes led to this idea to be challenged. Women were becoming a more prominent contributor to society as they began to outnumber men. Their work was necessary for economic stability. This upset of the social norms is reflected in the writings of the Modern Breakthrough authors.
August Strindberg’s ideas originally coincided with these Modern Breakthrough ideas and he became known as a significant writer of this time. His maturation and changing ideas were always one step ahead of the social norm, making him an outcast and controversial to society. His initial feministic views were challenged by society; however his later misogynistic views proved to be the most controversial. His feministic views were swiftly transformed to misogynistic views as he described himself as a “complete rabble and woman hater” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 287). Unafraid to voice his ideas through his plays, he was often criticized and was even accused of blasphemy. Although an influential part of naturalism, many of Strindberg’s later ideas even contrasted with the typical naturalistic views. In his monologue “The Stronger,” he voices his controversial opinions, combining his initial feministic ideas with his later misogynistic concepts. By doing so, Strindberg ironically creates a dichotomy between the New Woman and the traditional woman and allows the audience to decide which woman more desirable. This symbolic monologue, “The Stronger” is a quintessential naturalistic play as it is simplistic in nature and captures the ideals of the Modern Breakthrough; the struggle “between the old and new” and the “simple scientific demonstration of the survival of the fittest” (Sjögren) (Brustein). It further reflects the changing idea of what a woman was meant to do and be in the turn-of-the-century society. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, women had virtually no power and held “no legal status in their own right”; however as the century progressed, women’s presence in the work force began to be demanded (Sjögren).
This change opened the door to a further discussion of gender roles. In the latter half of the century, the new ideas in society created the New Woman: the “self-supporting middle-class woman” (Sjögren). This New Woman figure led to a conflict of the definitions of femininity and sexuality. The lines of masculinity versus femininity were sometimes blurred as females were now performing male jobs and were no longer tied down to a family. As women became more prevalent in society, femininity began to be seen as a danger to masculinity. Women began writing more publicly, further infiltrating the public sphere. As this was uncharacteristically feminine, Strindberg claimed all women writers were “whores: (women) who have lost the characteristics of their sex” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 311). He opened up the criteria for being a “whore” and further claimed all “emancipated women are the spitting images of whores” (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 311). Sexuality also came into question and the concept of pre-marital sex for women was debated. The “so-called chastity debate” became an important part of the “woman question” and it was questioned why men were allowed to have premarital sexual relations while it was forbidden for women (Sjögren). This …show more content…
sexual revolution scared many at the time.
The society’s fear of this New Woman is reflected in the literary works of this time as a “femme fatale,” or a woman character who is dangerous to men.
“The femme fatale loves herself through the love of men, but she does not love them back, she just greedily devours love, and she is insatiable” (Sjögren).
Strindberg captured the femme fatale in a majority of his works because it was relatable to his life.
This destructive woman was familiar to his own world. The women in his life, including his multiple wives, often unintentionally emotionally scarred him. Strindberg claimed “all evil of the greatest evil I have seen is of the female sex” (Johannesson). He accused them of being “tribade” or lesbian because they acted upon the Modern Breakthrough ideas and tried to stand on their own feet (Swope) Strindberg’s fear of these newly independent women is reflected in “The Stronger.” Mrs. X represents his wife, Siri von Essen, while Miss Y represents her friend, Marie David. Strindberg worries the New Woman, Marie David, will challenge and potentially replace masculinity. By doing so, Strindberg fears he and all men will eventually become “superfluous” (Swope). This fear became increasingly common during the Modern Breakthrough as feminism began to thrive and the New Woman began to
flourish. As the New Woman flourished, men fought to conserve their power. While some men supported women’s rights and the “woman question,” others, such as Strindberg, opposed this new revolution. Strindberg initially agreed with his fellow Modern Breakthrough writers, such as Henrik Ibsen, that women should gain equality. Strindberg’s ideas, however slowly changed as his mental stability diminished and the women in his life began to leave and betray him. He began to fear his intense biological desire for women. Strindberg created ironic pieces in which “Strindbergian misogyny garnish(ed)” his work and called for a return to traditional gender roles (Sreekumar). His play, “The Stronger” is a one act play consisting of only two women. Despite the fact that only the two women are present, Mr. X, or Bob, is the main focus of the play. This illustrates the omnipresence of the male sex. Bob is also one of the few characters important enough to receive a name. Miss Y and Mrs. X remain unnamed, keeping them as symbols of the New Woman and the traditional woman respectively, as opposed to actual individuals. Additionally, Mrs. X assumes Miss Y had an affair with her husband. Although expressing anger towards Miss Y, she claims that it “doesn’t trouble (her)” and she is “going home to love him” (Strindberg, The Stronger). This illustrates the hold a man had on his traditional wife. Even after the husband has been unfaithful, the woman, Mrs. X in this situation, would run back to her husband because she felt she needed him. This misogynistic outlook overpowered the hints of empowerment for the new woman.
Strindberg "vacillated between an intense worship of the female and an even more intense misogyny” (Brustein). He admits his misogynistic views were “only the reverse side of (his) fearful attraction towards the other sex” (Brustein). His misogyny is most prevalent in his play “Miss Julie.” The main character, Miss Julie has a “masochistic and hysteric nature (that) has paved way for her degradation” (Sreekumar). Misogyny, or the hatred of women, underlies all of Strindberg’s works. His misogynistic view could be attributed to his fear of the male gender losing power to the New Woman. During this controversial time period, men had to fight to stay in power and make sure the New Woman did not replace masculinity. Strindberg creates the equation “woman = criminal” in a letter to Ola Hansson (Strindberg, Strindberg 's Letters 305). This equation shows us insight into Strindberg’s misogyny. Aside from fearing a loss of power, he believed the New Woman would be at fault for the degeneration of society as a whole. This power shift was seen as a debate of gender roles and proved to be the main concern of the Modern Breakthrough’s. Women were gaining political and social power, upsetting traditional society. The traditional married woman was becoming a thing of the past and the New Woman was “working professionally, participating in politics and entering public space” (Sjögren). “The Stronger” juxtaposes the two different types of women and creates a dichotomy between new and old. Mrs. X represents the traditional woman who believes “going home to love [her husband]” is the meaning of life (Strindberg, The Stronger). Miss Y on the other hand represents the New Woman who is “unable to hate or love” (Strindberg, The Stronger). Although seemingly negative, this inability for these intense emotions illustrates a man is irrelevant to her happiness. Miss Y is the “self-supporting middle-class woman” (Sjögren). Strindberg believed this New Woman would damage the relationship between men and women as it disrupted views of femininity and masculinity (Sjögren). This is in part due to the fact that he believed his wife was falling for the New Woman figure and he was becoming superfluous.
Furthermore “The Stronger” exemplifies the strong emphasis the nineteenth century placed on the importance of marriage. The two main characters are represented by titles: Mrs. X and Miss Y. The stress on the titles illustrates how women primarily got their power through their husbands. Mrs. X implies that Miss Y should do whatever she can in order to hold on to a man and have a marriage. She argues with Miss Y “home is the best of all” and Miss Y should have forgiven her fiancé for whatever he did simply so she could now be married (Strindberg, The Stronger). Mrs. X assumes Miss Y is indeed “unhappy” and lacks the “power to hate or to love” because she does not have a husband (Strindberg, The Stronger). These ideas illustrate the common beliefs about marriage at this time. The fact that the New Woman
“voluntarily rejected marriage for professional work, independence and intellectual activities was seen as unnatural and a threat against the ‘natural’ order” (Sjögren).
Although power was achieved through marriage, the fact that Miss Y essentially created Mrs. X and her personality proves that the New Woman was gaining power and revolutionizing society. This slow change can be seen through the works of other Modern Breakthrough authors. As a leading author during the Modern Breakthrough, Henrik Ibsen wrote many works opposing gender inequality and fought for the New Woman. His play “Doll House” suggested that there “are more important things in life than being a wife and mother” (Sjögren). This idea was a growing one and can even be seen in “The Stronger.” Miss Y is sitting in a ladies café alone with a beer on Christmas Eve, a family oriented holiday. Her nonchalance toward her situation reflects her lack of a need for a man in her life. This idea is revolutionary as women of this time were typically defined by their man. These small steps paved the way for the women’s rights movement. August Strindberg is one of the most controversial authors of all time. As a part of the Modern Breakthrough his topics of sexuality, gender roles, and equality were provocative in nature; however, the extent to which he discussed them and the way in which he did so led him to be an outcast and accused of blasphemy. “The Stronger” is a discussion of new versus old reflecting the very ideals of the Modern Breakthrough. His discussion of the New Woman in his pieces and his letters conflicted the views of most of his fellow writers, making them even more controversial. As Strindberg always was a step ahead of societal norms as the Modern Breakthrough progressed, his writings also progressed and ultimately evolved to a different version of naturalism expressed in his autobiography “Inferno.” August Strindberg is a quintessential author of the Modern Breakthrough movement and can be seen as the father of modern literature.
Bibliography
Brustein, Robert. "Male and Female in August Strindberg." The Tulane Drama Review (1962).
Johannesson, Eric O. The Novels of August Strindberg: A Study in Theme and Structure. California: University of California Press, 1968.
Liet, Henk van der. "Georg Brandes as a literary intermediary." n.d. http://dare.uva.nl/document/464199. Article. 5 11 2013.
Sjögren, Kristina. "Transgressive Femininity: gender in the Scandinavian Modern Breakthrough." University College London, 2010.
Sreekumar, Praseedha. "Social norms and feminine sensibility a study of August Strindberg 's Miss Julie." Language in Media: Literature Resource Center. (2012).
Strindberg, August. "Strindberg 's Letters." Ed. Michael Robinson. Trans. Michael Robinson. London: The University of Chicago Press, 1992. Print.
—. "The Stronger." Trans. Edith and Warner Oland. n.d.
Swope, Martha. "The Prophetic Anguish of August Strindberg." New York Times (1977): D1. Article.