Biography
August Strindberg (1849-1912), born in Stockholm, was the foundational figure of modern Scandinavian drama and a dominant influence on European Expressionism. His breakthrough came with the naturalist masterpieces Fadren (The Father, 1887) and Fröken Julie (Miss Julie, 1888), whose preface became a manifesto of modern psychological drama. After a severe mental crisis in the 1890s (the so-called Inferno period), Strindberg turned toward a visionary, expressionistic style in Till Damaskus (To Damascus, 1898-1904), Ett drömspel (A Dream Play, 1901), and Spöksonaten (The Ghost Sonata, 1907). He also wrote important novels, historical dramas, and autobiographical works. Strindberg's three marriages ended in conflict; his later writing returned repeatedly to male-female psychological warfare. He died of stomach cancer in Stockholm in 1912; over a hundred thousand mourners attended his funeral.
On Stagelog
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