• A theoretical look at the main characters in A. Strindberg’s historical drama

УДК: 821.113.6-2

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2022-3-70-93

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Maria S. Berlova

PhD in Theatre Studies, 
Independent Scholar
Moscow, Russia
E-mail: mashaberlova@yandex.ru

A theoretical look at the main characters in A. Strindberg’s historical drama

Abstract

The article focuses on A. Strindberg’s six historical dramas about Swedish rulers: “Gustav Vasa” (1899), “Erik XIV” (1899), “Gustav Adolf” (1900), “Charles XII” (1901), “Queen Christina” (1901), and “Gustav III” (1902). Strindberg’s late historical plays reflect not so much the true historical events as the author’s world outlook, his personal perception of history and modernity. The influence of Shakespeare’s chronicles in these plays is obvious, however, Strindberg went further with the modernization of history than the English playwright. The Swedish kings appeared as complex individuals, they conversed in modern colloquial language and for the first time in Swedish theatre history became readily understandable by the contemporary audience. The realistic style of these plays is penetrated by the symbolical “higher” reality, which makes them close in style to Strindberg’s “A Dream Play” and “To Damascus”, which were both written in the same period. The action of these historical dramas revolves around the protagonist. His complex inner world is the playwright’s focus, which affects not only the development of the plot, but also the dramatic form. Through an analysis of the main characters, the article reveals the main themes and dramaturgical principles of Strindberg’s late historical drama, which influenced the further development of this genre, as well as the works of German playwrights of the expressionism movement.

Keywords

А. Strindberg, historical drama, “Gustav Vasa”, “Erik XIV”, “Gustav Adolf”, “Charles XII”, “Queen Christina”, “Gustav III”, Swedish drama.

For citation

Berlova M.S. A theoretical look at the main characters in A. Strindberg’s historical drama. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2022, no. 3. pp. 70–93.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2022-3-70-93

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Received: 25.06.2022

Revised: 16.07.2022

Accepted: 29.07.2022