Miss Julie

Rating:
Summary: Mistress and servant
Review: "Miss Julie," by August Strindberg, is a play with three speaking parts: Miss Julie, a nobleman's daughter; Jean, a young valet; and Christine, a cook in the household. The Dover Thrift Edition version is translated by Edwin Bjorkman. A brief introductory note states that the play first appeared as a printed text in 1888, a year before its first staging.

The play's title character is bold and flirtatious; her behavior, unsurprisingly, leads to controversy. "Miss Julie" is a fascinating glimpse at a society that is rigidly ordered around class stratification, gender roles, and sexual conduct; the play looks at the consequences when people resist this rigid order. The play has some really startling, thought-provoking dialogue.

Recommended companion texts: "Hands Around," by Arthur Schnitzler; "Daisy Miler," by Henry James; and "Cuckoos," by Giuseppe Manfridi. Each of these three literary works shares at least one significant theme or motif in common with "Miss Julie."

Rating:
Summary: comment to a previous reviewer
Review: A previous reviewer ([e-mail]) commented that Miss Julie is a true story about Strindberg, his 16 yr. old lover and his wife Harriet. This is not entirely correct. It is based on one of his marriages - to his first wife Siri von Essen. He married Siri in 1877. Miss Julie was written in 1888 and was first put on stage in 1889 with Siri acting out the role of Julie. He divorced Siri in 1891 and did not meet Harriet (who was actually his third wife) until 1900. They married in 1901. Strindberg identifies with Jean in the play. Strindberg felt inferior to Siri (a Baroness). Jean was also inferior to Julie but he triumphed over her in the end.

Rating:
Summary: comment to a previous reviewer
Review: Definitely one of the better plays I have read in my survey of late 19th century European drama. While there are slight flaws in it, such as frequent mood swings by the characters, the overall writing is fabulous. Jean is a perfectly portrayed Machiavelli, doing what is necessary for him to succeed at whatever costs. Julie, on the other hand, wavers between the strong and self-confident seductress of the beginning, to the weak and manipulated wronged woman at the end. Definitely a cornerstone in the history of modern drama.

Rating:
Summary: Miss Julie
Review: Definitely one of the better plays I have read in my survey of late 19th century European drama. While there are slight flaws in it, such as frequent mood swings by the characters, the overall writing is fabulous. Jean is a perfectly portrayed Machiavelli, doing what is necessary for him to succeed at whatever costs. Julie, on the other hand, wavers between the strong and self-confident seductress of the beginning, to the weak and manipulated wronged woman at the end. Definitely a cornerstone in the history of modern drama.

Rating:
Summary: Great surreal psychology
Review: See the universal Man and Woman turn away everything for lust in this epic short drama of classic literature. A emotionally wrenching work complete with chorus.

Rating:
Summary: Spiral
Review: Strindberg's classic play follows the downward spiral of an aristocratic young woman whose break-up with her fiancé is quite the talk of the estate. Miss Julie pursues her father's valet, and seduces him, without thought for the repercussions. Unfortunately for Julie, these consequences must be faced. Controversial at its debut, "Miss Julie" also was highly original in form and structure, and while its subject matter isn't as shocking today, the palpable drama does resonate.

Rating:
Summary: Spiral
Review: Strindberg's classic play follows the downward spiral of an aristocratic young woman whose break-up with her fiancé is quite the talk of the estate. Miss Julie pursues her father's valet, and seduces him, without thought for the repercussions. Unfortunately for Julie, these consequences must be faced. Controversial at its debut, "Miss Julie" also was highly original in form and structure, and while its subject matter isn't as shocking today, the palpable drama does resonate.

Rating:
Summary: Realistic romance
Review: The first time read this play was in summer school when I had to play a part of Julies role. After I got home read the whole play and in school I got the chance to participate a cource that followed the paractices of Miss Julie. August Strindberg was a weird or very unlucky man. Whole his life he looked for the woman of his life and everytime ended up with strong women that he end up hating. Strindberg was also a woman hater in allmost every meaning of the word. I think that he had fun while playing whith Julies life. The play is based on a true story. Jean is Strindberg, Julie is his 16 yrs old lover from his summer place and Kristen is Strindbergs wife Harriet. I like the play, but I can't help that Strindbergs life and ideas offected me very much. This play made me sick and charmed.