This file includes: There Are Crimes and Crimes, translated by Edwin Bjoerkman; Miss Julia 1888, translated by Edwin Bjoerkman; The Stronger 1889, translated by Edwin Bjoerkman; Creditors 1888, translated by Edwin Bjoerkman; Pariah 1888, translated by Edwin Bjoerkman; Comrades 1888, translated by Edith and Waerner Oland; Facing Death, translated by Edith and Waerner Oland; Easter 1900, translated by Edith and Waerner Oland; Father 1887, translated by Edith and Waerner Oland; Countess Julie...

The republication of The Confession of a Fool represents the last link in the chain of Strindberg's autobiographical novels. A German version of the book was published as far back as 1893, but it was mutilated, abbreviated, corrupted, and falsified to such an extent that the attorney-general, misled by the revolting language, blamed the author for the misdeeds of the translator and prohibited the sale of the book. This was a splendid advertisement for this profound work, but there were man...

In "Inferno", the psychologically disturbed narrator sets forth on a journey through an earthly hell and emerges purified of his sins.Alchemy, schizophrenia, witchcraft, and religious fanaticism, all leavened with a knowing wink of humour, "Inferno", by Swedish author August Strindberg is an early example of the “unreliable narrator” literary device, in which the reader learns that the storyteller is seeing things from a distorted perspective. It is also deliciously macabre....

Seldom has a man gone through such profound religious changes as this Swede, who died last May. The demonic element in him, which spurred him on restlessly, made him scale heaven and fathom hell, gave him glimpses of bliss and damnation. He bore the Cain's mark on his brow: "A fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be." He was fundamentally religious, for everyone who searches after God is so,—a commonplace truth certainly, but one which needs to be constantly reiterated. And Strindberg's sear...

The narrator of The Inferno-ostensibly August Strindberg himself-has not had an easy recent past, and a move to Paris is not helping. As his mania overtakes his ability to function in the society of artists, writers, scientists and philosophers he'd like to be part of, he turns to more unconventional methods to help make sense of his world.Written in diary form, The Inferno is a semi-autobiographical work that blends self-deprecating humour with a whirl of neurosis and attempted ra...

August Strindberg's novel The Red Room centers on the civil servant Arvid Falk as he tries to find meaning in his life through the pursuit of writing. He's accompanied by a crew of painters, sculptors and philosophers each on their own journey for the truth, who meet in the "Red Room" of a local restaurant.Drawing heavily on August's own experiences, The Red Room was published in Sweden in 1879. Its reception was less than complimentary in Sweden-a major newspaper called it "dirt"-but it f...

"The Red Room", written in 1879 by August Strindberg, is one of the biggest classics of Swedish literature.A funny, satirical look at 19th century bourgeois attitudes, "The Red Room" presents a loosely-connected group of counter-cultural artistic types and has them confront their counter-cultural and progressive ideals with those of conservative, mainstream society. Most of them are poor (well, poor bourgeois types), making ends meet by pawning each other’s possessions and taking o...

In these sketches, Strindberg reflects on various episodes from his life, ranging from his childhood to his adult experiences. He discusses his early struggles with his family, his education, and his career as a writer and artist. The collection also delves into Strindberg’s intense feelings of alienation, his battles with mental health, and his complex relationships with women. The narrative tone is often introspective and sometimes anguished, revealing Strindberg’s deep existential conce...

Translated by Edwin Björkman, Edith and Wärner Oland, Claud Field, Velma Swanston Howard and Graham RowsonThis collection was designed for optimal navigation on eReaders and other electronic devices. It is indexed alphabetically, making it easier to access individual books, plays and acts. This collection offers lower price, the convenience of a one-time download, and it reduces the clutter in your digital library. All books included in this collection feature a hyperlinked table of conten...

Key plays in the series include The Dance of Death (1900), a powerful psychological drama that centers on the destructive marriage between Edgar, a war-weary officer, and his manipulative wife, Alice. The play delves into themes of alienation, emotional torment, and the corrosive power of love, depicting a couple trapped in a cycle of mutual hatred and dependency. A Dream Play (1901) is a highly experimental and surreal work that explores the confusion and suffering of human existence thro...

In Creditors (1888), the play centers on a love triangle involving a successful artist, his wife, and her former lover. The artist is consumed by jealousy and suspicion as he uncovers the truth about the past relationship between his wife and the other man. The drama explores themes of manipulation, revenge, and the destructive power of jealousy. Strindberg masterfully dissects the psychological warfare between the characters, revealing the emotional fragility and power struggles within in...

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?The theme ...