Midsummer's Eve In Sweden Analysis

I decided to do some deeper research on Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden, and also on the author, August Strindberg. This research provided more context for the play and also shed some light on Strindberg’s writing and beliefs. Strindberg’s life and experiences can be seen as influences in his writing, most notably his misogyny and rocky home life.
Midsommarafton in Swedish, this holiday originally celebrated the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice. Normally observed on a Friday in June between the 19th-25th. Swedes would thoroughly clean their homes before the celebration and decorate with flowers and greenery. This holiday was celebrated before Christianity and could possibly be related to ancient fertility practices and ceremonies performed to help ensure a fruitful harvest. Later, during Christian times, the holiday was rededicated in honor of St. John the Baptist. I thought this was very interesting considering the reference to St. John the Baptist in Miss Julie. I think it’s also interesting that Strindberg decided to leave out a religious character in this tragedy, especially since it is set in a time in which that would have been acceptable. I’m not exactly sure what this says about Strindberg, or whether or not this was a kind of social commentary, but it seems very possible considering he was an “unrelenting opponent of the social and theatrical mores and restrictions of his day” …show more content…
After the death of his mother in 1851, his father immediately married their housekeeper. Without his mother around and the immediate remarriage, one could understand why Strindberg would become misogynistic. This remarriage not only contributes to Strindberg’s misogyny, but also the subject matter in his writings regarding class. The conflict in Miss Julie between the realities of class (Julie and Jean’s love affair) very well could have stemmed from Strindberg’s home