La señorita Julia

August Strindberg spits on the face of romance. And stamps on it for good measure.

I vividly remember when I was a very young child watching the Peter Mullen film. Since then, the unique plot has stuck with me all these years. I didn't recall much of the acting or even the actors until I looked up the trailers on YouTube yesterday. However, the play itself is a rare treat written by a Swedish playwright who has a consummate skill at creating realistic characters. These characters seem to jump off the page and burrow deep into the depths of your consciousness.

Miss Julie is an innovative, creative, and intimate portrayal of two characters: the remarkable Julie, the daughter of a Count, and the charismatic, level-headed Jean, a valet. These two characters embody the class struggle between the aristocracy and the working-classes. In itself, this is not an unusual theme in literature. But the arguments and dialogue between these complex characters feel fresh and daring.

Julie, the "fallen woman," will invoke comparisons with Dickens's Estella in Great Expectations. But I feel she is a believable, sympathetic character who isn't one-dimensional. She is the driving force of the story with many facets. Yes, she loses much of her wit, coquettishness, and charm in the second and third sections and withers into an indecisive and vulnerable woman. But she is motivated by her need to be loved. As such, she is her own villain in some respects. As Julie states with candour, she is what "life made her." Julie comes from a remarkable stock. She is a woman who was formed by her parents. Her father taught her to hate women while her mother taught her to believe herself equal to a man. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that she is regarded as something of an oddity by her servants and the men in her life. Julie, quite literally, first enters the scene with a bang. She likes to dance and dance she will... to the death. And ironically, she has found a worthy sparring partner in the refined, hypocritical Jean. Julie has a memorable monologue she delivers near the end, which is enthrallingly horrifying in its venom and spite. Miss Julie is a firecracker.

Jean is at once her lover and enemy. Not an unusual combination, but Strindberg excels at creating characters who make questionable decisions but still make you care for them because you recognize some of those traits within yourself. At the beginning, Jean is pursued by the lively and spirited Miss Julie. However, is he really the innocent party here? We're not quite sure as the rest of the events unfold. He is partly to blame, but his arguments are convincing, nonetheless. Jean is a coldly rational, dangerous, and cunning man who turns the tables on Miss Julie. The audience is momentarily shocked at his change of behavior, but this makes the later scenes interesting and the play on the whole truly revolutionary.

The practical, smart, and knowing Kristin, just as strongly defined as Julie and Jean, is a character who is no fool. She is presented as someone who knows her own mind and the intentions of the charming scoundrel Jean and the passionate, but doomed Julie. Perhaps because their climate is so chilly, the Scandinavians are inspired to make their female characters fiery and hot-blooded.

The first "act" (Strindberg doesn't follow a conventional dramatic structure, which suits the radical treatment of his themes and characters and adds to the claustrophobic sense of tragedy that enthuses the latter sections) introduces his characters Jean, his fiancee Kristin (the cook), and Miss Julie. Strindberg lures you into assuming it will be a light, battle-of-the-sexes comedy. Sultry, natural, and flirtatious, the dialogue crackles with romantic and sexual tension. I found myself constantly highlighting passages on each page on my Kindle. Strindberg's vigorous imagery is deceptively simple and effective. You understand what motivates each character, their hopes and fears. I'd say his style is reminiscent of another Scandinavian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, although Strindberg's style is accessible, modern, and vivid. Despite the destructive revelations and relationships, Strindberg has essentially created an intelligent romantic tragedy with a breezy comic heart.

It seems the word "masterpiece" is bandied about too often these days so that it has lost its value. In a word, Strindberg's Miss Julie is a masterpiece.

Miss Julie: Go on! Kick me.
Jean: No, I don't kick a dog when he's down, let alone a woman. Although, I must confess that the conquest was a little too easy for it to be really exciting.

Strindberg's play "Miss Julie" has led to him being labeled a misogynist. However, he blamed the masses and the readers themselves for the way they judged society. But let's be honest, even in modern times, if a woman seduces a man into bed, there is a high probability that she will regret it afterwards. Jean proclaims his admiration for Julie, for her beauty and status. But does he truly demonstrate his love in any other way? No! He confesses to sleeping with another woman. Yet, Miss Julie takes his resistance as a challenge.

It comes as no surprise to the reader that once the act is over, Jean wants nothing to do with her. He even claims that she ruined the precious image he had of her. In today's society, a woman who has a one-night stand has little chance of being taken seriously afterwards. Teaching our girls that it's normal to have sexual cravings, but that it's wiser to wait until they know a person better, is an important lesson. In a strange and perhaps dark way, Miss Julie serves as a warning to females everywhere.

A classic piece of work,

considered to be one of the best Swedish plays of all time.

Strindberg had a deep understanding of characters and their dreams.

He created something that feels incredibly real,

and the play portrays people's thoughts as they truly are,

without any embellishment.

This is a silent battle between a woman and a man,

between the upper class and the lower class,

between love and deceit.

Fröken Julie, the daughter of a count,

is a very perplexed character.

She has struggled all her life trying to find her place in the world.

Her upbringing,

where learning about gender equality must have been confusing in the 19th century,

has made her unsure of what she wants in life

and more importantly, how to get it.

In some ways, she behaves like a man,

which wasn't approved of at the time.

Thus, she is a divided character,

susceptible to manipulation.

Jean, the servant of the family,

is everything that Julie isn't.

He is strong, ruthless, cold-hearted, and intelligent.

He manipulates Julie for his own reasons

and behaves alternately regardfully and cruelly

to bend her to his will.

It's only his occupation as a servant

that prevents him from being something truly great,

because of his strong will and merciless character.

He reminds me of a ruler of old times,

and his only goal in life is to climb to the top.

But his plan includes Fröken Julie,

and therefore he tries to convince her of his love.

Jean is climbing while Julie is falling,

due to her behavior.

At least, according to Jean.

I think it's a sad story.

It's all about the survival of the fittest

and how far you're willing to go to reach your goal.

Strindberg wanted to write something with only a few characters

and concentrate on their psychological aspects.

Somehow, I think it's brutal,

and at the same time, very percipient.

Naturalistic theatre piece offers a captivating exploration of complex human relationships.

I was truly enamored by the paradoxes that exist between Julie and Jean. Their interactions are rife with a potent mix of lust, hate, filtered love, manipulation, and arrogance.

The dynamics between them are both fascinating and disturbing, as they navigate the murky waters of their desires and power struggles.

Interestingly, I strongly believe that this play served as an inspiration for the plot twist in Downton Abbey's, specifically Sybil and the Valet's secret romance. Just like Jean, the valet in Downton Abbey holds a prejudice against the upper class and is driven by a fierce determination to climb the social ladder through education.

However, Downton Abbey's take on this theme presents a much happier ending compared to the abrupt and cruel conclusion of Miss Julie.

This contrast highlights the different ways in which playwrights and television creators choose to explore similar themes and the impact that these choices have on the overall tone and message of the story.

Dear friends, the main character of this play is named "Julia."

Julia is a twenty-five-year-old daughter of a wealthy count. She lives in their mansion along with several servants. There is "Christine" who is the cook and has the role of the housekeeper, and also "Jean" who is the valet of this family.

Julia falls in love with the valet of the house, that is, Jean. And to some extent, she lowers herself to become the rival in love of the housekeeper, Christine. Although Julia is of noble birth and should not associate with the lower classes of society, she is a rebellious girl and doesn't attach much importance to the words and rumors of people.

Julia spends the night until dawn with Jean, who is an arrogant young man, and makes herself small and humble in front of the valet of their house. To the extent that Jean addresses her as a slut. Now Julia is looking for a way to free herself from this misery....... Dear ones, it is better that you read this play yourself and become aware of its ending.

Julia to Jean: In this world, what is normal for me to be? Is our life normal or are people? Everything is abnormal.

Jean to Julia: You have become a symbol of pure despair for me. Despair that one day I can break the class walls in which I was born into the world and raise myself up.

I hope this review has been sufficient and useful for getting acquainted with this book.

"Be victorious and be Iranian."

I am constantly living on the edge, outside of my comfort zone :). Today, it was the theater.

I absolutely loved it. The character of Jean is amazing and the way the story unfolded, little by little, I adored. The search for love, identity, and the class struggle are all intertwined to form a single theme.

I would love to see it from up on the stage. It was truly a captivating experience that made me feel a range of emotions. The actors brought the story to life in such a vivid way that I was completely immersed. I can't wait to see more shows like this in the future.

I don't remember the last time I've read something that seemed so pointless.

It was truly a strange experience. Usually, when I pick up a book or an article, I expect to gain some knowledge, be entertained, or have my perspective broadened. But this particular piece of writing left me completely empty-handed.

The words just seemed to float on the page, lacking any real substance or purpose. There was no clear theme or message, and the sentences were strung together in a haphazard manner.

I found myself skimming through the pages, hoping to find something of value, but it was all in vain. By the time I reached the end, I felt a sense of disappointment and frustration.

I wonder if the author even knew what they were trying to convey. Maybe it was a failed attempt at being profound or a case of writer's block that led to this meaningless jumble of words.

Whatever the reason, it serves as a reminder that not everything we read is worth our time and attention. Sometimes, we have to be discerning and choose our reading material carefully to ensure that we are getting something out of it.

The original article seems to be rather short and perhaps lacking in specific details. However, based on what we have, here is an expanded version:

The review is yet to come. We are eagerly anticipating it as it holds the potential to provide valuable insights and perspectives. Whether it will be a positive or negative assessment remains to be seen. But regardless, it will surely have an impact on how we view the subject matter at hand.

We can only speculate about what the review might entail. It could touch on various aspects such as the quality, performance, or usability of the item or service being reviewed. It might also include comparisons with similar offerings in the market.

As we wait for the review to arrive, we can prepare ourselves by gathering any relevant information and keeping an open mind. This way, we can better understand and evaluate the review once it is available.

I hope this expanded version meets your requirements. If you have any further instructions or need any additional changes, please let me know.