Examples of Naturalism in August Strindberg’s Miss Julie
Naturalism is a style of drama that came to dominance in the latter part of the nineteenth century. It rejected the poetry and spiritual themes of previous eras, and instead valued common language and domestic situations. Naturalism is often described as “slice of life” drama. Its goal was to create a perfect representation of life, from the authenticity of the characters’ speech to the detail of the setting (Packard et al 356). Strindberg’s Miss Julie was written in 1888, and it serves as an excellent example of the naturalist style due to the language, the domestic situation, and the social issues it examines.
Before Naturalism, plays were written primarily in verse or some form of elevated language. Naturalism rejected this convention, and Miss Julie is certainly no exception. From the opening lines of the play, it is clear that these characters speak in the language of the era, without poetry or affectation. Jean says, “Miss Julie’s running wild again. She’s gone crazy.” (Stockenstrom 11). The lines are straightforward and to the point. An example later in the play is even more indicative of common speech. When discussing the behavior of the upper class in romantic relationships, Julie says plainly, “The man I gave my love to was shit.” (Stockenstrom 28). There certainly is no poetry here, just common language, which is the precise goal of Naturalism.
Another construct of Naturalist drama was the tendency to set the play in domestic situations. Previous eras tell stories of gods and kings, but Naturalism sought to tell the stories of the common men and women. As a result, many naturalist plays take place inside the home. In Miss Julie, Strindberg describes the Swedish manor home in specific detail: “On one wall are shelves edged with scalloped paper on which are kitchen utensils of copper, iron, and tin”(Stockenstrom 11). Strindberg is clearly describing a domestic home, and the detail with which he describes it speaks to the primary goal of Naturalism, which is to create a completely perfect illusion of life.
The final example that helps to classify Miss Julie as a naturalist drama is Strindberg’s examination of social issues. Julie is eager to lower herself from her elevated social position, as she states when describing her recurring dream. She says, “I know I won’t have any peace until I get down, no rest until I’m down, down to the ground!” (Stockenholm 22). Moments later, Jean expresses the opposite wish. He states, “I want to get up, up to the top, to look over the bright landscape” (Stockenholm 22). Strindberg’s examination of the social differences and the problems that result from them is a hallmark of naturalist drama.
In Miss Julie, Strindberg succeeds in creating a perfect illusion of life, which is the goal of Naturalism. He does this with the use of common language, his detailed description of domestic situations, and his treatment of social issues. For these reasons, Miss Julie can be classified as a naturalist drama.
Works Cited
Packard, William, David Pickering, and Charlotte Savidge. The Facts on File Dictionary of the Theatre. New York: Facts on File, 1988. Print.
Strindberg, August. Miss Julie. Ed. Truda Stockenstrom. Chicago: I.R. Dee, 1996. Print.
