Book jot from November 2021:

I just finished reading The Father by August Strindberg (1887), a three act play.

It is a psychological page-turner (if that can be said of a play), centered on the relationship between a husband and wife and the growing conflict over the future of their daughter. In the ensuing strife, I was sometimes not certain how much could be attributed to cold calculation and how much to miscommunication and character flaws. This helped to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and instability, while adding nuance to the characters.

Social attitudes toward science and religion are prominent in the play and are a factor in the relationship between the characters.

This is the first play I’ve read by Strindberg, and I found it a very compelling read.

When the sun should have been rising, we found ourselves in full moonlight, among the ruins, just like in the good old days. So, it wasn’t an awakening after all—just a little morning nap, with wild dreams.