The themes and the characters in "The Stronger"

When writing The Stronger, August Strindberg must have had insecure women in troubled marriages in mind. In this one-act play, Mrs. X dominates the conversation. She laments and blasts Miss Y for the challenges that she faces in her marriage. This short but intriguing play underscores the hurdles that wives encounter in their efforts to keep their marriages alive.

Part one 

As already suggested, Miss Y and Mrs. X are the only characters in the play. Whereas Mrs. X is married, Mrs. Y is unmarried. This difference in marital status appears to shape the relationship between the two. Mrs. X is clearly the antagonist. This is because she accuses and insults Miss Y. For example, Mrs. X’s first utterance is “Well, how do, Millie! Here you are sitting on Christmas Eve, as lonely as a poor bachelor” (Strindberg, n.d). Here, Mrs. X is essentially gloating that she is married while Miss Y is unable to find a husband. There are numerous other instances where Mrs. X insults Miss Y. She calls Miss Y a thief and suggests that she is narrow-minded. She even accuses her of having eyes on her husband. As she levels these accusations, Miss Y remains silent. The maturity and calmness that Miss Y demonstrates make her the protagonist. In the face of all the accusations, another individual would protest. But Miss Y chooses to be the adult and remain civil. The play is set in a ladies’ restaurant (Strindberg, n.d). This setting is significant as it sheds light on the themes that the play explores. The troubles that wives and unmarried women grapple with are some of the issues that the play addresses. The fact that the events in the play occur in a ladies’ restaurant suggests that women are the only parties who experience the troubles that the play examines. It is women who have petty disagreements over husbands. It is women who gloat over their married statuses. It is women who blast fellow women whom they suspect of being interested in their husbands. The setting of the play highlights these themes.

Part 2 

The themes and the characters in The Stronger are indeed familiar to the modern reader. This is because the characters and the themes reflect the experiences that most readers have undergone. For example, married individuals encounter challenges such as infidelity and betrayal. The play also explores how close friends can become bitter enemies. These are some of the issues that the play addresses. While the characters and the themes are largely familiar, there are some components that are rather unfamiliar. One of these is the relaxed and calm demeanor of Miss Y. When one is insulted and accused of grave mistakes, they are likely to protest and defend themselves. That Miss Y remained quiet is rather odd and unfamiliar. Another issue that a reader today would find unfamiliar is the level of brutality that Mrs. X displays. She repeatedly insults Miss Y while gloating about her marriage. The primary intention that must have driven Strindberg to write the play is the need to explore the intricacies of marriage. Since the play focuses almost entirely on Mrs. X’s fears about her marriage, it is reasonable to speculate that Strindberg intended to shed light on married life. It is also possible that Strindberg set out to educate his audience on the volatility of friendship. In the play, Mrs. X states that she used to desire a friendship with Miss Y (Strindberg, n.d). This desire for friendship transformed into hate. It is evident that Strindberg hoped to highlight how complex human relationships are. The main take away from the play is that I should always be cautious and protective of relationships that I hold dear. I should endeavor to safeguard my marriage while cherishing friendships.

That readers today would enjoy The Stronger is not in question. The reason for this is that the play examines issues that readers would find relatable and intriguing. For example, that Miss Y does not utter a single word in the entire play will undoubtedly excite readers. Mrs. X’s display of bitterness and hate are other themes that will captivate readers. My analysis of The Stronger focuses on the intricacies of marriage and friendship. I expect that my classmates have interpreted the play differently because it can be viewed from numerous perspectives. However, I still expect that there will be some common thread in how we interpret the play. I think that different readers will have varying interpretations because people have different experiences which shape their views. For example, a reader whose marriage is in trouble would sympathize with Mrs. X and view her as the protagonist. If the play was to be staged, I would expect the experience of watching it to be different from reading it. This is because there are certain nuances that can only be captured through staging. There are various elements of the play that would become clearer if the play is staged. The expressions and overall demeanor of the characters are among these elements. I have a number of questions that I wish to pose to my classmates regarding their interpretation of the play and the meaning that they draw from it. One of these questions concerns their opinion of the two characters. Who is the actual protagonist? The other question concerns whether the play changes how they regard their friends.

Reference 

Strindberg, A. (n.d). The Stronger. Retrieved 9 th September 2017 from

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/37970/37970-h/37970-h.htm#page_393