The Father

Overview

Strindberg’s The Father shocked western audiences when it was first produced at the end of the nineteenth century due to its naturalistic depiction of women’s rights and the psychological breakdown of marital relations. When the Captain and his wife, Laura, have a disagreement about the future education of their daughter, Bertha, the couple grow further apart. The Captain wants Bertha to study to become a teacher, while Laura wants their daughter to stay at home and become an artist. The Captain rails against the female forces within his life, telling Laura that she gave up her rights when she married and became financially dependent upon her husband.