Miss Julie

August Strindberg
36 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Play
Adult
Published in 1888

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Miss Julie is the young aristocratic daughter of a Swedish count. She recently broke off an engagement and chooses to spend Midsummer Eve mingling with the estate's servants rather than her family. Raised with her mother's unorthodox views on gender and equality, she harbors contradictory desires for independence and affection. She behaves impulsively and disregards the rigid social boundaries of her time.

Key Relationships

Drawn to Jean

Employer of Kristine

Daughter of The Count

Daughter of Julie's Mother

Former Fiancée of Julie's Ex-Fiancé

Owner of Diana

Owner of Greenfinch

Jean is the Count's valet and the son of a farmhand. Well-read and well-traveled, he speaks French and possesses refined tastes that contrast with his livery. He aspires to climb the social ladder, dreaming of opening a hotel in Switzerland and escaping his lower-class background. Despite his ambitions and performative confidence, he retains a deeply ingrained subservience to his aristocratic employer.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Miss Julie

Fiancé of Kristine

Valet of The Count

Supporting Characters

Kristine is the cook at the Count's manor and Jean's ostensible fiancée. She accepts her place within the estate's social hierarchy and does not harbor the upward mobility dreams that preoccupy Jean. She is pragmatic, deeply religious, and maintains a conventional view of morality and class boundaries.

Key Relationships

Fiancée of Jean

Employee of Miss Julie

Employee of The Count

The Count is Miss Julie's father and the aristocratic owner of the estate. Although absent for the holiday, his presence looms heavily over the household through his possessions, such as his wine and his ringing bell. He represents the traditional aristocratic order and wields absolute psychological authority over his servants.

Key Relationships

Father of Miss Julie

Employer of Jean

Widower of Julie's Mother

Julie's late mother was a woman of common birth who married the Count. She held strong beliefs about women's rights and social equality, attempting to reverse traditional gender roles on the estate. Her teachings heavily influenced Julie's complicated feelings toward men and society.

Key Relationships

Mother of Miss Julie

Wife of The Count

He is a young man of aristocratic standing who was recently engaged to Miss Julie. The engagement ended abruptly after Julie attempted to force him to jump over a riding crop like a trained animal, prompting him to leave her.

Key Relationships

Former Fiancé of Miss Julie

Diana is Miss Julie's pet dog. She faces an unexpected pregnancy after mating with a servant's dog, an event that parallels the crossing of class boundaries occurring in the manor.

Key Relationships

Pet of Miss Julie

The greenfinch is Miss Julie's beloved pet bird. Julie views the small creature as the only living being that truly loves her, insisting on bringing it along if she leaves the estate.

Key Relationships

Pet of Miss Julie