Miss Julie

The play explores the complexities of class dynamics and social ambitions. How is social mobility (or the lack thereof) depicted in the play? In what ways are the characters different or similar in how they conceive of and experience class?

Julie has two pets in the play, her dog Diana and her greenfinch. What is the role of these animals in the play’s narrative? How do they reflect the play’s use of nature and animals as figurative commentary on human behavior?

After Jean and Julie have sex, they respond very differently to the situation. What do their responses reveal about the gender dynamics and gender assumptions of the play? How is sexuality depicted more generally in Miss Julie?

The play takes place on midsummer eve. What is the significance of the time and setting of the play?

Death haunts the play in various forms: Jean claims he once tried to die by suicide; he kills Julie’s greenfinch; and the play ends by strongly suggesting that Julie herself will shortly die. How do these various incidents relate to one another? Why does death feature so prominently in the play?

Kristine is a more minor character in the play compared to Jean and Julie, and yet she is the only other main character besides them. How is Kristine characterized? What is her role in the play? How are her own ideals of femininity different from Julie’s?

Strindberg claims in his Preface to the play that theater can and should have a didactic function. What lessons does Miss Julie try to teach the audience? Do you consider the play to be straightforwardly didactic in nature, or are its effects more complex or ambiguous than Strindberg anticipated? If so, how, and if not, why not?

Analyze the idea of different forms of power in the play: sexual power, social power, economic power, etc. How does Strindberg depict the nature of power? In what ways are these forms of power different or similar to one another? In what ways do Jean and Julie experience power and powerlessness in different aspects of their lives?