In 'the stronger' Strindberg focuses upon the role and importance of women at the turn of the 20th century.
In ‘the stronger’ Strindberg focuses upon the role and importance of women at the turn of the 20th century. This is portrayed through a conversation of two women who have different lives and social statuses. Mrs. X is married and therefore socially stronger. Miss Y is unmarried and rather poignantly, doesn’t speak.
At the turn of the 20th century, women were seen as 2nd class citizens to men. However, this entire play is set in a women’s café where Strindberg’s purpose is to allow the two characters to fully express their feelings rather than be influenced and controlled by men. Since the play focuses upon the role and importance of marriage and family, the setting of Christmas is significant. It reinforces Mrs. X’s family values and the power it gives her over Miss Y However, later on in the play, the strength of constant silence by Miss Y proves more powerful than Mrs X’s family values and the setting of Christmas is quite forgotten.
Strindberg uses a title and single letter as names for the characters to emphasise the issue of marital status where the individuality of the two women isn’t important. It is merely the title that defines the person.
We recognise stage directions as defined actions, usually just before or after speech and sometimes during a characters line. They can be used to emphasise a characters speech or to illustrate a certain emotion. This may hint at or reveal a characters personality, where a certain movement may show strength or weakness, particularly important for Miss Y who expresses herself solely through actions and facial expressions.
The stage directions in ‘The stronger’ tell the audience about how strong or weak a character is. For example, Mrs X finally snaps at Miss Y for remaining silent throughout the conversation; ‘(Rising abruptly)’ Here, Mrs X is trying to appear aggressive and powerful by taking a threatening action towards Miss Y. Strindberg has used this direction to show the audience that Mrs X knows that Miss Y is stronger through silence. She is trying to fight her strength and get a reaction from her, thus taking away her power.
Stage directions can also be used to reveal a characters emotion. For example, ‘Miss Y glances up from her paper, nods perfunctually, then goes on reading.’ This is the first time in the play that the characters are together. Strindberg has used this direction to show the audience how Miss Y feels about Mrs X. She is intimidated by Mrs X and uses the paper as a ‘barrier’. She doesn’t reciprocate Mrs Xs greeting and is being defensive. This signals a weakness to the audience and the direction has been used to reveal a little bit of Miss Y’s personality.
The personalities of the characters can be explored by stage directions. For example, ‘(With Malken’s pop-gun) Loads it, points it and pops it at Miss Y who looks momentarily startled’ Here, Mrs X is striving for a reaction and attention from Miss Y. She has gone ‘too far’ and invaded Miss Y’s personal space. Mrs X has used a child’s toy to do this and is being childish. Mrs X has lost her strength. Strindberg has used this stage direction to show the audience how persistent Mrs X is when seeking attention from Miss Y.
Strindberg also uses stage directions to help build tension. For example, when Mrs X is going through her family’s Christmas presents, she takes out her husband’s slippers. She says ‘and these are for my lord and master-I worked them myself-I just can’t stand tulips, but he simply adores them.’ Here, Miss Y realises that the tulips are there because of her. It is revealed later in the play that tulips are Miss Y’s favourite flowers and that she has somehow influenced Mrs X’s husband. Miss Y knows this and tries to ignore it. She; ‘turns a page of her paper, and gives Mrs X an ironical look as she does so, and then resumes her reading.’ This stage direction lets the audience know that a turning point in the play is coming up, when the ‘secret relationship’ between Miss Y and Mrs X’s husband is revealed.
