Strange as it may seem, August Strindberg wrote both the characters of "The.
Stronger" with his wife Siri von Essen in mind. The character of Mrs. X, with all.
her raving and self-realization was perfect for Siri to bring to the Swedish stage as.
dramatic heroine, which was quite a novelty at the time. Heroine is exactly how.
Strindberg portrayed the character when instructing Siri on how to portray X,.
explaining that Mrs. X is the stronger of the two women because she is the more.
pliable. However, Strindberg wrote the play in anticipation of touring the show.
throughout Scandinavia meaning that Siri, who could only speak Swedish, would.
play the role of Miss Y abroad. Rather than learn the role of X in Danish, Siri played.
the seemingly weaker of the two, Miss Y. And that is my question: Why?.
Could it be that Miss Y was NOT the weaker of the two women? When.
Strindberg tells his wife that X is stronger it seems more of a push to get her to PLAY.
the role stronger than Y. Both of them were quite aware of the concept that true.
strength requires no justification. Definitely, in our society today, the woman who.
continues on with her dreams without the aid of a husband or male support is very.
strong indeed. So maybe Miss Y is, in fact, the stronger of the two.
To be "stronger" two things have to be compared with one overcoming the.
other. The two are both women, both have hopes and dreams, both have very.
real fears. But that's where the comparisons end. Mrs. X and Miss Y are not the.
same kind of woman; they have similar hopes and dreams but they are motivated.
differently; their fears of loneliness may be the same, but how the two women face.
this fear is very different. I don't think that these are two different creatures.
however, but two different sides of the same coin. To me as director, and I think.
to Strindberg, it is not the side of the coin that has value, but the coin itself. The.
winning side is determined by the actors in the roles and in the minds of the.