Miss. Julie

August Strindberg

• Publisher: HarperPerennial Classics
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781443441599
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

On Midsummer's Eve, Miss Julie, a young noblewoman enters into an illicit affair with her father's valet, Jean. Worldly and cultured, Jean by turns spurns and encourages Miss Julie's flirtation, eventually initiating a relationship with disastrous consequences for her.

August Strindberg's naturalistic play Miss Julie ( Miss Julia ) was the premiere production of the Scandinavian Naturalistic Theatre. While initially censored for content, the play has since become one of the most successful naturalistic dramas written, and has been performed on stages around the world each year since its premiere in 1888. Miss Julie has also been adapted numerous times for film, most recently by Liv Ullman with Jessica Chastain and Colin Farrell in the roles of Miss Julie and Jean.

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Miss Julie

Scene

A large kitchen: the ceiling and the side walls are hidden by draperies and hangings. The rear wall runs diagonally across the stage, from the left side and away from the spectators. On this wall, to the left, there are two shelves full of utensils made of copper, iron, and tin. The shelves are trimmed with scalloped paper.

A little to the right may be seen three-fourths of the big arched doorway leading to the outside. It has double glass doors, through which are seen a fountain with a cupid, lilac shrubs in bloom, and the tops of some Lombardy poplars.

On the left side of the stage is seen the corner of a big cook stove built of glazed bricks; also a part of the smoke-hood above it.

From the right protrudes one end of the servants’ dining table of white pine, with a few chairs about it.

The stove is dressed with bundled branches of birch. Twigs of juniper are scattered on the floor.

On the table end stands a big Japanese spice pot full of lilac blossoms.

An icebox, a kitchen table, and a washstand.

Above the door hangs a big old-fashioned bell on a steel spring, and the mouthpiece of a speaking tube appears at the left of the door.

CHRISTINE is standing by the stove, frying something in a pan. She has on a dress of light-coloured cotton, which she has covered up with a big kitchen apron.

JEAN enters, dressed in livery and carrying a pair of big, spurred riding boots, which he places on the floor in such manner that they remain visible to the spectators.

JEAN
Tonight Miss Julie is crazy again; absolutely crazy.

CHRISTINE
So you’re back again?

JEAN
I took the count to the station, and when I came back by the barn, I went in and had a dance, and there I saw the young lady leading the dance with the gamekeeper. But when she caught sight of me, she rushed right up to me and asked me to dance the ladies’ waltz with her. And ever since she’s been waltzing like—well, I never saw the like of it. She’s crazy!

CHRISTINE
And has always been, but never the way it’s been this last fortnight, since her engagement was broken.

JEAN
Well, what kind of a story was that anyhow? He’s a fine fellow, isn’t he, although he isn’t rich? Ugh, but they’re so full of notions. [Sits down at the end of the table.] It’s peculiar anyhow, that a young lady—hm!—would rather stay at home with the servants—don’t you think?—than go with her father to their relatives!

CHRISTINE
Oh, I guess she feels sort of embarrassed by that rumpus with her fellow.

JEAN
Quite likely. But there was some backbone to that man just the same. Do you know how it happened, Christine? I saw it, although I didn’t care to let on.

CHRISTINE
No, did you?

JEAN
Sure, I did. They were in the stable-yard one evening, and the young lady was training him, as she called it. Do you know what that meant? She made him leap over her horsewhip the way you teach a dog to jump. Twice he jumped and got a cut each time. The third time he took the whip out of her hand and broke it into a thousand bits. And then he got out.

CHRISTINE
So that’s the way it happened! You don’t say!

JEAN
Yes, that’s how that thing happened. Well, Christine, what have you got that’s tasty?

CHRISTINE
[Serves from the pan and puts the plate before Jean.] Oh, just some kidney which I cut out of the veal roast.

JEAN
[Smelling the food.] Fine! That’s my great délice. [Feeling the plate.] But you might have warmed the plate.

CHRISTINE
Well, if you ain’t harder to please than the count himself! [Pulls his hair playfully.]

JEAN
[Irritated.] Don’t pull my hair! You know how sensitive I am.

CHRISTINE
Well, well, it was nothing but a love pull, you know.

[JEAN eats.]

[CHRISTINE opens a bottle of beer.]

JEAN
Beer—on Midsummer Eve? No, thank you! Then I have something better myself. [Opens a table-drawer and takes out a bottle of claret with yellow cap.] Yellow seal, mind you! Give me a glass—and you use those with stems when you drink it pure.

CHRISTINE
[Returns to the stove and puts a small pan on the fire.] Heaven preserve her that gets you for a husband, Mr. Finicky!

JEAN
Oh, rot! You’d be glad enough to get a smart fellow like me. And I guess it hasn’t hurt you that they call me your beau. [Tasting the wine.] Good! Pretty good! Just a tiny bit too cold. [He warms the glass with his hands.] We got this at Dijon. It cost us four francs per litre, not counting the bottle. And there was the duty besides. What is it you’re cooking—with that infernal smell?

CHRISTINE
Oh, it’s some deviltry the young lady is going to give Diana.

JEAN
You should choose your words with more care, Christine. But why should you be cooking for a bitch on a holiday eve like this? Is she sick?

CHRISTINE
Ye-es, she is sick. She’s been running around with the gatekeeper’s pug—and now’s there’s trouble—and the young lady just won’t hear of it.

JEAN
The young lady is too stuck up in some ways and not proud enough in others—just as was the countess while she lived. She was most at home in the kitchen and among the cows, but she would never drive with only one horse. She wore her cuffs till they were dirty, but she had to have cuff buttons with a coronet on them. And speaking of the young lady, she doesn’t take proper care of herself and her person. I might even say that she’s lacking in refinement. Just now, when she was dancing in the barn, she pulled the gamekeeper away from Anna and asked him herself to come and dance with her. We wouldn’t act in that way. But that’s just how it is: when upper-class people want to demean themselves, then they grow—mean! But she’s splendid! Magnificent! Oh, such shoulders! And—and so on!

CHRISTINE
Oh, well, don’t brag too much! I’ve heard Clara talking, who tends to her dressing.

JEAN
Pooh, Clara! You’re always jealous of each other. I, who have been out riding with her—And then the way she dances!

CHRISTINE
Say, Jean, won’t you dance with me when I’m done?

JEAN
Of course I will.

CHRISTINE
Do you promise?

JEAN
Promise? When I say so, I’ll do it. Well, here’s thanks for the good food. It tasted fine! [Puts the cork back into the bottle.]

JULIE
[Appears in the doorway, speaking to somebody on the outside.] I’ll be back in a minute. You go right on in the meantime.

[JEAN slips the bottle into the table drawer and rises respectfully.]

JULIE
[Enters and goes over to CHRISTINE by the washstand.] Well, is it done yet?

[CHRISTINE signs to her that JEAN is present.]

JEAN
[Gallantly.] The ladies are having secrets, I believe.

JULIE
[Strikes him in the face with her handkerchief.] That’s for you, Mr. Pry!

JEAN
Oh, what a delicious odor that violet has!

JULIE
[With coquetry.] Impudent! So you know something about perfumes also? And know pretty well how to dance—Now don’t peep! Go away!

JEAN
[With polite impudence.] Is it some kind of witches’ broth the ladies are cooking on Midsummer Eve—something to tell fortunes by and bring out the lucky star in which one’s future love is seen?

JULIE
[Sharply] If you can see that, you’ll have good eyes, indeed! [To CHRISTINE.] Put it in a pint bottle and cork it well. Come and dance a schottische with me now, Jean.

JEAN
[Hesitatingly.] I don’t want to be impolite, but I had promised to dance with Christine this time—

JULIE
Well, she can get somebody else—can’t you, Christine? Won’t you let me borrow Jean from you?

CHRISTINE
That isn’t for me to say. When Miss Julie is so gracious, it isn’t for him to say no. You just go along, and be thankful for the honour, too!

JEAN
Frankly speaking, but not wishing to offend in any way, I cannot help wondering if it’s wise for Miss Julie to dance twice in succession with the same partner, especially as the people here are not slow in throwing out hints—

JULIE
[Flaring up.] What is that? What kind of hints? What do you mean?

JEAN
[Submissively.] As you don’t want to understand, I have to speak more plainly. It don’t look well to prefer one servant to all the rest who are expecting to be honoured in the same unusual way—

JULIE
Prefer! What ideas! I’m surpr...

Table of contents

• CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Author’s Preface
• Persons
• Miss Julie
• About the Author
• About the Series
• Copyright
• About the Publisher