New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-21
MASSACHUSETTS, DEFENCE.
Str1ndberg Says Emancipation OF
Woman Means Deposition Of Nan.

Strino berg's Comrades contains a preface by
the Swedish poet. in which he defends himself
against the accusation Of being woman hater.
In this defence the poet writes:
Having the reputation of being woman
hate. and being called by everybody, can
reality. Looking backward upon my past,
discover that l have lived in constant associa-
ton with women and that their society has al
ways awakened within me pleasant sensations
long as they remained only women. But as
soon as they behaved as mans rivals, neglected
their beauty. and lost that which IS pleasant N
them despised them from a natural and sane
instinct When, of these days read in the
newspapers that twelve women had been burnt
in a factory, l was overcome with grim joy
Twelve of them! Excellent, Maybe that, to-
day when the struggle for existence has become
so terrible and women are encrOac ching upon
mans sphere Of activity, 2 certain jealousy
called forth my grudge Of the intruders,
jealousy justified by the duties Incumbent on
the married man But il is not here where the
shoe pinches.
Within recent times there have been men
who wounded to death, exhausted. worn
out both physically and mentally, and who in
weak moment felt overcome by the rear OF
destruction and loneliness They fell back into
their childhood and felt the irresistible need or
seeking for some support, Of resting their head
upon d mOtherIy bosom. IN sucn HlOIneIitsT
when everything proves Intellectual. even the
philosophy of suffering. the strong man Is not
worth much The only remedy for the burnt
out brain consists in searching after the very
springs of life, and man, that big child. finds lie
at the breast of woman. who. herself is uncoEH-
sciOus, careless and vegetative
/ too. experienced all this and. in a delu-
sion of my tired reason, Overrated women II
such moments. even in other moments over
estimated the child for the happy hours it gives
In free hours we admire nature the land
scape which nevertheless is far below man, ana
what we admire are liable TO exaggerate ana
giorify To return to woman was TO me to tno
nature again, and in corner of my soul pc
came unconsciously. instinctively chtldltke TINS
renewed my forces for thinking. acting and
struggling This need we feel for women makes
them imagine that they are superior to us IN
fortunately, or fortunately-fOr the difference IS
not great-a man OF honor cannot very long re-
tain a wcman's love. Women. account OF an
Unborn tendency, wont TO see in an eminent
| man nothing but his faults. and in a fool only
| his good ouaIities They sympathize so much
| with the fools qualities for the reason because
| thew hattar their faults These "Orus
| were originated by my master, Balzac, the most
| loyal enemy OF women, as vel as. tner mosN
| faithful lover
What contradiction is there after all in these
| two terms love-hate? Love. an inter1llilISlll
| fever with samples of hate between the at
tacl.s Indifference only means i1lpatience- :
always adored women, these charming criminals
/ whose worst crimes are not recorded Dy STA
| tistfcs only had the sufficient good or PAD
taste to tell them the truth and they reveIseu
themselves on me by calling me woman t, I'D LIZ
There are men who are at work on thelr IAiII >
deyoting themselves TO the emancipation U
women Emancipation of women means deposl-
ton of man. decline Of the cultured HSiScuillI
| class and the creation Of feminine class OF
| r1en-wonen That women attack our strong
| holds that women make foolish endeaVors 10
get rid Of their family duties. that they FeNot.
! q against rnotherhoOd-au this We allow 10 pass
| unchaIlengedi But what shall we thlnk OF LlIeIi
! who undermine the foundations or thelT 90
| fOrtresseS? Have they lost tne sense % -
| saxq Has their sense Of self-preserVatlon peer
| destroyed that in the name or women t-i0@
| speak against their own interests -
| II hate emancipation the reason Is because
| love women and because there Will soon none
| NJ them be left If we follow the adVlce OF tiIoS ,
| time that we return to the order established 0y
/