New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-15

Auguste S,rindberg was ranked by some
critics as the greatest dramatst since lb-
sen Sweden hailed him as a giver OF new
life to the language and new held 10
Scandinavian literature. Germany COM
pared him with Goethe. In France, Aus
trIa. Holland and Russia edition after
edition OF his works have appeared ana
psychologists and literary critics alike have
written volumes about him. In America
TRANSACTIONS OF his plays have been widely
read. though It was not until the appear
ance OF The Father at the Bcrkeley
Lyceum. on April 9 OF this year. That any
OF his works had been staged In this couh-
try.
He WAS strictly modern in his spirit ana
realistic I'm his method. lie was not rated
so highly for his style as for the genius
manifest I'm his portrayal OF life. y chronic
sufferer. both bodily and spiritually. no had
n distinctly pessimistic tendency, yet never
made a creed OF his pesslmism.
In his writings Strlndberg laid bare the
experiences OF his own soul. When he pro-
duced his first drama. Master Olof, IN
1S72 at the age OF twenty-three years. lie
had lust emerged from gloomy childhood,
allied with poverty and severe corporea
discipline. HIS father was a man OF CUT
ure but his mother was OF the servant
cIssq With his two elder brothers he was
horn ont OF wedloCk. The knowledge or
this weighed him down and made him
shv and unsocIable child. deeply religious
ant after beginning mis- university career.
g., 1887 he found himself among compan-
ions who soon recognized him as leader
and an amiable associate. Ahoma'o"S'S'
rarbaps he lost at the same time his le-
ligious leanings and became an aBhos'i0
An this was reflected in his first drama
which dealt with the Reformation perioo
In sweden. ..
The merit OF the work was not aI oi'o
recognized. and the author III dlsCouraee -
mont gave up his studies ana trleu rld"y
,birgs such as teaching. the stage meolcdi
.,,,dy and journalism. but failed in all lie
,.i,,od In the capital. and found EMPLOY
u,ort as library assistant, and III ulls
environment rounded out thoroush cu,'-
ural education. This period OF MS I'e ITO
,,o~,ro.,od IN 1879 I'm his Scarlet Room a
.,,I,stic satire on society, when met Win
immediate success. tho
Ills next work. The Secrets oi '''
c,nd " was a picture of present day SER
.,sa,,,o, Ufe This he followed with an
,,nor attack on social castles III The Ne"
,(,,,,,dor," on the other hand, ne Elk
,,.,,sod in "Mr. Bengts's Wife' ne
travels OF Lucky Peter ana o"eu''"
rates and Adventures his talth III 'o'
I'D womanhood. lie had already happiy
,norricd in 1867. Slri Won Essen, OF STOCK
hotr who became the mother OF one son
ord two daughters. She died, and IN 1913
na married Frieda Uhl, of Vienna, VINO
ho.o him a daughter He survived her also'
I In 1909 married Harriet Bose, IN
e,oo,hoIm His period Of sentiment MS
early married life' also prooueeu Utopia
and Marriage, NO l.
u,, following the appearance or Mar
,ioge No. l." a change came over MIN; he
a,,arsd the second period of his life. Ills
aaaord nIay. named Marriage" followed.
..,,arrioge. No. ." like "The Son of a Ser
ut Girl" showed him as woman mater
ord 4 merciless critic of the whole socia'
dor Other works Of this period are the
Eo,hor" Julie" The Creditor. Hansai-
,oILsr ."The Coastmens Lives, Floral
r.uoctions" and Lives of Animals"
p,t with the decline OF middle life his
.,,,,ouo heIief returned and he became a
mystIe. Among the works OF this MS t"'ru
Nod are Easter" Midsummer SNOW
White and "Sagas
tta nassed the last six years OF his life as
= recIuse. In all that time he stunned soci-
ot,. Generally. never going TO the theatre or
oven reading a newspaper. and seeing oniy
a fav intimate friends.