ABSTRACT
In English translation, August Strindberg’s play is more usually entitled The Dance of Death, of which only the first of two parts is performed. There was a painting, which appeared at times through a window, which was actually one of Strindberg’s own seascapes. In other words it was meant to be naturalistic, but actually Strindberg is an early modernist. He is a symbolist and a precursor of Beckett. Indeed in the Dance of Death Strindberg has an almost cubist mentality. He sits down at his desk, he could write anything about these characters, they could open their mouths and say anything. He has a metaphysical sense of people eternally present locked within each other. It is a vision of the human condition. In fact he is bored with plot, plot is a nightmare with Strindberg, there are inconsistencies and loose ends everywhere.
