Strindberg
AUGUST, a Swedish author; born in Stockholm Jan. 22, 1849; became successively schoolmaster, physician, telegraph employee, civil servant, painter, private tutor, and librarian of the State. The first book of his that made its mark was "The Red Room" (1879), a bitter satire on conventional (Swedish) society. This made its author enemies, and to their attacks he replied in another stinging satire, "The New Kingdom" (1882); but after its publication he had to go into voluntary banishment, and lived abroad. Two years later he published a collection of short stories ("Married Life"), in which he describes all sorts and conditions of nuptial alliances with cynical frankness. Accused of outraging Christianity in this book, Strindberg repaired to Stockholm, stood his trial, and after making an eloquent defense, was acquitted. His next important work was a plea for the socialistic co conception on of society in "Utopias in the Real World" (1885). Two books descriptive of the life and manners of the inhabitants of the Stockholm skerries -"The People of Hemsö" (1887) and "Life of the Skerry Men" (1888)-are among the best things he has written; though the plays "The Father" (1887) and "Miss Julia" are powerful and moving dramas. His works of fiction include "Tschandala" (1889), "On the Open Sea" (1890), "In the Offing" (1891), "By the Sea" (1892). "Inferno" (1897), "Alone" (1907), etc. Besides the books mentioned, Strindberg produced-for he was a most prolific worker-a host of others, and in nearly all departments of literature. He died May 14, 1912.