Student Question
What is the climax of August Strindberg's "Miss Julie"?
Quick answer:
The climax of "Miss Julie" occurs when Julie follows Jean into his bedroom, marking a crucial turning point where her actions lead inevitably to her tragic end. This moment signifies her loss of control and the collapse of her social and personal identity, culminating in her suicide. Her internal conflict, stemming from her upbringing and societal constraints, drives the narrative to its resolution.
The highest point of a play or a novel or a short story is usually called the climax. That climax might be the most exciting part of the action. In that case, then you could say the climax is when Julie kills herself with Jean's razor.
However, the climax is the turning point of the play, after which all the action leads to a final resolution. In that case, then the climax of this play occurs when Julie follows Jean into his bedroom and the audience is left to their own imaginations. Julie regrets her decision because she never wanted to be controlled by a man, let alone a servant, from a lower social class than hers. On top of all of that, her mother raised her as a boy, so she was confused about gender and sexual identity. All of this leads to her tragic end.
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