Lahore College for Women University

Department of English Literature

Continental Drama Assignment

The Ghost Sonata by August Strindberg

Submitted by:
Rubab Tanveer 2025116104
Mahnoor Zahid 2025116072
Noor Nasir 2025116090
Rimsha Masood 2025116099
Kainat Javed 2025116138
Zeemal Fida 2025116133
Nukhba Iftikhar 2025116092
Sabiha Irshad 2025116107
Alina Batool 2025116007
Major: English Literature
Section: A
Session: 2020-2024
Semester: 7
Course instructor: Mam Nabia
Date: 15th December, 2023

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Introduction to Author
August Strindberg, a pioneering Swedish playwright, penned the enigmatic and symbol-laden
drama "The Ghost Sonata" in 1907. Born on January 22, 1849, in Stockholm, Sweden,
Strindberg is renowned for his contributions to naturalism and expressionism in literature.
Strindberg's tumultuous personal life heavily influenced his work. Marriages, divorces, and
clashes with societal norms shaped his worldview, evident in the dark and introspective
themes found in "The Ghost Sonata." His earlier works, like "Miss Julie" and "The
Father," established him as a prominent figure in European theatre.
"The Ghost Sonata" delves into the macabre, exploring the complexities of human
relationships and societal structures. Drawing inspiration from Swedish folklore, classical
mythology, and his own experiences, Strindberg crafted a play that challenges conventional
narrative structures. The characters exist in a surreal world, blurring the lines between reality
and the supernatural.
The protagonist, a student named Arkenholz, encounters a mysterious old man, the Colonel,
whose dilapidated mansion becomes the focal point of the narrative. As the plot unfolds, the
characters reveal dark secrets and confront their haunting pasts, creating an atmosphere of
psychological tension.

Historical Context:
The Ghost-Sonata, one-act drama in three scenes by August Strindberg (1849-1912), was
written and published as “Spoksonaton” in 1907 and first performed in 1908. It led the way
to the development of 20th century modernist drama. It is one of August Strindberg’s
“Chamber plays”, a series of short, simple dramas, he wrote for his 161 seat Intimate
Theatre, which opened its doors in Stockholm, Sweden in 1907.

The Ghost Sonata does not take place in the real world. Strindberg originally subtitled his
play “Kama Loka”, the name of a mystical dream world through which some mortals must
wander before reaching the kingdom of death in the afterlife. The characters in the play
speak, move and act as if they are part of a dream or a nightmare. One sees glimpses of the
future; another embodies tragedies from the past. There are literal vampires in the play, as
well as a mysterious woman known as the Mummy. On stage, his vision of an alternate
reality was a forerunner to later 20th century experiments in non-realistic dramatic literature,
such as Expressionism, popular in Germany in the 1920s, and the Absurdist movement of
the 1950s, made popular by writers like Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, and Jean Genet.
When the play was originally staged at the intimate Theatre in 1908, its strange, avant-garde
style and grim view of the world made it popular with critics. It wasn’t until famous director
Max Reinhardt staged the play in Berlin in 1916, then toured it to author’s native Sweden in
1917, that it won acclaim from audiences and reviewers. In 1930, it was turned into an opera
with music by Julius Weissmann, performed in Munich and BBC aired a television
production of The Ghost Sonata in 1962. Reviewer Maurice Richardson noted that, “even
though the television production was probably seen by fewer than a million people, it was
probably a longer audience than the total number of people who had ever seen it before”.

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The play looks more like paroemia, a philosophical tale and characters are flowing into each
other and supplying each other inside one chamber sensation. The playwright distorts
external reality by creating scenes that happen between life and death. It relies heavily on
using dream like and surreal elements to create its unique atmosphere and convey its themes.
From the presence of ghosts and symbolic imagery to the shifting and nonlinear setting, these
elements heighten the sense of mystery and uncertainty and underscore the themes of death
and decay present in the play.

Strindberg’s modern vision of dramatic art had a great influence on modern theatre
development. For example, idea of alienation, people hiding secrets, relationships being
built without real feelings and behind the wealthy house, there‟s a lie.
August Strindberg completed over 60 plays during his lifetime, and the Ghost Sonata remains
an innovative play for its unique dialogues, staging and subject matter.

SUMMARY
Scene I opens in Stockholm, Sweden. Mr. Arkenholz, a young and idealistic student,
enviously wonders about the rich people living in a magnificent building. He’s always
wanted to live in a building like that and with a beautiful wife, like the Colonel’s Daughter,
whom he sees in the window of the building. Arkenholz has a good nature, and first appears
on stage very covered in dust, having just taken part in the rescue effort of a collapsed
building.
Arkenholz meets a milkmaid at the fountain and tells her about his experience of the night
before. She is the first “ghost” to appear in the play. Not far from the scene, Jacob Hummel,
an old man in a wheelchair, observes the scene and listens to him speak, apparently, to
nothing at all. The Old Man has been reading about the accident, and the student’s heroic
actions. He recognizes Arkenholz as the son of a business partner whose lifesavings he once
stole. Arkenholz recognizes Hummel, too, and they briefly argue. Hummel insists on not
having anything to do with Arkenholz’s father’s bankruptcy. Arkenholz is embarrassed by
his family’s loss of money and fortune, and apologizes immediately for lashing out at
Hummel.
Hummel claims that he can find a steady job through the Colonel. The first task the Old
Man assigns him is to attend an opera performance of “The Valkyrie” to meet the Colonel
and the girl, who is known to be his daughter. For an unclear reason, Hummel wants to
enter the building and needs Arkenholz to gain admittance. Arkenholz talks to the
milkmaid, and Hummel is shocked by this. He finds out that Arkenholz is a “Sunday
Child” (someone who can see ghosts).
The house that Arkenholz is so desperate to enter is filled with an odd collection of
characters. The person who catches his attention the most is the "Girl". He is struck to the
soul by her beauty, and more determined than ever to do whatever the Old Man wants to
meet her.
Hummel organizes a tour of the house for Arkenholz, where he learns that the upper-class
residents live on the top level, the middle-class residents on the first floor, and the lower-

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class residents in the basement. The house appears gloomy from the inside, in stark contrast
to its exterior condition. Nevertheless, poor people remain outside, pleading for entry.
All of the people living in the apartment are connected with each other, often due to some
act of deceit. For example, the Colonel, who lives on the top floor, once seduced the
attractive wife of the Superintendent, who lives in the basement. Arkenholz sees the
Colonel‟s Wife, who is “mad” after living in a cupboard for the past forty years. She makes
parrot noises all day and everyone, including the servants Bengttson and Johansson, refers
to her as the “Mummy”. The wife asks him why he has come back to the house to which he
says he came back for the Colonel‟s daughter. When the Colonel appears, Hummel
eviscerates his status and family name. The Colonel feels defenceless against the
accusations and admits on having an affair with the Superintendent‟s Wife.

Arkenholz is invited to dinner at the house. Hummel claims that he brought the young
Arkenholz into the house for the Colonel’s Daughter, who has been battling depression. He
believes that Arkenholz can make her feel better again and if the two were even to get
married, he wouldn’t complain. Hummel blames her sad reality on the various people
gathered at the dinner table.
The Colonel’s wife calls Hummel out and reveals that Hummel tried to seduce
her. Bengttson also exposed Hummel’s crime for murdering a woman in the past, and that
the woman whom he murdered was the Milkmaid. The Colonel’s Wife claims that Hummel
also wants to seduce her daughter, which is especially wicked as the Colonel’s Daughter is
actually his own daughter. This confrontation makes Hummel writhe on the floor in guilt and
he does not deny the allegations as well. He crawls toward the cupboard that once housed the
Colonel’s Wife, starts making parrot noises, and is covered with a “death screen.”
Arkenholz falls in love with the Colonel’s daughter and wants to take her away from this
sinful house so she can live a happy life somewhere else. However, she declines the offer.
She has already made up her mind that she is doomed to die in misery. The play concludes
with the Colonel’s Daughter dying. At this news, Arkenholz is furious at the world he is
living in and prays that the girl will have a better life in the Hereafter.

Expressionism in Ghost Sonata

Strindberg is considered to be one of the most important influences on an avant-garde
artistic movement called expressionism that became very popular in Germany in the 1920s.
While writers of realism at the turn of the century tried to produce plots that mirrored real life
events and characters who seemed to talk, move and act like real people, expressionist
writers, like expressionist painters, tried to portray life as they saw it, altered by strong inner
emotions, and modified and distorted by the artist’s vision of reality. In general,
expressionism is a style of art, music, or writing that emphasizes the artist’s inner feelings or
emotions rather than outer reality. In drama, expressionism is often characterized by non-
realistic scenery and acting, as well as by the use of symbols and metaphors to represent
emotional states or ideas. As a result, expressionist plays are often disjointed, nightmarish
scenes that bear little resemblance to the real world.

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 Strindberg’s The Ghost Sonata contains many elements also found in later twentieth
century expressionistic dramas. For example, his characters are types, rather than individual
people. They are known by labels, like “The Student” or “The Old Man,” rather than by
names, and sometimes they do not even have distinct personalities. On several occasions the
character of the student sees apparitions that the character the old man cannot see such as the
milkmaid and the ghost of the dead man. Also, to “capture inner feelings” Strindberg
unmasks his characters to see their true beings of liars, hypocrites and criminals. This is also
how he groups his characters instead of fully developing them.

The title of the play „The Ghost Sonata‟ itself refers to the fact that the play is an
expressionistic work as it evokes a strong emotional response in the viewer. Strindberg
named the play after the term “sonata”, the term was defined in the supplementary notes,
which is a “three or four part composition that consists of independent movements that vary
in key, mood, and tempo”. Strindberg uses a three part composition in for his play, he divides
the play into three scenes which are similar to the structure of a “sonata”. Through these
expressionistic elements, Strindberg was able to create a play that distorted reality The play is
filled with symbolic imagery, like that often associated with dreams. The pendulum clock, the
Mummy, the “vampires,” the Old Man’s wheelchair, and the house itself, where the
characters have their “ghost supper,” are all symbols representing abstract ideas like time,
fear, guilt, shame, power and corruption.

Like a dream, the play does not follow a straight line of cause-and-effect actions.
Time is ambiguous, and can even be stopped like the hands of a clock, and the characters act
in strange, unpredictable ways. Perhaps most important of all, The Ghost Sonata projects the
feelings and attitudes of its author through the words and actions of his characters. As a style,
expressionism is meant to convey the inner workings of the artist’s mind. Strindberg‟s own
tortured psyche is on display throughout the play. He was, by his own admission,
compulsively neat, and he required an orderly, clean environment. Little wonder, then, that
the Girl in The Ghost Sonata is so dismayed by a housekeeper who dirties more than she
cleans. Reportedly, Strindberg also feared cooks, and often suspected them of poisoning his
food, which may explain the appearance of vampire-like kitchen servants in his play. And,
given the dark, dismal entries he left behind in his journals and letters, there is little doubt he
spoke through the Student at the end of the play when he mourned;
“You poor little child, child of this world of illusion, guilt, suffering, and death, this world
of endless change, disappointment, and pain. May the Lord of Heaven be merciful to you
on your journey.”

The lesson Arkenholtz learns—that the world can be a cold, cruel place—is one Strindberg
seemed to live, and desperately wanted to express in The Ghost Sonata.

THEMES
Illusion vs reality August Strindberg in the play "Ghost Sonata" shows how this world
is built upon illusion and masks. In this world, filled with death and decay, people are not

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what they seem to be. Behind the facade of respectability and beauty lie corruption and
ugliness.

Strindberg liked to view himself as a continual seeker of truth, as an artist who could present
the sin, suffering and degradation of the world on the stage and unmask all of the world's
liars, hypocrites and criminals. Like his several plays, in 'Ghost Sonata" he attempts to
reveal the hidden secrets of his society—its institutions and individuals.The secrets of The
Ghost Sonata are terrible indeed, and they are initially hidden behind an illusion of wealth,
nobility and respect, inside the walls of a beautiful house. In the play, the charitable Consul is
a vain hypocrite who has swindled the state out of fifty thousand pounds. The Aristocrat is a
jewel thief, and the Fiancée, a pillar of the church, is a fallen woman. The Colonel is the
epitome of a man projecting a false image of himself. He is no more than a kitchen boy
passing himself off as an aristocrat; even his daughter is not his own. All the world is filled
with illusions. The beautiful girl in the statue is now a mummy. The Student‟s dream house,
in fact, hides many imperfections, such as the Mummy in the closet and the disobedient and
vampiric servants. Similarly, the dreamlike Hyacinth Room is disintegrating. The pretentious
nature of characters, settings, and conversations exposes that even though life may appear
beautiful, it is actually horrific once peels away the veneer. In a letter to his friend,
Strindberg wrote of the ghost Sonata;

"It is horrible, like life, when the veil falls from our eyes and we see things as they are.
Secrets like these are to be found in every home. People are too proud to admit it; most of
them boast of their imagined luck, and hide their misery.‟‟

Betrayal Several of the characters in The Ghost Sonata betray one another in some form.
The old man says to the Student:

“I have made people unhappy and people have made me unhappy”

Years ago, the Colonel seduced Jacob Hummel’s fiancée away from him. In retribution,
Hummel later had an affair with the Colonel’s wife, Amelia, that produced a daughter the
Colonel believes is his. Then he betrayed Amelia, and left her behind to live with her sin.
Even the minor characters of the play live on a merry-go-round of betrayal. The Caretaker’s
Wife had an affair with the Dead Man that produced a daughter, the Lady in Black. Now the
Lady in Black is engaged to Baron Skanskorg, an aristocrat who must first divorce his current
wife before marrying his new love. The Mummy in one dialogue says:

“Crime and secrets hold us – guilt binds us together”

This shows how characters of play are connected with each other in a scandalous web
consisting of abuse, crimes and dark secrets.

Coming of age The character of the Student, MR. Arkenholz, faces the significant
changes in the play. At the beginning of the play, the Student thinks the house is some kind of

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paradise. He tells the Old Man,

“I often stop to look at it. I passed it yesterday when the sun was shining on the window
panes, and I imagined all the beauty and luxury in there.”

He is willing to do anything to get inside, and to meet the lovely young girl who dwells in
the house’s Hyacinth Room. The Student also thinks he has found a generous benefactor in
the Old Man. But as the play proceeds and he comes to know the dark side of everything
associated with this house including its beauty and its inhabitants he realizes that reality is
total opposite of what he assumes. He says that the

“House is bewitched'

He begins as a heroic, optimistic, idealistic youth, and ends as cynical and disappointed as
any of the actual sinners and criminals in the play. The dreams he has of finding paradise in
a beautiful house, with a lovely wife, a generous income, and happy children, are dashed
when he discovers that the real world is often filled with unexplainable rejection and
disappointment, and he watches the girl he loves die in front of him. Still, like any
responsible adult, he must formulate a new way of looking at the world and move on with his
life. Mature now, he understands the world can be evil, and looks forward to a happier life
after death. “Men must reap what they have sown,”

The play ends on student's dialogue :

“You poor little child, child of this world of illusions, guilt, suffering and death; this world
of endless change, disappointment, and pain. May the Lord of Heaven be merciful to you
on your journey”

Death and Decay Death is an empowering theme of the play. Death is definite but it is
unclear if it’s final or the world of the dead is always superimposed on the world of the
living. The theme symbolizes through the following characters

"In the grand theatre of life, we play our roles, but behind the scenes, there's a persistent
decay. The set crumbles, the props fade, and the applause of time echoes through the
corridors of our existence."

Old Man: He is the embodiment of death who symbolizes the inevitable end that awaits all
and the physical decay of old age. He is called “skeleton”, who is accompanied by
“mummies” and is surrounded by death literally and metaphorically.

Student: He represents how youth, exuberance and vitality are inevitably lost as we age and
eventually die. At the beginning he is described as “handsome and fresh” and full of hope and
optimism. However, as the play progresses he becomes increasingly disillusioned and

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pessimistic, eventually succumbing to the same fate as the Old Man. This has been used as a
metaphor for the fleeting nature of youth and the inevitability of death.

Mummy: She represents the deterioration that comes over time and the physical and
emotional decay of old age. She is “withered and shrunken”, representing the loss of
autonomy.

The theme of death is also represented through the setting. The House of Death: This decrepit
and dilapidated building serves as the main setting and represents the destruction and decay
that death brings. It is described as “ruined and abandoned”, serving as the symbol of the
crumbling of society and the passing of time.

"They look like ghosts. And they've kept this up for twenty years, always the same people
saying the same things or saying nothing at all for fear of being found out."

Signs of death are everywhere. White sheets are hung over the windows; flowers that
decorate the house are wilted and dying; funeral flowers are strewn across the streets; flags
are at half-mast; the Student has been handling corpses; characters are in mourning clothes;
the Japanese death screen is in view; and the Isle of the Dead appears at the end. Ghosts
haunt the streets. The Dead Consul walks the streets in a winding-sheet. Many of the
characters are zombies, often motionless and silent. The Milkmaid re-enacts her drowning.
The Colonel’s wife has turned into a mummy. Hummel is cold because his blood has
congealed. The world is populated by the wounded victims of collapsing houses. The
beautiful girl turns out to be fatally sick. People are stricken with a sense of impotence and
paralysis as they engage in meaningless and repetitive rituals and wait for death. Strindberg
has masterfully painted the picture of a world that has fallen from grace.

"Life, a fleeting melody, resonates briefly in the symphony of time. Yet, beneath the
surface, decay silently orchestrates the inevitable coda, weaving its threads into the tapestry
of our mortal journey."

By using this theme, the playwright has given the message that death is inevitable and all
things must end, decay is the natural part of the human condition and all things are subject to
the passing of time. Furthermore it highlights the impermanence of all thing

Class Antagonism The play represents how class differences manifest themselves.
There are poor characters as well as rich. The student is a poor man and wants to marry the
girl but her status as a wealthy woman makes it impossible.

The greed of reaching at the top and becoming the part of the wealthy and elite, certain
characters who were in their younger days poor, become wealthy by the cruel exploitation of
others. The old man, for example, becomes a usurer giving out hefty loans to people and then
bankrupting them.

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“The grand facade of societal order conceals the silent war of classes. Beneath the veneer
of respectability, the clash of ambitions echoes, creating a symphony of discord in the
stratified world."

The servants are completely ineffective in their jobs who don't perform their duties properly
and instead create trouble for their masters. The play is thus a theatricalization of class
antagonism in which the servants create work for them while masters have no idea how to
control them. For example the girl refers to the Hyacinth Room as the “room of ordeals” as
something wrong is always caused by the servants.

"In the mansion of privilege, the corridors are adorned with the portraits of power. Yet,
within these opulent walls, the spectre of class antagonism lingers, haunting the
interactions and aspirations of those who dwell within."

SYMBOLS:
Symbols are representations, objects, characters, or images, that carry abstract meanings
beyond their literal definition. Used in literature, art, and various forms of communication,
symbols convey deeper ideas, themes, or concepts, contributing to a richer, more nuanced
understanding of the subject matter. In “The Ghost Sonata,” a play by August Strindberg,
symbols play a significant role.

1. THE MILKMAID:
The milkmaid is often seen as a symbol of innocence and purity. Her character may represent
a contrast to the complexities and corruptions of the outside world depicted in the play. The
milkmaid’s presence introduces an element of simplicity and sincerity, offering a symbolic
contrast to the darker and more sinister aspects of the narrative. Strindberg employs the
milkmaid as a symbol to explore themes of purity, authenticity, and the potential for
redemption in the face of a troubled and corrupted society.

2. THE MUMMY:
The mummy is often interpreted as a symbol of the past and traditions that are preserved but
lifeless. It can represent the lingering influence of historical events, societal norms, or
outdated customs that continue to shape the present. The mummy’s presence may suggest a
sense of stagnation, rigidity, or the haunting impact of history on contemporary life.
Strindberg uses symbols like the mummy to convey deeper layers of meaning and
commentary on the societal and cultural dynamics within the play.

3. DEAD MAN:
The dead man often symbolizes the lingering presence of the past, lost opportunities, or
unresolved issues. His character may represent the consequences of actions or choices that
continue to exert influence on the living characters. The dead man serves as a reminder of
mortality, the weight of history, and the impact of past events on the unfolding narrative.

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Strindberg employs the symbol of the dead man to explore themes of guilt, haunting
memories, and the inescapable connections between the present and the unresolved past
within the play.

4. THE DREAM-LIKE ATMOSPHERE:

The dream-like atmosphere represents a blurred boundary between reality and illusion,
inviting the audience to question the nature of what they perceive. The dream-like quality
introduces a sense of ambiguity and unpredictability, contributing to the play’s exploration of
the subjective nature of truth and the unreliability of appearances. This symbol underscores
the themes of illusion, existential uncertainty, and the mysterious forces that shape human
experience within the context of the play.

5. THE WHITE MANSION:

White mansion serves as a symbolic representation of a facade of purity or respectability that
conceals hidden secrets and darker truths. The colour white often carries associations with
purity and innocence, but in the context of the play, it may suggest a deceptive exterior that
masks underlying corruption or decay. The white mansion serves as a metaphor for societal
structures or individuals that present an outward appearance of virtue but harbour concealed
flaws, contributing to the play’s exploration of illusion, reality, and the complexities of
human nature.

6. Student (Arkenholz):
The character of the Student serves as an outsider drawn into the lives of the other characters.
Symbolically, the Student represents innocence, idealism, and naivety. His character is often
used as a lens through which the audience views the corrupt and decaying world inhabited by
the other characters. The Student’s journey throughout the play reflects a loss of innocence
and the gradual realization of the darker realities present within the society depicted. His
interactions with the other characters and the unfolding events serve as a vehicle for
exploring themes of disillusionment, betrayal, and the exposure of hidden truths.
Additionally, the Student’s character may symbolize the hope for change or redemption
within a world tainted by deceit and moral decay. His presence contrasts with the morally
compromised nature of the other characters, highlighting the stark differences between
idealism and the harsh realities of the world they inhabit.

7. The Lady in black:

The Lady in Black is a complex and enigmatic character. She embodies elements of mystery,
darkness, and a haunting presence throughout the play. She serves as a symbolic
representation of the hidden, darker truths that the characters try to conceal. Her attire in
black is often associated with mourning, mystery, or even the supernatural, adding an air of
ominousness to her character. The Lady in Black acts as a spectral figure, observing the
interactions and revealing glimpses of the characters’ inner turmoil. Her presence seems to be
a manifestation of guilt, secrets, or unresolved conflicts, haunting the characters and
reminding them of their past misdeeds. She doesn’t always have direct dialogue or actions;

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rather, her presence and demeanor contribute to the unsettling and eerie atmosphere of the
play. Some interpretations view her as a kind of conscience or a representation of the
consequences of the characters’ actions, haunting them in various ways. Overall, the Lady in
Black in “The Ghost Sonata” is a symbolic figure that adds depth and mystery to the
narrative, emphasizing the themes of guilt, hidden truths, and the haunting effects of the past.

8. The Old Man:

The Old Man embodies several symbolic representations. He often represents the past,
tradition, and the weight of history. His character can symbolize the consequences of one’s
actions, haunting individuals as they grapple with the repercussions of their past deeds.
Additionally, the Old Man is a figure of authority and power, signifying the establishment or
societal structures that hold influence over the characters. His interactions with other
characters, particularly the Student, might represent a passing of knowledge or the
transmission of a darker understanding of the world. Moreover, the Old Man’s troubled past
and his connections to other characters reveal layers of hidden truths and secrets,
emphasizing the theme of unresolved conflicts and the haunting nature of history in shaping
present circumstances. Ultimately, his character contributes to the play’s exploration of guilt,
manipulation, and the haunting effects of the past on the present.

9. Ghost Supper:
The Ghost Supper is a symbolic and surreal event that holds multiple interpretations. It’s a
pivotal scene in the play where the characters gather for a meal that transcends reality,
delving into the realm of the supernatural and the symbolic. The Ghost Supper can be seen as
a representation of the hidden truths and underlying darkness within society. It symbolizes the
decay and corruption that lie beneath the surface of social norms and appearances. The
surreal and eerie elements of the supper might reflect the characters’ inner turmoil, guilt, and
the consequences of their actions. Additionally, the Ghost Supper can be interpreted as a
metaphor for a distorted or perverted form of communion. It’s a meal that brings the
characters together but in a surreal and haunting way, highlighting the fractured relationships
and moral decay among them.

10.Flowers:
In “The Ghost Sonata” by August Strindberg, flowers symbolize various themes, including
deceit, corruption, and the decay of societal values. The play uses flowers, particularly the
wilted and decaying ones, as symbols of the superficiality and falseness that exist beneath the
surface of polite society. They represent the decay and moral corruption that permeate the
lives of the characters, often hiding behind a facade of beauty and refinement.

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