How does Miss Julie challenge nineteenth-century social conventions?

In his play Miss Julie, August Strindberg challenges nineteenth-century social conventions by depicting a volatile power struggle between an aristocratic woman and her father’s valet, Jean. By centering the drama on a sexual affair across class lines, Strindberg rejects traditional social hierarchies and explores the deterministic forces of heredity and environment, which were central tenets of Naturalism.123

The play further defies theatrical conventions of the era by replacing standard act and scene divisions with continuous, brutal action, utilizing a style that emphasizes stark realism over luxurious artifice. Strindberg’s work during this period was written in total revolt against contemporary norms, focusing on the conflict between the sexes and the psychological pressures that drive individuals, rather than adhering to idealized moral or rational portrayals of character. Through this approach, Strindberg portrays his characters as products of their circumstances, effectively dismantling the rigid social and moral expectations of his time.123