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AUGUST STRINDBERG TIMELINE

1849 January 22 August Strindberg is born in Stockholm.
1862 His mother dies of tuberculosis. Within a year, his father marries the housekeeper, Emilia Pettersson.
1867 He begins his studies at the University of Uppsala in aesthetics and modern languages.
1869 He joins the actor training program at the Royal Theatre in Stockholm and appears in several small roles.
He writes his first play, A Name Day Gift.
1870 His one-act comedy In Rome premieres at the Royal Theatre, Stockholm.
1871 The Outlaw premieres at the Royal Theatre.
1872 Strindberg begins to study painting.
He writes Master Olof.
1873 He takes a job as editor of Swedish Insurance News.
1874 He becomes an assistant librarian at the Royal Library.
1875 He meets Siri Wrangel, the wife of an officer, and becomes entangled in a torrid love affair.
1876 Siri Wrangel divorces her husband.
1877 December 30 Strindberg marries Siri von Essen (Siri Wrangel).
1879 He publishes his first novel, The Red Room.
1880 The Secret of the Guild premieres at the Royal Theatre, Stockholm.
Siri gives birth to Strindberg's first child, Karin.
1881 Master Olof is finally produced and is received with great enthusiasm.
Strindberg's second daughter, Greta, is born.
1882 He publishes The New Kingdom, a collection of short stories.
He resigns from his post at the Royal Library.
1883 He moves with his family to France.
He publishes Poems in Verse and Prose.
1884 He publishes Getting Married, a collection of short stories which brings him critical acclaim but also angers religious conservatives who have him charged with blasphemy. Strindberg defends himself against this lawsuit and is eventually acquitted.
Strindberg's son, Hans, is born.
1886 He publishes his autobiography, The Son of a Servant Woman.
1887 Strindberg and his wife decide to separate; he moves to Denmark.
1888 He founds the Scandinavian Experimental Theatre in Copenhagen, inspired by Antoine's Théâtre Libre.
1889 His play, Miss Julie, is banned by the censor but premieres secretly at the Copenhagen University Students Union.
Strindberg publishes In the Skerries, a novel influenced by Nietzsche.
1890 He publishes By the Open Sea, a novel.
1891 His divorce from Siri von Essen is finalized.
1892 He holds the first exhibition of his paintings at a gallery in Stockholm.
1893 May 2 He marries Frida Uhl, an Austrian journalist and theatre critic; the relationship will last less than two years.
1894 His daughter Kerstin is born.
Creditors and The Father are performed at the Théâtre de l’oeuvre.
1894 - 1896 Strindberg moves to Paris and suffers a series of psychotic episodes which eventually lead to his hopitalization. He begins to read the spiritualist writings of Emmanuel Swedenborg.
1897 He publishes Inferno, a novel.
His divorce from Frida Uhl is finalized.
1898 He writes the symbolic drama To Damascus, his first play in six years.
1900 He writes two more plays, The Dance of Death and Easter.
1901 May 6 He marries Harriet Bosse, a 22-year-old actress.
He writes A Dream Play.
1902 He has a daughter, Anne-Marie, with Harriet. By the time the child is born, however, the couple is no longer living together.
1904 Strindberg divorces Harriet.
He writes two novels: The Gothic Rooms and Black Banners.
1906 He writes his last two novels: The Roofing Ceremony and The Scapegoat.
He designs a camera that is intended to "capture the soul" of those photographed.
1907 He becomes involved with the Intimate Theatre. He writes a number of "chamber plays" for this tiny theatre, attempting to create the theatrical equivalent of chamber music.
1908 He initiates a romantic relationship with with Fanny Falkner, a 17-year-old actress.
He moves into an apartment he calls "the Blue Tower" where he will remain until his death.
1909 He writes his last play, The Great Highway.
1912 May 14 August Strindberg dies in Stockholm of stomach cancer.
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