Infidelity" as an "Act of Love" : Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie (1995)‎ as a Rewrite of August Strindberg's Miss Julie (1888)‎

Abstract EN

Depending on Linda Hutcheon's notion of adaptation as "a creative and interpretative act of appropriation" and David Lane's concept of the updated "context of the story world in which the characters are placed," this paper undertakes a critical examination of Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie (1995) as a creative rewrite of August Strindberg's Miss Julie (1888).

The play appears to be both a faithful adaptation and appropriation of its model, reflecting "matches" for certain features of it and "mismatches" for others.

So in spite of Marber's different language, his adjustment of the "temporal and spatial dimensions" of the original, and his several additions and omissions, he retains the same theme, characters, and—to a considerable extent, plot.

To some extent, he manages to stick to his master's brand of Naturalism by retaining the special form of conflict upon which the action is based.

In addition to its depiction of the failure of post-war class system, it shows strong relevancy to the spirit of the 1990s, both in its implicit critique of some aspects of feminism (especially its call for gender equality) and its bold address of the masculine concerns of that period.

And while consolidating Marber's affinities with the European avant-garde drama, the play also anticipates the concerns of his next play Closer (1997) — a seminal play of the 1990s especially in its treatment of sexual desire and the fatal struggle for power.