Naturalism

The Power of Darkness written by Leo Tolstoy (1886)

The Power of Darkness is about a twisted love affair between a man named Nikita, hired help on Peter’s farm and Peter’s wife Anisya. Peter is a rich Russian peasant who places riches above anything else, including his health, which is deteriorating but still very functional. Peter works Anisya very hard, almost Cinderella like with slave work. She detests her husband and falls in love with Nikita. Nikita is a ladies’ man and his weakness is women. With the help of Nikita’s mother, Anisya kills Peter by poisoning him. She then marries Nikita and gives him all the money Peter had. Eventually, Nikita finds another women, Peter’s eldest daughter from his previous marriage before Anisya and marries her. Nikita is once again serving Nikita and his new wife. Later, his new wife gives birth and Anisya and Nikita’s mother persuade Nikita that the baby died during birth and has to bury the baby. While buring the baby he notices the baby is not dead and gets infuriated and kills the baby with a board. He later feels remorse and turns himself to the authorities.

This is a story all too familiar in our time, love and money, the roots of all evil. Love and money make people so things they would normally wouldn’t ever think of doing until they are put in certain predicaments.

This ruble was used in the play The Power of Darkness written by Leo Tolstoy in 1886. The great Russian theater practitioner Constantin Stanislavski felt it appropriate to use real rubles in his play.




Stanislavski used this picture of real Russian peasants as a inspiration for his costuming in the play The Power of Darkness.



Miss Julie written by August Strindberg (1888)

The play Miss Julie takes place in Sweden. Miss Julie is the daughter of a count who owns the estate they live in. Julie lives with her father. Her mother, who taught her to act and think like a man, passed away years before. Jean, a valet at the estate is engaged with the cook named Christine but eventually have a sexual relationship with Jean after a dance they went to where she wore some elegant shoes. Julie does not know how to act. She jumps from being the powerful Miss Julie, daughter of the powerful count and submissive to Jean. They both plan to leave the estate and start their own inn. Christine, after hearing their plan of leaving the estate, tells the stablemasters not to let them take any horses. Christine talks to Jean and Julie about God and forgiveness then goes to church. Then Miss Julie hears that the count has returned from his trip and doesn’t know what to do next. The last scene of the play shows Jean giving a shaving razor to Miss Julie, hinting to commit suicide.

Miss Julie wore this shoe when she went and danced at the servants annual midsummer party where she becomes involved with Jean.