The Keys to Heaven

By August Strindberg
"Strindberg and Expressionism"
May 20, 2012, 1pm

In The Keys to Heaven, the death of a man's three children from the plague causes him to go on a surreal journey to the afterworld. His travels take him to the ruins of the tower of Babel, Jacob's Ladder, and the Gate of Heaven. Along the way, he meets Romeo and Juliet, Tom Thumb, Don Quixote, Bluebeard, Hamlet, and Ophelia. One of Strindberg's most peculiar plays, The Keys to Heaven was never performed during his lifetime.

This reading will be followed by a discussion of the play and Strindberg's influence on expressionism.