The Inferno

Strindberg, August, 1849-1912Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 259K words
Chapters: 26

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Inferno by August StrindbergAuthor: Strindberg, August, 1849-1912,Language: English, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Nov 5, 2013

Editor's review

"The Inferno" is an autobiographical work written in English by the Swedish author August Strindberg, recording his experiences in Paris when he was deep in a mental crisis, alchemical experiments, and religious delusions. The book blends diary-form narrative, mystical experience, and literary imagination, presenting a playwright's self-analysis on the edge of reason and madness. For readers studying Strindberg's creative transformation, Nordic modern literature, and autobiographical writing, this book provides a first-hand psychological text; its depiction of loneliness, faith, and creative anxiety also resonates with the spiritual predicaments of modern readers. It should be read in the context of late nineteenth-century European intellectual atmosphere, and the supernatural accounts in the book need not be taken as literal fact. As a public-domain ebook, it is suitable as supplementary material for literature courses or as a text for specialized research rather than casual reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature students studying Strindberg and the background of his plays
Readers interested in autobiography and the theme of mental crisis
Readers concerned with late nineteenth-century European mysticism
Researchers who need a public-domain English text for textual analysis

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking a fast-paced novel for entertainment
Readers with low tolerance for accounts of religious delusion and mental suffering
Readers who need a Chinese translation and are not used to the English original

Reading tips

Read the translator's or editor's introduction first to understand the writing background before entering the main text
Read in chronological sections and note the narrator's psychological changes after each section
Read alongside Strindberg's plays from the same period to observe thematic echoes
Mark religious and alchemical terms as you go; there is no need to verify each one

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or an autobiography?

It is generally regarded as a work with autobiographical qualities, recording in the first person the author's mental experiences during his Paris period, but the narrative mixes imagination and mystical experience, so it should not be read as strict documentary.

Can I read it without background knowledge of Strindberg?

Yes, but understanding its significance in literary history will be limited. It is advisable to first learn about his basic career as a playwright and late nineteenth-century European interest in the occult; the text will then be easier to follow.

How difficult is the English?

The text is late nineteenth-century English with long sentences and many religious and alchemical terms. It suits readers with upper-intermediate to advanced English reading ability; an annotated edition or related research materials may be used as needed.

Comments

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About the author

Strindberg, August, 1849-1912 Author

August Strindberg (1849-1912) was a Swedish writer whose 57 works are held in this collection. His output spans novels and drama, with representative works including the novel The Red Room and plays such as Fräulein Julie, The Father, and The Road to Damascus, as well as the Plays by August Strindberg series and the autobiographical The Son of a Servant. His writing often deals with marriage, class, and relations between the sexes, and his style moved from naturalism toward expressionism and symbolism, leaving a lasting influence on modern theatre. The works here are mostly classified under inspirational growth. Public information is limited; the above is based only on in-house facts and widely accepted literary knowledge.