الواقع المتشظي وطغيان الإدراك: قراءة تفكيكية لمسرحية أوغست ستريندبرغ (الأب)

Abstract

This paper examines August Strindberg’s The Father (1887) through the lens of Jacques Derrida’s deconstructive theory, focusing on the interplay of perception, language, and power to reveal how the play subverts traditional notions of family, gender, and authority. Drawing on concepts such as différance, trace, and binary opposition, the analysis demonstrates how Strindberg critiques patriarchal structures and exposes the instability of meaning within personal relationships. Captain Adolf becomes trapped in a web of suspicion and semantic manipulation, where language ceases to affirm identity and instead dismantles it. The play suggests that the search for truth is inherently flawed—each attempt at resolution generates further doubt and contradiction. In doing so, The Father anticipates key modernist concerns with identity, epistemology, and control. By situating Strindberg within a deconstructive framework, this study highlights both his influence on modern drama and the enduring relevance of deconstruction in literary criticism. Ultimately, the play reveals how individuals become entangled in the very symbolic systems they rely upon to make sense of their lives.