Strindberg and Fatherhood
May 31st 2006 00:00
“That is the thankless position of the father in the family -- the provider for all, and the enemy of all.”
- J. August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg lived in the late 1800s and was a Swedish writer, playwright, and painter. He is ranked among Sweden's most important authors. This quote is somewhat outdated on account of the rise of women in the workforce in the last few decades (‘the father… the provider of all’ doesn’t really apply anymore).
But what I believe has only recently become obsolete is the idea that the father is the ‘enemy of all’. Back in the day (when I was a kid... which actually wasn’t too long ago!) there was that “Just wait till your father comes home!” threat which I know is rarely used now. This is partly due to my first point, that women now are also in the workforce and aren’t necessarily the ones at home dealing with their kids’ misbehaviour. Also, I think parents have become more lenient. Like I’ve said before, it’s so much easier to just let their kids argue/pull hair/watch too much TV then actually taking action and disciplining them. What do the reader's think? Are the little scoundrels getting away with more nowadays?
- J. August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg lived in the late 1800s and was a Swedish writer, playwright, and painter. He is ranked among Sweden's most important authors. This quote is somewhat outdated on account of the rise of women in the workforce in the last few decades (‘the father… the provider of all’ doesn’t really apply anymore).
But what I believe has only recently become obsolete is the idea that the father is the ‘enemy of all’. Back in the day (when I was a kid... which actually wasn’t too long ago!) there was that “Just wait till your father comes home!” threat which I know is rarely used now. This is partly due to my first point, that women now are also in the workforce and aren’t necessarily the ones at home dealing with their kids’ misbehaviour. Also, I think parents have become more lenient. Like I’ve said before, it’s so much easier to just let their kids argue/pull hair/watch too much TV then actually taking action and disciplining them. What do the reader's think? Are the little scoundrels getting away with more nowadays?
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