As described here, Strindberg made two
of his older children very ill when his attempt to influence his little girl by
the use of psychological black magic missed its mark.
This article highlights two more examples from
Inferno of the harmful effects that occult activities had on his family.
The two dabblers in the occult
Inferno has many references to the occult
and its practitioners.
It is not always clear what aspect of the
occult Strindberg is talking about. He could mean mediums and spiritualism or
even just metaphysical books rather than ill-wishing, cursing and other forms
of black magic in the case of two women connected to him who ‘studied occultism’.
Strindberg says this about his mother-in-law and
aunt:
“Both starting from a neutral point of view
as regards religion had begun to study occultism. From that moment onwards they
suffered from sleepless nights, mysterious accidents accompanied by terrible
fears, and at last, attacks of madness. The invisible furies pursue their prey
up to the very gates of the city of refuge—religion.”
Attacks of madness? This sounds remarkably
like what happened to the friend of Strindberg’s youth and his family,
not to mention Strindberg himself.
Sleepless nights, terrible fears and mysterious
accidents? These come with the territory.
Being hounded by invisible furies is a very
good description of what happens to people who attract the attention of
malevolent forces.
Some people contaminate everything and
everyone they touch.
Were the two women’s unwise activities and the devastating
results caused or influenced by bad energy and malign forces that surrounded
Strindberg?
The unfortunate old lady
The cause of the suffering of another family
member seems much more obvious in this case:
Strindberg got very angry with his
mother-in-law’s mother at one point. He blamed her for separating him from his
wife and child. She once had him put out on the street and he had nowhere to go
but a hospital. He shook his fist at her picture and cursed her for her cruelty.
Shortly afterwards, she became seriously ill
and didn’t expect to live. She became delusional, saying that there was a snake
inside her body. Someone stole some of her money.
Strindberg blamed himself for her misfortunes,
all the more after this happened:
“Unfortunately, just at this juncture, there
comes a work on magic from Paris containing information regarding so-called
witchcraft. The author tells the reader that he must not regard himself as
innocent, if he merely avoids using magic arts; one must rather keep watch over
one's own evil will, which by itself alone is capable of exercising an
influence over others in their absence.”
Talk about a message from the universe!
This obviously hit home. It made Strindberg
feel both guilty for causing the old lady’s misfortunes and fearful because he once
again suspected that evil occultists or his theosophist enemies were cursing
him remotely just as he had cursed the old lady remotely.
He was probably right on both counts.
