The Poet monologue — Plays by August Strindberg, First Series

I had a father who put his whole hope on me as his only son, destined to continue his enterprise. I ran away from the business college. My father grieved himself to death. My mother wanted me to be religious, and I could not do what she wanted--and she disowned me. I had a friend who assisted me through trying days of need--and that friend acted as a tyrant against those on whose behalf I was speaking and writing. And I had to strike down my friend and benefactor in order to save my soul. Since then I have had no peace. Men call me devoid of honour, infamous--and it does not help that my conscience says, "you have done right," for in the next moment it is saying, "you have done wrong." Such is life.