Rosmerholm

One of the most notably "realistic" characteristics of Rosmerholm was that of class-consciousness. John was a type of aristocrat or nobleman that had come from a very distinguished family of clergymen and military officers. We come to find out that Rebecca was adopted (I think…) and yet has adopted within herself also this sense of nobility. Also, there is the concept of extremes in the play. The two schools of thought are mutually exclusive to the town. The characters are either sided with Kroll’s school of thought, or Mortensgaard’s. There is no middle ground as witnessed by the interaction of Kroll with John after John reveals his shift in thought. He is staunchly opposed and denied by his former circle of friends. The idea of the “ghost” or reoccurring spirit also contains within it some type of realism. The spirit, or ideal, of Mrs. Rosmer aids the play without making her a concrete character. In the end though, I really only have one question about this play: What the hell is going on?