himself in combat. Thorfinn fights bravely outside the home while Gunlöd watches from the window. He defeats his enemies, but is mortally wounded and dies while seated on his throne surrounded by wife, daughter and Gunnar. Thorfinn's last words, "Eternal.. Creating.. God", show he has accepted the Christian religion and blessed the union of Gunlöd and Gunnar. Themes The story is written in the style of a traditional Icelandic saga and is about the struggle between paganism and Christianity. It is about the struggle between God and man, and man and woman. History The young Strindberg had written four plays by this time in his life, but none of them had met with any success. He was still in University and struggling to pay his tuition due to a dispute with his father who had cut off support. A friend, Eisen, suggested he write some plays purposefully designed for acceptance at the Royal Theater. For this he wrote two one-act plays, In Rome and The Outlaw. In Rome was accepted and saw eleven performances at the Dramaten, and on its strength The Outlaw was also accepted for performance. The Outlaw opened at the Royal Theatre on 16 October 1871 and was first published in December 1876. The play was little regarded by critics, but the King of Sweden, Charles XV, was so impressed with The Outlaw he summoned Strindberg to see him. Strindberg thought it was a joke, but after confirming by telegram he attended the summons. As related by biographer Warner Oland: The kindly old King spoke of the pleasure the ancient Viking spirit of The Outlaw had given him, and said, "You are the son of Strindberg, the steamship agent, I believe, and so, of course, are not in need." "Quite the reverse," Strindberg replied, explaining that his father no longer gave him the meager help toward his university course which he had formerly done. "I'm rather short of cash myself," said the King quite frankly, "but do you think you could manage on eight hundred riksdaler a year?" Strindberg was overwhelmed by such munificence, and the interview ended with his introduction to the court treasurer from whom he received his first quarter's allowance [University tuition] of two hundred crowns. Strindberg in his memoirs relates that in 1870 he wrote a five-act verse-play called Blot-Sven (Blot-Sven was a Swedish king ca. 1080), but he was unhappy with it