Regeln och undantaget

"Diana Goes Hunting" - The action revolves around the panic induced by an amorous huntress, aptly named Diana.

Counter to the popular image of Erik XIV as the mad king Strindberg paints him as an intelligent but weak king, brought down by his insecurities.

About the foolish and lost Gabriel who lives entirely in the shadow of his brother, the brave soldier Mart who died in the war and is continuously immortalized by the dominant mother.

Nils Dacke, leader of the revolt against Gustav Vasa, is torn between his anger over social injustice and royal oppression, and his doubt in the power of himself and weapons.

A young girl is torn between marrying the old man herr Sleeman for money or the young hunter out of love.

A young idealistic civil servant, Arvid Falk, leaves the drudgery of bureaucracy to become a journalist and author. As he explores various social activities—politics, publishing, theatre, philanthropy, and business—he finds more hypocrisy and political corruption than he thought possible. He takes refuge with a group of "bohemians", who meet in a red dining room in Berns Salonger to discuss these matters.

Based on the play by August Strindberg, Miss Julie vividly depicts the battle of the sexes and classes that ensues when Julie, a wealthy businessman's daughter, falls for Jean, her father's bitter servant.

Karin does not belong to the nobility but nevertheless marries the mentally ill king Erik XIV and becomes queen of Sweden. The king's skilled counsellor Göran Persson wants a royal policy supporting the people and supported by it. But in relation to the nobility the king oscillates between provocative strength and unpredictable weakness. Göran arranges that some very powerful noblemen are killed. Subsequently the king tries to have them convicted of high treason by the parliament. He forgets the manuscript, mixes up all facts, and the noblemen are acquitted. But Göran speedily gathers another parliament and has them convicted. Meanwhile Erik apologises because of the unjust murders. Hence Erik is dethroned and imprisoned. Göran is executed. Karin is restricted to a castle in Finland. In the prison Erik believes that he is still the king and gives the guards presents such as all fishes in the Baltic Sea.

Åke lives under oppressive conditions. The father, a painter, spends his salary on drinking with his buddies.

After the first world war Andreas returns to Berlin to find it in chaos after the fall of the empire. The main battle is between the Spartacists and the Freikorps and Andreas needs to find a place for himself in the conflict for the future of Germany.