SOURCE: "The Metaphysics of Sex: Strindberg, Weininger and S. I. Witkiewicz," in Theatre Research International, Vol. 12, No. 1, Spring, 1987, pp. 39-51.

In the following essay, Sokól examines misogynist elements in Weininger, Strindberg, and S. I. Witkiewicz.

'Otto Weininger sent me his Geschlecht und Charakter, a terrific book that seems to solve the most difficult of all problems. He pronounces clearly what I only managed to utter. Voilà un homme!' These words, from Strindberg's article 'Idolatry, Gynolatry' are meant as an homage to Otto Weininger (1880-1903) who was barely twenty-three years old when he committed suicide. Strindberg's article was published by the famous Vienna periodical Die Fackel which played an important part in defending and propagating Weininger and his book.¹ Weininger's extraordinary and scandalous work, the full title of which is Geschlecht und Charakter. Eine prinzipielle Untersuchung (Sex and Character. A Fundamental Investigation; English edition—1906) was published in...