The Father

The pastor sits down with his sister. Laura bemoans her husband's deteriorating mental state: It has caused "the worst day and night" (67) she has ever known, beginning with his wild fantasies about Bertha's parentage and ending with him throwing a burning lamp at Laura. The pastor agrees that the Captain has lost his mind. Laura explains that the doctor has sent for a straitjacket, while she has written to the Colonel and tried to make sense of the family's finances. However, the Captain's desk holds several sentimental items that suggest that—at one time—the Captain must have loved his wife very much. Laura denies any role in her husband's struggles. When her brother points out that she stands to benefit, she stifles her laughter and defends herself. She insists that she is entirely innocent. 

The doctor joins the pastor and Laura. The doctor is “convinced an act of violence has been committed” (68) but is unsure whether the Captain threw the lamp at Laura out of anger or ill mental health. Still, sending the Captain to an asylum would be better than sending him to prison for attacking his wife. The doctor unveils the straitjacket and requests that Margret help him put it on the Captain. Margret refuses to help and so does the pastor.

Nojd returns, having delivered Laura's forged letter to the Colonel. The doctor tries to get Nojd to put the Captain in the straitjacket. Margret interjects: She agrees to perform the act herself, but asks that Nojd stand by to help her, if required. The Captain pounds on the locked door. The doctor tells everyone except the pastor to hide.

The Captain bursts open the locked door and crashes into the room carrying a pile of books. He jabbers in a chaotic fashion, referring to classical and religious texts to support his theories about the dishonesty of women and the lack of certainty regarding parentage. He wonders whether the doctor and the pastor can be sure of their wives' faithfulness. Despite the doctor's polite pleas, the Captain refuses to change the subject. The doctor accuses the Captain of being “insane” (70) and the Captain admits his mental instability. He flips through a photograph album and points to pictures of Bertha, wondering whether a man can ever be sure that a child is his own. The Captain no longer believes that he has anything to live for. He wants to die and tells the others to do with him as they please. The doctor and the pastor leave; Bertha enters. 

Bertha approaches her father. She asks him whether he remembers attacking Laura, but he does not. He despondently claims that, even if he did, it would not matter. Bertha is shocked; her father would never talk in such a fashion. The Captain seizes on this, assuming this means she knows that he is not her biological father. Bertha warns her father not to insult her mother by suggesting infidelity, and the Captain responds that all the women in the house are against him. When Bertha addresses the Captain as “father” (71) he holds her tightly to him, overcome with emotion. He wants her to live her life exactly as he tells her. Bertha insists that she simply wants to be herself. Now worried that Bertha will take over his life if he does not take hers, the Captain fetches a gun. Bertha tries to escape. Margret enters as the Captain realizes that the bullets have been removed from his gun.

Margret leads the Captain to a chair. As he sits down, she stands behind him with the straitjacket. Bertha leaves the room. Margret speaks calmly about her memories of raising the Captain as a young boy. He encourages her to talk, claiming that her voice soothes him. As she speaks, she takes the gun from him and places the straitjacket on him. Once she's secured the straitjacket, the Captain suddenly realizes that he is stuck. He curses Margret as he struggles to free himself. Margret begs him for forgiveness. She was worried that he would harm Bertha and tells him that he should beg God for mercy. As Margret recites a hymn, the Captain calls Nojd and tells him to throw the nurse out of the window. Nojd refuses. 

Laura enters and tells Nojd to leave her alone with the Captain. The Captain now sees all women, including his mother, his sister, his wife, and his daughter, as his enemies. Laura insists that she never conspired against her husband but admits that she had to protect herself and her daughter. She asks the Captain for forgiveness if she has hurt him. The Captain questions whether love really exists, claiming that all relationships are just business transactions. Laura insists again that his fears about not being Bertha's father are completely unfounded. The Captain despairs and asks for a pillow. Laura covers him with a shawl while Margret fetches a pillow. As Laura sits beside her husband, he recalls the early days of their relationship. Margret places a pillow beneath the Captain's head and then swaps the shawl for his military tunic. He rages against the world as he sinks into the chair. Laura offers to fetch Bertha, but the Captain wails, “a man has no children; only women have children” (74). He collapses onto Margret's lap, calling out to God.

Laura calls the doctor, who enters with the pastor. The doctor examines the Captain and reveals that the man has suffered a heart attack and slipped into a coma. The pastor recites a hymn, but the doctor dismisses his words as spiritual rambling. Margret tells them that the Captain called out to God before he collapsed. The doctor can do nothing for the patient, so turns the Captain over to the pastor. Bertha enters and calls for her mother. Bertha and Laura embrace as the pastor says “amen” (75).