(The Fisher Maid), and «Brudeslaatten» (The Bridal March).
These enchanting little pictures from life, and his charming songs,
made Bjornsons name dear to young readers all over the country.
In his Danish predecessor, Grundtvig, Bjornson had found the
confirmation both of his bright Christian faith, and of his view
of the peasant as the nucleus of the nation. He had gone abroad
at an earlier age than Ibsen had done, but he did not remain
there. Time after time, he too has lived for years together among
strangers, but, as he himself has said, «only to bring home new
warmth to Norway». He took: from abroad the subject of a
splendid drama on Mary Stuart. But home attracted him most,
and at last he broke away from the hero world of history,
and described the genesis of the home in the dramatic idyl
entitled «De nygifte» (The Newly-Married Couple) (1865). For
a time it looked as if the theatre would engross him entirely.
Twice, with an interval of a few years, he was instructor of the
young staff of actors that gave stage-life to his own and Ibsen’s
plays. I t was not a little owing to his bold participation in public
life that at the age of 40 he had worked himself out of romance.
To be the people’s teacher became the vocation of his manhood.
And this he accomplished first of all by weaving the thoughts he
wished to disseminate into realistic plays. He began in the spring
of 1875, and in «En fallit» (A Bankrupt) proved himself to be a
master in this style of drama.
With its first appearance, this play won high favour on
the German stage also, and thus opened the way both for its
author and for Ibsen to their gradual recognition as dramatic
poets outside Scandinavia.
Ibsen too, as realist, appeared as a popular teacher. Even in
his great historical play on the subject of Julian - I «Keiser og
Galilseer»,. 1875 — he is a preacher. The advent of a «third
kingdom» is prophesied, in which the life-bearing fundamental
truths of Christendom and heathendom shall revive one another.
No such profound doctrine is preached in the satirical present-day
drama, «Samfundets Stotter» (The Pillars of Society) (1877), whereby
Ibsen obtained a firm footing in Germany.
But there is a difference in the character of the purposeful
dramas that, after the middle of the seventies, issue in a twofold
series from the pens of the twin poets. Ibsen is a pessimist and
satirist, Bjornson an optimist and reformer. Ibsen wishes to chastise,
Bjornson to convert. Ibsen wishes to «harden souls», Bjornson
exhorts to «abide in truth». While Ibsen in his exile, obstinately
refrained from raising his voice in the debates of the hour, Bjornson
continued to take part in the public exchange of opinion on
all the serious questions that from time to time occupied the minds
of, his countrymen. In politics he was a. fearless leader, and where
his plume waved, the fight was thickest. When, at the end of the
seventies, after a severe crisis, he broke with orthodoxy, it was
the signal for a long religious contest.
But even around Ibsen’s name, the battle has raged. The
tendency of his satires has irritated sober minds. In «Et dukke-
hjem» (A Doll’s House) (1879), the heroine, Nora, maintains the
human rights of woman in marriage; and her stirring speeches
aroused a sharp controversy all over Scandinavia. The public stood
aghast at the revolting illustration of the doctrine of heredity in
«Gengangere» (Ghosts) (1881). The construction of these two
plays is masterly, and their interesting characters have tempted
modern actors in all lands. Nora is one of the triumphs of
theatrical stars, and «Gengangere» has served as an attraction to the
independent theatres. In his indignation at the poor thanks he received
for the grave moral of the last-named play, the author represented
himself as «En folkefiende» (An Enemy of the People), who is
left standing alone in his struggle to repair the flaws in society.
The irony in this perpetual presentation of the; ideal claims, he
then portrays in the pessimistical allegory, «Vildanden» (The Wild
Duck) (1884), and turns aside from writing with a direct purpose.
Henceforth he occupies himself generally with deep psychological
problems, wherein, with the wisdom of advancing years, he sees
long vistas. This gives to his later pieces -— «Bosmersholm»,
«Fruen fra havet» (The Lady from the Sea), «Hedda Gabler»,
«Bygmester Solness» (The Master Builder), «Lille Eyolf» (Little
Eyolf), «John Gabriel Borkman», and «Naar vi dade vaagner»
(When we Dead Awaken) (1886—99) - ■ an often highly symbolical,
twofold motive.
The productions of the last 20 years represent for Ibsen a
steady perfecting of the original style upon which he has fashioned
his dramatic form. By an ingenious arrangement of the substance
of a human life, he is able in one exciting catastrophe, to unveil
even the most secret recesses of its being, as it has developed
through all the stages of life. This he succeeds in accomplishing