New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-18
HENRIK IBSEN.
A NEW BIOGRAPHY.

Jaeger. From the Norwegian by William Morton
Payn0 Iustratndi 1emO, PIP go. ChinlJ':
A. G. McCmrg Go.
Jaeger's biography OF Ibsen takes too much knowl-
edge Of Norwegian affairs and customs for granted 10
be satisfactory to American readers seeking fun
Interpretation of the dramatet but in some respects
IL iuminates its subject in way to make intelGib!e
tendencies and aspects otherwise perpexing and OBJ
scare. Jaeger, indeed, is far critical than
biogr phcal and il is evident that he is concerned
only sbordinatcy about the personality Of his author
But IN the ragmentay sketch which he gives Of bsens
social life cew is given 10 the distinguishing CHAR
acteristcs Of those modern plays Of his which have
been the basis Of his vogue. and upon which what
ever lasting reputation he may have is most likely TO
rest. Henrik Ibsen appears to have inherited from
q dour German ancestor constitutional gloom and
strong prssimstic bias. His childhood and youth were
sombre and repgesscd II is remarked that lie never
PLAYED took pleasure like other children OF his age
but preferred TO shut himself up in attic where he
either brooded silently amused himself turning over
q lot Of old books. When he still very young his
father lost all his property and became poor. This
was another of depression. The external pros
poets of nature in Norway not conducive 10
gayety poor soil, long winter. everywhere nara
conditions inctlnent weather. fOrbiddng, Hvago
scenery lowering skies and laborOppressed people
combine to produce in hypOchOndriacal subjects -
settled gloom. Young lbsen was prcdlSposed TO take
the darkest views and nothing in his surroundings re
acted against that tendency. Apprenticed to an
apothecary in fishing village, buried alive in dismal
hole among stupid, den>cly conventional suspicious
and prying peasants the lad's Intelligence clafcd
soreIy and the pessimsm inhering in him strength
ened
The echoes Of the Revolution Of 54S which reached
Norway, in pred him with his earliest verses. which
were as crude a. they "upsettng." Leaving the
apothecarys pestle and mortar bsen devoted himself
10 letters with long continued i'll success. Arriving
however at the dignity OF salaried Stage manager
he was in a position Try his hand at dramatic com
postion and judging from the synopsis Of his plays
produced during this period his audiences must have
had very modest expectations or have been extremely
natient Classical, scandinavian saga dramas
ceeded one another but none OF them made any STIR
Then Ibsen took epic poetry, and began 10 satrze
the only society of which he had any knowledge
Jaere,,s ANALYSIS of Brand" and Peer Gynt" appear
IN ns n explain the inwardness OF the authors
later plavs with sufficient clearness. Ibscn was an
dealist and dreamer and such had always yearned
after n wholly mpos sible state Of society manners
and morals In examining Norwegian life he dis
covered that IL not simple but complex. and this
offended him. Like all young and ignorant thinkers
he failed 10 distinguish between the compromises neces
sary to all progress In civilization. and sordd
bypocrlsy Because human experience has demon
strated tho impraccabiity Of social cooperation and
Organization not founded mutual restraints and con
cessions he jumped to the conclusion that all men were
deliberate liars and mount banks and villains Those
the notes running kreuGh his two long and