New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-18

Ibscn' Amthorlzcd translation by Villain "IV
Cnrc, tr.nrr. i:m", PIP 90 '"'P'''"
Charles Scrbncrs Sons
The translators of "Pccr Gynt' have written ~" an
u,roduc,ior IN # which It would be well LOT III
readers Of this strange composition 10 s'"uS o''
vcnturing upon Ib,cns work. The M'Ssrs' H'o"e'' "
decd suggest the ACCESSIBILITY Of Skipping 'his i"
,,, t,or I'm, whoever desire, to escape hopeicSs
h,wilderment should Ignore the rash aoN'ce' wy
that Peer Gvnt" I, at all likely TO appear "l"'h
ror, lucId and sane production after the commentary
Of thc tran,atOrs has been prrus"d onY 'ia. "''
cncoura cement may be engcnd'red by the r'"'' ,'
that serious attempt, have been made 10 pe"''n.
meaning or To read into II some signncahcc' fo' "
must be understood that the authors intent N'iu Nv
mas reasonably BE- supposed to have had on'' '' Oh
,h surface rs much past finding ont as the ways Vi
yr,vidoncc And yet there are some objections W
the plan OF beginning With Che ntroducuon' P'in"r'
the most serious being the danger that the i'"u''
bewilicrmcnt may he aggravated When E' phSSes i"
the authors text and find how Impossible II Is !"
fl fine assumed meaning OF the work to Its ac'nai
expressions, ,o,,,
:. Peer Gvnt'' IS to all appearance, a perfectly
lawlcs, and irresponsible piece Of fantasy Inc hci'
+, derived from Norwegian folklore though ne Owls
ittlc 10 the old story from which he takes his name
From the outset he appears 10 BE- mliwltt'd II ho''
A. sometime, appears. sheer Iunatc. To follow
his adventures would make the Stcadle-t hrAd s'uuN'
,,ov ar, - Wild aud fantastic In his manners h' Is
n coar.c brute I'm his sclfcommunings he i hs"'-
headed crank" only one fact stands ont SuonSH
and clearly regarding him, namely that ne WAS
meant to stand type of blind esotism maSqn"rau
ing rs wisdom. II 1, not, however, eeoti'm ""''"
with strong and high Intelligence, Int mthcr m"'Sl
sclnshncs.. rather immoral than immoral In which
nm obscure and confused effort ~ seltpr''erva-
ton operates to crush and smother all the higher
and noler tendencies.
The Trolls play n part I'm the poem which Is In
torstlng rs an Illustration Of scandinavian folklore
dramatic progress of the action has generally con
t,.In, effect the more especially since Peer Gypt'
| himself /, represented Ialf ia" time something
very like an idiot. and not an Inspired ono either.
After stealing bride at wedding and deserving "r
tn, peculiar hero IS pui under ban and ms 10 TAX"
rcfuc, n the forest. To him, In his retreat. comes
another yourc womnn who t. apparently 50 fascinated
by T., performance tlmt N" be,tOws herself upon
him she /, rewarded by prompt and unexplained
abandonment and Gynt I'll appears 10 turn up III me
| trop,s. whore hc ha> made forum" by "" ShN'
trade and the sale of craven Images TO IN" 'mh"'''
Th fortune hc +, qulcd' robbed Of by parasites, ana
lie n.yi play, the role - false Prophet among the
Arab. If TIE desert Here Do" laylshc- all hs' re-
manning pose. ion, upon GIL who at the first op-
portuu.y run, away and leaves him destitute. Then
he /. found in Egypt where r. addresses crazy
spccchc, the sphinx and a." Momuon statue passes
an Interval IN insane asylum which was Obviously
the proper place ~ rc-id"nc" for Inn ana presently
/
rocky cast
Her. he encounter. tie self .achncIng GIRL whom
lie had dc.cri,d lie f. AZ IN. time In awkward cir
cuu.'unccs l.lHe marked down IS satan Tor con
version into hnt'ou--thl, being method adopted by
t,, Arc.icncmy for dspo,lne ~ wor'Hcs, souls 700
negative 10 subject o. a." orthodox torment ana TOO
| To-. i've in lnllhy 10 Ice .nvod. NJ o." lunttur'
/ e ,oly,ir- ~. woman he has abandoned. comes -
| tic rescue bui fra a vague. irrational ana ineU''tV"
/ f.l,,u and 90 Peer GNnt" scurrl's about tNlnS {"
lud a mcln, II c.capc frum th" conversion INT" but
| tons o. vGch hc Las been sentenced. whether h"
I, let ~ or not hay all the ret ~ tbs i"9sy
poem bat nobody who reads th" poem Is at all lh'y
70 care slat become - him Nobody. that b - '"y'
/ Int the commentators WHO worship lh~en. ana who
occupy their TINE In reading meanings which haV'
/ ma opn,r,nt iu,uncniion into his writing,
or All l. works Peer Gyut" Is the aIc"r,-t. and
I f., ,,l respect, r. +, also the most rcpu>y". Ert
m ,r'lir ar. asked to believe that f. cover The M
profound significance. Tie English iran'a'or' OBJ
/ r,.. IT,. nr.i tl.u- 20 %" aid Is that compl'"
understanding 81 e.. manifold >agic and symbolic bear
In. {. iy no means Necessary 10 Il, enjoyment ..
! work ~ uir. ima.ul'on. Rather ~" would counsel
H.. render I'm ur first instance. io skip the remaining
., - OH, Introduction. TO Ignore the foo'no''' re-
rrn, back +, ta.m. ard. needles 81 ethical ard
| political Intentions. 10 tlh" tar poem ~ II comes
! simply a- dramatic romance or rAanla'maS'ria "t
,urcly human huuor and patho,. Reading II In THIS
.
hut u t sheer Interest. t." pr" poetry. u IA" hing
dos. nol carry HIN past hcs" oh.curliic,. then Tue
ro,m or 4, any rate THIS translation. Is clearly not
one ~ the book. which his hy elective affinity.
Those Who read ho book and then return to this nd
vice Will be- np, to nnd refreshing richness about IT
which may reward ;hcm for their labor. II. however
Ia, faculty Of approaching n,enl'm Ia, been denied
them. they might we'll abandon the vain cnd'Nvor
! io ,omrchond The meaning 81 Peer Gynt.'
! An Engli- hnan named Wick-tcci thinks IN" poem
poem perfectly lucid. and in lecture has expressed
n, ofiuon that Peer Gynt stands for the Norwegian
Jeoplc. much they ar" >k"t'hcd In brand through
| which run. brightness 81 coloring. li'nc" his per
rs tual dredging and determination never 50 10 commit
himself that h. ,nnnst draw back Hence his iraS
m,uiaiy me- II mu'tcrnss. Hence his perpetual bro'H
IN over Tie former grandeur Of his family his Idle
dream, 81 tie fuiur, aud hi, rcslcct Of every present
dn'r Hence Id. drrproocd -cii,hnrsS and cynical
Indifference 10 all higher motives. and hence. alloy"
NIL ~, ,orid aud .uprrsttous religion for 10 hlm
religion f. the nplilco,j, Of the art ~ 'h'deing.' y
All these plantations appear to Us 10 De- read dcbrr
a;cly into the poem by the commentator. What lhSch
himself intended Ia, not. FAR "" are aware. been
sscrialned bu- perhaps II IS Hike Lord PIm"rSton aud
the Schl,- Wig fo.t.in When asked whether he
undrr BOD that obscure affair. hc replied that h" him
sell and one other man t"hom he nnm'dl MA m'Si,r
! Il thoroughly time previously, but, h" added.
| the other fellow /, dead, ana have forgotten the
whole MATTER" None The L., Will lb,"nN admirers
continue 70 di.,Ovcr ana wonderful meanings Tor
Peer Gyai." and the abundance Of It's obscurlti"'
| viii Only 20 stimulate their Invention ana spur
/ them To lrcal creations
! THE GOLDEN noun.