The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-05
IBSEN'S ROMANTIC DRAMA
INTEHESrfSG LECTURE BY DIR.
BENTON or HARrF0RD.
a large Audience Fnis the Hnii AMI
Listen. with Close Attention 10 the
Discourse.

An interested and cultivated audience
assembled last evening in Sayics Memo
rial ball 10 hear the first
OF series OF lectures on the dra-
matist, Ibscn, by DIR. Burton, the
editor of the Hartford Courant In de-
iightful conversational manner the
speaker dwclt upon TINT interesting
drnmasist. The subject OF the first lecture
was lbscn's "ilomantic Drama"
DIR. Burton lid that Ibscn was the chief
man ot n remarkable movement. He may
be compared with Wordsworth In poetry
or Wagner in romantic music. Each was
the founder OF n new school in his line.
The stage Mt the advent OF Ibsen was in a
state OF almost perfect divorce of litera-
ture from drama.
Playwrigbts paid more attention to con-
struction. People did not call Tor a
literary production in the playhouses.
Nowhere was there any literary
drama. Critics have felt sure
of the lack of literary form
in modern drama. The last ten years
has seen change for the better in this di-
rcction. Realism is one of the signs of
this change. This term stands for
several different things. Realism
in its true instinct is TO prevent
the truth in art. The effects of
realism have been numerous. Serene
illusion is the fuel. Realism for the sake
Of realism is going too far. In "Shorc
Acres" may be seen an example of realism
which adds to the effect of the action.
1bsen is the most notable author who
makes use OF this method.
Another very remarkable phase of the
modern drama is the physical drama.
The success OF this modern play is the
representation of internal struggle. Oh
sens "Ghosts" is an example OF
this. A young man in the
pay, through hereditary
tract goes mad. In the last act the young
men Is seen going mad. lie is cazed, and
commonplace as the ending is, the effect
IS horrible. Noeffect OF Ssrdou can reach ii.
Ibsen stands for the Psychological
drama. There arc three clements in the
drama, realistic, physcologic and didactic.
Some dramatic critics do not see the true
value of realism in art as Mr.. Win
ter the dramatic critic of the
New York Tribune. Ibsen is known in
this country to readers mostly through
his social plays. These are perhaps not
his best, though latest products. He has
been in turn poet, author and dra-
matist. After the perusal of two
or three plays many discard Ibsen,
though uafGirly. ''The Dolls House." or
"Pillars OF Society,"" give one the opinion
OF the man. Yet a man is always de-
veloped. One should follow him
through the idealistic and realistic periods
TO thoroughly understand him. A life of
Ibsen is to be published this coming
year. Ibsen as youth was
poor. His country would
have none of him and so he spent much
Of his life away from his native country
He was q grim, thorough fellow. His
motto was Gle is the strongest
man who stands alone" From
the beginning his writings showed the
poet. Ibscn before his social plays wrote
four dramas of historical nature. One
deals with scandinavian legends, one
with Roman history and two with
the history of his native land,
Norway. lie wrote these in the
early prime of his power. In these dramas
he has set forth a series of superb charac-
ters, The next lecture is on Wednesday
night, when Mrs. Winslow will read one
of Ibsen's plays.