The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-04
Jssryrsu IN IrrsHlrURE
zsis's views - To i,- Isaueuse Urc- ths
Frsaeh writsr- OF the Present Day.


authors; that renaissance OF mysticism and
that psychological analysis. Intense up to the
point OF unhealthiness; that dwelling upon
social problems. aided In its expression by =
new technique which consists In rendering
ideas and sentiments by symbols rather than
by direct evidence; that collection OF phenom-
ena in which. for my part. can only see new
manifestation OF that uneasy spirit OF inquiry
which characterizes our society big with
new world. whose symptoms are apparent
everywhere. in politics. as in art.
Some people zee In this simply the influences
OF the importatlons from the Scandinavian
countries. because the manifestations OF this
art around which our young literature has
seen ut to make the greatest amount OF noise.
are the works the very beautiful works in
deed, OF Ibsen.
But 1t Ia not France or Norway alone that
seems imbued with this new sentiment NJ.
Hauptmann recently brought out at the
Theatre Libre "Hannelee Mattern." and NJ
Hauptmann Ia from Berlin. The works Of
TolstoI nd DostoIewski are sufficiently known.
and IL Ia necessary to mention only the names
of these authors as the leaders OF an analogous
movement in Russia The French them selves
seem to have forgotten that NJ. lola did not
wait for tho revelations OF the Norwegian
theatre which we owe to NJ. Antoine. to write
Tho Crime Of the Abbc Mouret." aud The
Dream" and to form out Of this last romance
q sufficiently mystic piece which had extra
ordinary success at the Opera Comique.
As we see. Zola was Just the man to give HE
opinion upon this literary evolution
Il have come to nsk you" said to NJ. Hola.
your opinion upon the literary movement
that Ibsen and his school appear to have
started"
1t is diflcult" retlied NJ. lola. to give .
precise opinion upon translated works. MY
innp Il hal
have talent and sometimes even genius: but
they have written in u language different from
ours. a language whose character. may say.
10 the very opposite Of that Of the French LAM
Guage. We must not forget that we are Latins,
and that they are Scandinavians Moreover.
Judging by tho translations that have been
made Of nv works abroad. 1 fancy that those
TRANSACTIONS from the Scandinavian must be
something very far from the originals. Like
my own productions. the works OF Ibsen must
have been completely disnEured. aud. more
over. they are not in their own atmosphere"
Have you formed an opinion in regard to
their tendencies p
NJ. Zola-Yes certainly. or Ibsen know all
that has been played at the Theatre Libre. to
which have been one OF the first subscribers
Here. as IL speaking to himself NJ. Zoia
added: Il like Antoine THE director OF tho
Theatre Librel and con sider him an artist"
Duck Ghosts and Rosmersholm.'
And what do you think Of them?"
NJ. Xoa-well Ibsen. like Tostot. his Rus
sian contem porary. is i'm bued with the human
itarian ideas OF ~. the ideas Of Fourier and Of
Saint Simon. They were twenty years old at
that time and was only eight. They had ar
rived at the age when impressions are most
vivid. and they have preserved from that move
ment tendencies which they have developed
L.r kal h., ph hal tiral lab
matter Of fact. the whole thing came from
They are French ideas that have grown in their
brains and have become enlarged through
labor. But our Door humanity at the present
time needs something more than charity and
fatalism Justice. or something else.
What do you think OF Hauptmann. and par
ticulary his last piece. The Assumption Of
Hnnnelee Mattern 2"
school, and certainly has talent; but In my
opinion. he is imbued with the new ideas OF
We had created a scientific classification. but
speak OF the symbolic and mystic schools
Hauptnann belongs to the school Of the
MARQUIS Melcnior do Vogue the author OF the
But you certainly cannot consider The
Weavers as mystic work ~
NJ. Iola-l am one OF the admirers Of The
Weavers." II Is an excellent work. The last
MAJ the bas E',s new 20
angels that cooperate in the Assumption"
and d. present rather TOO much Of a fairy scene.
Moreover We get too close a view of the
tSese sas tSs piece has
good in It. although II is worry childish. The
art critics were indignant; NJ. Bec2ue re-,
iar iesu are Enocsed ous These tricks in the
I,ise en- sc""r always make me laugh Wagner.
enlarged the domain OF music. although do
not consider. Ike some OF his admirers. that
always makes me smile when sec in the VAL
kyries the cavalcade OF pasteboard horses
slider The WeSvers reyoIutionaryf''
NJ. Zola-Oh, don't think so at all. In the
The people who go to the theatre dom want to
be entertained with politics They go there to
that they want to see II ia the woman and =
revolutionary play would be regarded as stupid
S how do You SUPPOSE the plays Of n.
Hauptmann could be reproduced several times
+ Berlin S' asa any ten
Germany. at least for a time Art and social
science are not made to be united.
more extensively into this kind OF literature.
" Outside OF the pieces taken from your r"-
mancess, have you ever thought OF writing
> NJ lola--oh. yes. very often; but / am afraid
three Iomanees TO finish "Lourdes," upon
which am working; Rome. which will re-
nance on socialism and anarchy. / am -
ears old. and l am tired. Consequently
on shall see.
Outside q your romanees. do you not i'm
tend to publish noyelsY'
NJ. Zola-I commenced that WAY. but nowI
have discontinued the thing My romances
occupy all my time.
You spoke OF anarchy little while ago
You know that valiant, who has been exc
ruted spoke Ia his will OF the influence OF sur
roundinGs"
n. LOa-Vaillant was an evolutionist With
rut knowing it, His acIs lave been the fatal
consequence OF his theories. lie died brayslJ.
He was consistent with himself
As Twas leaving. NJ. ZOla said to me on the
stairs: Now. in regard To the Ibsenian move
ment be sure to say that do not pretend to
nudge the literary talent OF these gentlemeh:
Il u their ideas that speak OF. and nothing
but their ideas" RAYMOND DAILY.
PRKPIRISG FOR THE BIO MEETG