Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22
IBSEN'S DOLLS HOUSE
The First Of the NorWsslan's y9rks TO
Be Presented In Richmond.
CHRISTMAS WEEK ATTRACTIONS.
Robert ManfcIl in Three Fnvorte
Romantic Roles md Royies
coucdx-Droma Friends to ConstI-
tufc the Dill.

tutc the Dill.
Richmond had the opportunity-even II
che did not grasp 1t with q firm hand
during the past week OF witnessing one
of the works of ''the great master Id
sen. His plays have, probably, been
more widely discussed during the last
two years than those of any other play
wright, and the opinions as TO their ner-
its or dement's have been widely diver
gent.
MIR. Ibsens piece, entitled, "Ihe Don
House" which is a good representative
type of the group Of 1bsen pieces cIhe
Pillars Of Society,"" IAN Enemy OF 80
ciety, Ghosts etc), is neither good
for the stage nor good for the study;
for It is found to be slow and uresome
when acted and IL Is trivial wnen read
II contains one dramatic situation, put
one dramatic situation is not enough 10
animate the structure Of three-act
niece. Years ago, 1.-The Dolls House
was produced under the name Of 'Tho4d,
biz Helena Modjeska. but, although the
brilliant talents Of that actress were al
their meridian, il was a failure. In 1893
il was trled In London, under the au-
spices of a few crOtchetty writer's, put
although mOmentarily favored by the
Mrs. Leo Hunter class. it was soon
dropped out Of sight Since then II mas
been performed IN America uos5-lssol,
under much the same conditions, ana
with much the same result. a few state
~ persons declare IL excellent, because
inc fgh a 4
transcends the comprehension Of all ex-
cept the elect; but nobody regards the
giraffe except TO smile at him. The piece
IS dull on the stage. for want Of In
terest and dramatic movement; and II
equally dull in the study, for want OF
literature.
Mr.. Ibsen asks attention TO a case OF
domestic trouble. The scene is dwell
ing in Norway. The time IS to-
day. The chief persons are Mr.. and
Mrs Helmer, who have lived together
eight years; who love each other; who
have children. and who are in comfort
able circumstances. They have a male
friend, appropriately called Rank who
IS dying with spinal disease; who Is I'm
love with Mrs Belmer. and who calls
on her every day, and shows how foolish
and pitiable a man can be when he
Is infatuated with a woman. They have
a female friend named Mrs. Linden,
q widow who drops In from time 10 time
and helps Mrs. Helmer. Mr.. Helmer
has been appointed manager Of n bank
1t Is Christmas-Eve. and all appears to
be well with the family OF Helmer. save
that Rank has a cough and is ricketty
upon his legs. There is. however. a
skeleton in the closet. Mrs. Helmer. at
ur.l~r -taa.Tt L., I'll
secretly borrowed a sum OF money for
her husbands use, making him believe
that she had obtained it from her father:
and she has forged her fathers name
by way Of giving security That debt.
thus dishonorably and disgracefully con-
tracted, she is endeavoring to pay But
that crime Of hers is known 10 her credi-
tor Mr. KrOgstad. a bank clerlO. whom
Mr.. Helmer has discharged from the
bank; and Mr.. krogstad threatens TO
'ell Mr.. Helmer about Mrs. Helmer's
forgery. unless Mrs. Helmer procures
his reinstatement in his official post
That reinstatement the frightened Mrs
Helmer vainly endeavors to obtain Mr.
Helmer. who Is narrOw-minded opin-
donated. Connected person. insists on
having his own way, and Krogstad re-
mains banished. Thereupon. Mr. Krog-
stad sends letter which is dropped
into Mr.. Helmer's letter-box. wherein
are stated the facts of Mrs Helmer's
misconduct. The progress OF that COM
municaton towards the hands OF Mr..
Helmer Is, for n time retarded, the
means whereby the delay is made con-
shutting the one moment OF dramatic
action that Eliminates the piece Eventu-
ally Mr.. Helmer opens and reads the
letter, and he Is astOunded and enraged:
and he announces his emotions to Mrs.
Helmer in terms OF violent asperity. Mr..
Krogstad, in the IN an time. has become
Modified by the soothing influence OF
Mrs. Linden. who. having been his
sweetheart. and having Tilted him In early
life. has now proposed marriage to him;
and he sends Mrs. Helmers forgery to
Mr.. Helmer. and declares the matter
settled. Mr.. Helmer is delighted; but
Mrs. Helmer, much displeased with her
husbands conduct declares that her
eyes are at length opened to his es-
sentially commonplace character, and
that she cannot live with him any
longer; and she terminates the proceed
ings by walking out OF the house at
midnight, and closing the strset-docr
after her with bang. That is the play;
and anybody who can keep a straight
face while looking at II must be largely
deficient in the sense OF huror
Mr.. Ibsen's composition is not dramatic
but didactic. The piece is not a play, IL
is an essay. Mr.. Ibsen appears to be a
regulator. He wants to have everything
"set TO rights" In this case he has I'M
dertaken 10 regulate the matrimonial re-
lation. The married women. he assumes,
are dolls-meaning playthngs. The mar
ried men are a combination OF the Turk
and the prig. Wives are not allowed 10
personality OF their wives. and the fe-
male sex Is subjugated and extinguished.
That Is dreadful state OF things. equal
~ for the men and the women, and Mr..
Ibsen VIII not endure IL. one blow shall
be struck for feminine freedom, and Mr..
Ibsen feels that he Is the man to strike
IL. Women must no longer be brought
up as dolls or treated as playthngs The
woman who is reared as Il doll will neces-
sarily behave as such; that is 20 say, she
will lie steal and forge because she
knows no better. That is the way with
dolls They are dreadfully afraid OF being
found out when they have done wrong
but. at the same time, they never know
the difference between wrong and right.
Besides, they inherit things from their
diseased ancestors and no doll who has
inherited anything from sick progenitor
is responsible for her conduct. No doll
whose grandfather ever ate pickle could
help falling into one. Judgment on dolls
should be exceedingly lenient, as long as
their husbands are Turks and prigs. The
crying need OF the hour is perfect equali-
~ In the marriage state. Marriage is i'm
possible and wrong unless the wife, equal
ly with the husband. is acquainted with
the Ten Commandments; and no woman
can be considered a human being whose
Independent personality does not at least
tower to the height of the Revised Sta
tutes. Mr.. ibsen Is firmly persuaded OF
those truths. and he has written THE
Dolls House" In order to establish them.
nh