The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-23
NEW hooks.
Brief Reviews or Imports.t aud Interest-
Ing New Pusitcattons.

and Kim ball publish '" q series OF books repre-
senting what may be called the new movementin
literature" including. among others, tho works
OF Maeterlinck, Eckhoud. Van Lerbesghe. aud
other leaders Of tho Belgian Renaissance. and
the poems OF Paul verlaine. The latest addi-
ton is Henrik Ibsen's new play I" John Gabriel
Borkman," translated by William Archer. The
central figure In this dark and gloomy but In
tensely powerful drama is q worldly and am
bilious oRotlst. who. born q miners son. had
become the President OF q bank, and
had. In order to carry on his wild financial
schemes. Incorporated funds and securities.
bringing disaster upon the bank and ruin to his
friends. The action Of the play passes one win
ter's evening at a manor house near Christlsnis.
eight years after Borkmsn's release from the
Jail In which he had served term Of Ave years
for his crime. Here, alone In the upper gal
lery Of the house. he has passed the
long years, deserted by his former friends.
and never seeing either tho wife or son
who live below; while the wife sits
brooding over her disgrace and lives but for
one end-to train her son for career Of which
the glory shall eclipse his fathers shame. In
the first act the story Is unfolded In . long dia-
logue between the wife and her twin sister,
Ella Renthcim; one discussing her plans for her
sons future. while the other. who has been the
boys foster mother, and who IL stricken with
her for the few remaining months OF her life
In u lull In the angry debate between tho wom-
en- there is the sound of footsteps above.
Mrs. Bork man-Its he.
Ella Rentheim lSoftip tcith suppressed pain
-BorkmanH John Gabriel BorkmAn1
Mrs. Borkman- He walks up and down like
that-backward and forward-from morning
till night, day In and day out. . l ofteu
feel as II had sick wolf pacing his cage up
there In the gallery, right over my head distens
and rhlsperO. Harkl Do you heart backward
and forward. up and down. goes the wolf"
The second act passes In 1.-The VOLTS" gallery,
whittier comes to Borkman tho only friend loft
nina sim pie minded old poet. bent and worn.
with mild hiuo eyes and long. thin. gray hair
struggling down over his coat collar" who has
two things insxpressibly dear 70 hlm-his
daughter and q tragedy. written years ago.
which It is his lifes ambition to see accepted.
There Is q fine scene In which Ella Rent
upbraids BorkmAn for having, In years gone by.
deserted her and sacrificed ncr to his greed for
wealth and power.
" Ella Rcnthelm-You bartersd me away 90.
drove bargain with another man for your
love. Sold my love for a-for . direotorship.
"Borkman-I was driven BY inexorabls neces-
sity. Ella
Ella Renthsim e.. roachino hirn)-You are
murderer! You have committed the one NOR
tai sini
"Rorkman ttauino back torard the piano. You
are ravinr. Ella!
Ella Rentheim-You have killed tho love
| life In me. tStm nearer him. Do you under
stand what that meansi The Bible speaks Of
mysterious sin for which there Is no forgive
ness. l have never understood what IL could
| be- but now I understand. The great unpar-
donable sin 10 to murder the lovs-llfs In . hui
man soul"
In the third act the son. resisting In turn the
! entreatiss Of his mother. his father, and the
foster mother upon whose bounty he 10 depend
ent, chooses to 1.-Two his life with the wife Of an
other man, woman with broad red lipe,
sparkling eyes. and luxuriant hair"
Darker and ever dArKer grows the gloom that
descends like . pail upon the house. till, In tho
fourth act, tho eliminating point Is reached
when Borkman PUSHES raving into the forest
followed by Ella Up through the darkness
ma the snow they mount TO cleared space upon
| the hill above the house. Here. beneath .
withered pine tree, they stand. looking out
toward the ford below and the mountain ranges
| In the distance.
! "Borkman pointing outtcdrd,-Do you see
how free and open tho country lies before us
away to the far horizon1
ELLA Rentheim-we have often sat upon
this bench before and looked out into Q much,
much further distance.
| "Borkman-It was . drcamland We then
looked out over.
Ella Rsntheim t,oddsno sadlv,-Is was the
dreamland OF our life. yes; and now the land Is
buried In snow. And the old troo Il dead.
"Borkman- . can SEQ the veins of
metal strotch out their winding. branching,
Turing arms TO me. saw them before my Dyes
like living shapes that night whom / stood in
| tho strong room with the candle in my hand