The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-22
IBsEN. CONGRATULATED.
SEVENTEEN Birthday of the Noted Poet
and Dramatist.

CHRISTIANA, March 21.-The SEVENTEEN
birthday of Henrik Ibsen was celebrated
here to-day with great festivities. Numer-
Gus Populations, including one from the
Storthing, congratulated the poet and dram
atist, and King Oscar telegraphed: II
and the Queen send you our cordial con-
gratulationS on your SEVENTEEN birthday.
Your day of honor is likewise day of honor
for the Norwegian people," Ibsen received
hundreds of other kilograms during the day.
Henrik Ibsen was once described by de
cadent'' poet as IAN apostle of benefcent
anarchy" He certainly is eccentric, erratic
and enormously clever. His theory is that
perfect truth and perfect freedom should
prevail, and this he writes of in his poems
and plays. Necessarily he becomes accused
of many things and some are worse than
the polished ''beneficent anarchy" Some
of his detractors declare that he is an
advocate of free love, and this they en-
deavor to prove by his works, particularly
and especially his DOLLS House" Ibsen
listens, is fiattered, maybe, by the commo-
ton he stirs, and says: Formerly 1 tried
again and again to explain the disputed and
misunderstood points in my writings But
it did not help and have now made up my
mind to leave it to the public and the critics
to explain them
Doctor Ibsen is not a social creature.
He is a decided pessimist and one not
easily shaken out of his methodical habits.
Essentially a solitary man, he even dislikes
family life and seldom, if ever, visits his one
son, DR.. Sigurd lbsen, who is almost as
great recluse as his father When this son
married one of the daughters of Bjornst-
jern Bjornson-a notable alliance-Ibsen did
not even go to the wedding. Perhaps there
is a reason. To the outsider he seems
ndDDX
came too late, passing by the days of his
youth. Until nearly of middle age he was
man of no account in his own country. He
suffered privation and neglect Nor had he
even domestic happiness to console him. He
is a typical misanthrope. People call him
vain, others parsimonlous, and there is
saying: If Ibsen offers you a glass of wine
you must be sure to refuse it, otherwise he
will be annoyed"
Despite all these small things. Ibsen is a
great man and the greatest figure in Scan
dinavian literature; Hs. has the gift of
making m idia people think ink His ..Hedda Gabler"
tai young girl to don her prettiest gar
ments of trailing white, fill her hands with
roses and take the fatal dose. His Loves
ment and who can tell of the separations
aided by "a Dolls House?" Yet none
the line of truth and his work planned
to bring about firmer and more natural So
cial and political relations.
IbSen is not of purely Scandinavian de-
scent. Scotch and German blood are clear
ly traceable, yet he is a native of Norway,
and it is of Norway that he writes He was
born March 20 1923, in the little town of
Skien, not far from Christiana. His father
was grindingy poor, his mother deeply mel
ancholy. The little Henrik's early years
were sad. From fifteen to twenty-five he
spent his time in an apothecary's shop in
Frunstad, another small town in Norway,
and there he got himself well disliked from
his disposition to say and write things bit
ter and more sarcastic than pleasant OF the
townspeople. Then he went to the capital
and began to write in earnest, but for four
teen years it was an unappreciated struggle
for existence. AT the end of that time he
obtained small travelling scholarship and
left his country in disgust. With the ex-
ception of few brief visits to Norway
he remained thus self-exiled until seven
years ago. That was in 1891. when he set
tied down in OhriStiana. Until the produc-
ton of Brandt he had been very poor,
indeed His earliest appointment had been
secured through the patronage of Ole Bull.
gen, with a salary of $225 year and trav-
cling stipend.
During his appointment as theatrical in
structor in the theater at Christiana he met
and married Susannah fhoresen, daughter
of Provost ThoreSen. of bergen, and step
daughter of Makdelenai. a., vIaoresen He is z,
home. Times have changed for the Ibsens!
opening of Austrian Reichsrath.
VIENNA, March 21.-The Reichsrath re-
assembled to-day. There was full attend
ance of deputies, and the public galleries
were filled. After Count Won Thun Hohen-
stein. the president of the council of min
listers and minister of the interior. had de-
clared the session opend, DR.. Zurkan was
called to the chair He made speech ex-
pressing hope that the house would set dill
gently to work finding special incentive
from the approaching jubilee of Emperor
Francis Josephs glorious regime. This
brought cheers from the deputies. Herr
he q e aptxv 81
president. The German peoples party, the
Progressists, the Christian Socialists,
Schoenerers and Social Democrats did not
participate in the election, and the an
pouncement of Herr Fuchs's election was
greeted with shouts of .'disgracefuli" HE
is state criminal and ought TO be in
jail" "He belongs to the former presi-
Dental bureau" While Herr Fushs was
making his inaugural speech Herr Schoen-
erer uncea s,nelv shouted dennnciatinns