Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-09

was composed in the incredibly short
period of six weeks. 1t deals with u
most interesting epoch OF Norwegian
history (the thirteenth century,. but
the plot centers about a doubter like
| himself. The final outcome of the
drama is dire defeat to the doubter,
| and when IL Is finished the author
starts out into the world with a faith
IN himself that nothing has been able
TO shake. AS early as 1873, long be-
lore tIbsen had won fame abroad Ed
mund Gosse, the English critic, said of
this drama: The dramatic power dis
played in this work gives it claim to
be Judged at Il European tribunal"
Upon the publication of 1.-The Pretend
| ers lbsen sought the classic fields OF
rome to find repose to feed his fancy
ana to broaden his Views with new i'm
| pressions OF life.
| .BRAND" AND peer GYNT"
! inc natural bent of Ibsen's filnd Is
satirical. This characteristic was not
acquired as result of bitterness due
20 ms unpleasant experience in his ma
i've land 1t was bred in the bone. A
proof of this is the revolutionary tome
of his first drama. "Catilina." written
at the age of u, as an apothecary's an
prentice. when he presumably could
nave had no very deep-seated grudge
against the world. The romantic move
ment. win It's airy and flowery view
OF life. biased his muse for a time. but
II found true expression before he left
Norway in Loves Comedy" and in
some minor poems. And now in a for
elSn land, unhampered by a disturbing
environment. he yields himself fully
and wholly to his own inner ppompt-
| ings. and sends home uS65) a satirical
drama or Norwegian life, which. despite
It's stern and uncompromising idealism.
set the whole Scandinavian world OF
letters agog, and wrung recognition
| from his SterneSt critics. This was hls
| nOpnl MI ho
OF the idealiSt. 1t electrified the Sean
| ulhaNian north and the effect on Ibsen
| himself seems TO have been intoxicn-
ton, for in less than Il year he had pro-
uuced Il most marvellous COMPANION
piece, the dramatic poem Peer Gynt"
| me traSl-comcdy Of the egoist IL work
witch a. majority OF Ibscns fellow
countryinen still regard as his master
piece. In these two works Ibsen had.
as nosSc says, turned the artillery of
ms delicate rhymes and flowing emf
siaiiihittic verse against the follies,
nllroWnesS and Weaknesses of local
| Norwegian society in versa of
Il KIND so rapid, brief and profuse and
50 absolutely unilaSged that not Goethe
himself has bequeathed to the world n
dramatic tour dc force more nmazin. ="
w hen Brand" appeared the nuhIi,
read with zeal his earlier works and
mafveied at their artistic excellencc
lbsen's position as an author was now
| : lis WORMS were sold in large
EDITIONS. He might rest on his lalrel,
and not attempt anything=in q nov vein
10 cnuanger his newly bought reputa-
tion. But this is not characteristic of
ipsen. His dramas hitherto had been
Ill the tradition of literature, and his
Sehius would not rest unit! it had found
us own natural form of expression.
rms proved to be the modern social
uraina, which, as seen in lbscns last
"orh' Is u new form OF drama
SOCIAL DRAMAS
me iirst Of lbsen's modern social
uiIlaS WAS The Young Mems League"
written in 1859. 1t is a satire on Nor
Wesian local politics and is too locally
| Norwegian to be appreciated outside of
scandinavia. It's chief interest lies In
me tact that here for the first time in
scandinavian literature the language
Oh the drama is the natural dialogue
OF average men, artisticaliy concen-
trated, 1T IS true. but indiviGualizcd and
realistically expressive Of the charac-
,ers. Seemingly in doubt as to whether
ne had found an adequate form of eX-
PRESTON he halted ana hesltated and
uiu not produce another drama of this
type until 1877. In the interval he pub
iisned Il ponderous double drama. EN-
peror ana Galilcan," the theme of which
nad been on his mind since his first
uaSs IN home. II is the struggle be-
tween heathendom and Christianity in
n
sen Is said to consider this his master
piece, probably for the reason that in
IT he has presented more fully than
elsewhere his thoughts on human his
tory and the philosophy of life. Far
as inns work seems removed from the
nNihS present" Ibscn's mind was. in
TACT, much occupied with problems of
modern society, and since 1877 he has
AT regular intervals of about two vears
| published eleven dramas, each of which
Is an arrow in the heart of the mun
dane goddess of modern society" In
each OF them he unveils some skeleton
OF modern life. Neither as cynic nor
as scntimentalist does he Dut his uues
tons of doubt, but with the penetrating
insight OF an memorable idealist whom
no shan. no traditional or conyention-
III pretense. can deceive. He subjecta
10 searching scrutiny such questions as
Inc freedom of the individual i'm the
social environment, the suppression of
me individuality of woman in mar
rage, the hypocrisy of THE pillars OF
society and pursues with whitening
scorn that slippered ease which Is con-
tent to reclinc on the soft pillows OF
the existing order of things, in the firm
conviction that everything thai is il
right ana reasonable. Ibscn belinves
mat ms state of mind means spiritual
ana intellectual stasnation. Hence his
peace-disturbing questions. so sharply
pointed that they cut to the quick.
Note-This study will be concluded
Thursday, June -.