River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-01-10

he considered immature in the works
Of Wergeland. Those who gathered
them selves to his standard distin-
guished themselves as Intelligence. -
He maintained that a national litera-
ture could not be constructed from
nothing, and that for many years
Norway must depend On Denmark
for art, culture and literary style, but,
that she in time, by studying her an
Equities and giving expression to in
dividual life, would be able TO de-
velop a culture Of her own.
One OF Welhayen's first works was:
"The Dawn Of Norway" series OF
sonnets In which he pointed out what
was partial, low and obscure in the
nationallife, His writings caused a
tremendous sensation. 'Intelli-
gence" rallied around Welhaven,
while Wergeland and his adherents
shouted Treason Welhaven con-
tinued his career as author and uni
versity professor until his death, in
1873. BY his lectures on Danish liter
allure, and his romances, founded on
popular tradition, he proved himself
faithful to those principles which he
had advocated as the leader Of Intel
ligence"
Andreas Munich, born at Christi
ania In 1871, and professor In the uni
yersity Of Christianla, wrote poetry
and dramas through which mild,
soft and often doleful air prevails.
His poems OF escrow and Consola-
ton" are dear to all Scandinavians.
His prose masterpiece is the History
Of Norway.
The two greatest poets Of the North
are the Norweglans, Bjornson and
Ibsen. The former is an idylic writer
of stories, songs, and dramas for his
people; the latter is the author OF the
most remarkable psychological plays
ever portrayed by pen, or presented
upon the stage. Bjornstjerne Born
son, the son Of a Clergyman, was born
among the barren DoYre Mountains
In 1892, and removed with his parents,
at the age of six to Komsdal, the re-
gion Of all Norway most celebrated
for its beauty. To this may be at
tributed Bjornsen's magnificent des-
criptionso of natural scenery. In his
early years he became passionate
admirer of Wergeland. He com
menced his life's work by writing
poems and dramas, but his first i'm
pOrtant book was "Synnove Solbak
ken, story Of peasant life which
captivated the hearts of his country
men. 1t was followed by other tales
poems and dramas, Of which some are
"Arne, "a Happy Boy" "The Fish
ing Girl" and THE Bridal Air.
These stories are true representations
Of the life and manner of thinking Of
the peasant. The Scandinavians
then refrained from the materialstic
spirit of the southern European
lands. They perceived the muddy
streams OF the outside world and tried
TO keep pure the rivers of the North.
Bjornson was the first to i'm bibe the
foreign modern spiritual sentiment,
and was for a while disliked by some
for this very reason. He read every
variety OF work, in every language,
aud he thus describes the influence:
II am Norseman, l am human. OF
late | have been subscribing myself,
Man His latest dramas, therefore
are full Of the broadcast humanitari
anism. His modern plays are: 1.-The
Bankrupt" The Editor, 1.-THE
King" The best of his later novels
is profound and exquisitely written
story called Dust" Among the
shorter compositions of Bjornson,
the most remarkable is the mono
logue,' Berglot" presenting the la
mentations Of a chieftains wife over
her murdered husband and son. Per-
sonally, Bjornson is a genial giant,
with charming and joyous presence.
He Is the most eloquent and convinc-
ing political orator in Norway.
Henrik Ibsen the dramatist Of pes
smtsm, was born at Skien, in Nor
way, in 1928 At early age he had
association with people of high stand
ing, but his father became a bank
rupt, and the boy worked in one men
ial capacity after another. He was
% years old before he had means, or
leisure, for study. His desolate
youth, In which he did not have
enough to eat, unquestionably soured
his disposition For many years he
toiled unsuccessfully as a newspaper
publisher, theater manager, and
writer OF poems and dramas which
were misunderstood. Atthe time o (
the Schleswig- Holstein troubles
he fell into a profound melancholy.
because Sweden and Norway failed to
stand by Denmark in that war. De-
nouncing his countrymen for this.