The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-22
IBSEN SHOCKS MEN
BUT DOES NOT
WOMEN"
Miss Mary Shaw, Actress in
Ghosts" Talks as an En-
thusiast Of the Great Scan
dinaYian Dramatist- His
Work for Emancipation of
Fair Sex.

'Ibsen shocks men, he does not shock
women said Miss Mary Shaw, as she
slipped her bouillon introspectively and
crumbled a cracker in white
There We're others there -
six, seven. eight --j just how many
it really doesn't matter. for the wom-
an Who stars in Ghosts" was present
and she''Was willing to talk Ibsen. The
sunhgktsfronl@aA nearby window glori-
fled her golden, hair theE~big blue eyes
lighted up as she spoke her modishly
gowned figure unconsciously assumed
a dramatic pose.
''Ibsen is the seXIess dramatiSt. That
is why he astonisheS, even repelS. His
point of view is neither masculine nor
feminine. He sees man as he is, wom-
an as she is. What is more important,
he sees both as they should be- The
imposing s~priestesS of a fashionable
cult broke her cracker with nice care
and absent mindetiy declined an olive.
Her red gold hair was gently stirred by
an intruding breeze, her eyes held in
their greenish blue depths an expression
that was above all reverential.
He Opens Women's Eyes.
'Ibsen looked out at life and saw
with the clear SightednesS of genius the
terrible disability under which woman
was laboring, the disability of ignor-
ance. He took up his pen to open her
eyes. His dramatic masterpieces are
the result. But is the sex anxious to
ackno wledger the,debt? A few, perhaps
Alas, not ALL" The actress sadly con-
templated her croquette and cIumpled
bit of bread reproachfully. Her red
locks assumed mystical significance,
her blush green eyes seem to behold
the past and the future as the present
.Ibsen would make women free, free
lnfthe best sense of the word. He would
give her theyfreedom that results from
self-knowledge and from world knowl-
edge. Take Nora in The Dolls House.
that type of the old masculine ideal, the
child wife.N-What lesson does the great
master teach there? That a woman
cannot be plaything and a good wife
and mother at the same time. The play
did not shock women, but they pointed
out that Nora was the exceptional wom-
an. That is true. The woman who is
not exceptional offers few dramatic
possibilities. 1bsen is a dramatist as
we'll as a teacher" Forgetful of the
salad, Miss Shaw fastened her great
green eyes on the roses in the center of
the table. The appeared dull compared
with the terra Gotta hue of her weird
hair. The luXuriance of her flowing
drapery seemed to demand the lotus
Will Be Revered.
1DSen VIII always be revered by
those who understand, and as years go
by their number will increase The
hour for Woman'S complete emancipa =
ton has struck. Many men rejoice at
TINS. But the great majority stand
back aghast They tremble for the
safety of the Young Person. Consider
the Young Person. they implore But
are we considering the Young Person
by keeping her in ignorance?'
Tho TO -
selected with an absorbed air a maca-
room. Her brilliant hair was as a flame.
her eyes inscrutable, her mobile fea-
lures assumed a sphinX-like intensity.
lbsen has been called mystic. If a
| mystic is person endowed with Won
derfully clear insight then the great
| master deserves the title. And though
| there are disbelievers, 1 think the world
| wants him. Certainly the enlfghtened
are demanding him. Sometimes I think
! that those who are crying out against
| him are the ones who would put off +he
! millennium, knowing that it will forever
| destroy their occupation"
Ibsen Will Be Greater.
The mysterious creature spread Soma
cheese 1mpulsively on a bit of cracker.
| The action seemed a part of some sac
r1nclal pomp as old as the centuries.
| The wind outside blew MeirdIy and
Slealng through the open window fan
ned the slumbering fire of her locks into
little, licking flames. They impaired a
| strange definiteness to each STRONGLY
marked, white feature of her prophet
| ess' face The eyes alone were human.
| living, colorfuI.
! Great living, Ibsen will be greater. i"
| The strange woman slipped the black
| coItee penslvely. The fame of her hair
| was masterful and hooking now. but
her great eyes held all the sadness of
| the Chopin 'Marche Funebre."
The world has not spoken the last
word concerning the great teacher.
FIFTY years, hundred years from now.
| he VIII assume his rightful place" The
| creme oe menthe shone wickedly green,
| TO the ground, the wind sighed pensiye-
~ For the prophecies, catching up her
| Wlspy gown had f1oated mysteriously
| away from the table.