Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-05-30
IBsEN'S CLAIM TO FAME.

poet and dramatist, who died Thurs
day mt Christiania, had lived two
years longer, he would have celebrat-
ed his cighticth birthday anniversary,
having been born Mt the little village
Of Skien, in the south Of Norway.
March 20, 1898. Twenty-one years
later, his first literary effort was
printed, tho poem, "Hosten,' and a
year aftcrward, his first dramatic at
tempt, the three act play, "Catilina, !"
VAS published.
For nearly fourteen years thereaf
ter, ibsen pursued a dramatic career,
in which time he wrote number Of
historical dramas, Of which 1.-THE
Prctenders" was his masterpiece. In
1864 he left Christiania. and for q
years lived abroad, with only occa-
sional visits TO Norway. "Peer Gynt'
10 the most famous Of his dramatic
poems, written while away. In 1891
he returned TO Christiania, where he
lived continuously until death rcmov'
cd the great poet Of protest.
In the fifteen years ranging from
1877 to 1894. Ibsen = fame advanced
steadily, M writer Of modern social
dramas, and Of these the best known
in America are "a Dolls House, "
"Ghosts" and "Hedda Gabler,' all
three Of which are familiar to play
gocrs, having been staged in coast
thcaters n number Of times within the
past Eve years.
In the first named the problem of
marriage as a failure Is concerned,
wherein the sac rifcc Of the individual
ity Of the woman to tina. Of the man
10 whom she IN married furnishes the
illustration; Nora, the doll, is regard.
ed ~ one Of the most distinctive Of 1b'
sen a creations. M In the drama one Of
his most pronounced successes.
Ghosts" is considered the most
thrilling and rcpellant Of all Ibsen y
works. It's fundamental idea in the
awful consequences Of hereditary
vices. which are ghosts to revisit the
s~cnes Of their past existence.
"Hedda Gablcr" appears to be the
only one Of the social dramas with
out n problem. IIedda il vain wo
man, pleasure loving, undomestic, and
selfish. Why it should have No great
q fascination foe actresses We never
could fathom. nor yet why audience,
should flock TO see it. Ibscn' y LADY
from the Sea" il more to our liking
This play was given In Los Angelo,
last winter, the daughter Of the light
house keeper being most intelligent,
interpreted. In il the triumph Of in
dividual action il depicted. %.
II IN M n drsmatist, and not M 4
poet, that Ibsen y chief claim to fame
rests, at least in this country. Ills 40
cial dramas have subjected him Il
considerable adverse criticism. in whicl
he has been assailed as immoral, as q
cynic, and a. n. pessimist. His problem
In the relation Of the individual to hi,
social and personal surroundings; tn,
characters he portrays are intended I.
he types Of tie race. in modern socia
conditions.
Henrik rbsen has been likencd u
one crying aloud against sochl hypo
eriny and sophistry. Of whatever sort i
may be. To call him immoral In I
charge that cannot be sustained, TO
no one has made vice more repulsive
or, by contrast. virtue more attrac
tive. One Of his biographers my,
that "truth, freedom, and love arr
the three eornerstones Of the edi6ce
noble In proportion and serious il
purpose, that the poet has erected"
But, despite numerous harsh cri
ties, the truth remains that lbsen
In many ways, struck the higher.
note Of modern dramatic art la his 10
cial dramas, IN which the purely con
vcntional has no place; they bear
Enthusiastically, the stamp Of reality
The Scandinavian dramatist may b,
regarded as the creator Of school
whose teachings have left an indci
IDLE mark upon the literature Of tn,