The Minneapolis journal., 1906-12-02

IT. HE use of superlatives is, doubt:
n less, the special prerogatlve OF
L. the press agent. Yet one feels
tempted, nevertheless, to herald the
coming of Richard Mansfield to Mime
apolis next Thursday evening with lphis his
GyntV as the most important local
dramatic event, not only of this year,
but of the last decade. The pity is
that the Mansfield management has de-
cided to devote two of the four per-
formances to old successes, instead OF
concentrating attention on the lbsen
production. 1t seems hardly possible
will be able to do so on Thursday even
ing and Saturday afternoon, but those
will be the only opportunities unless
the advance demand causes the man
agement to change it's mind.
One of the most important things ac-
complished by Mr.. Mansfield by his
excursion into this new field is the new ne!
understanding he will give the public
of the work and character of Henrik
Ibsen. 1t happens that all of the
Ibsen plays hitherto given in America
have been those pessimistic studies IN
sociology with which his later years
were engaged. These are great plays
great in every sense of the word.
the sum of Ibsen s achievements. They
represent, in fact, but one phase OF
his many-sided character and work.
Norwegians and students Of Norwegian
literature, of course, know this very
we'll But Americans do not appreci-
ate the genius of the man. His fame
has been circumscribed by the fact that
Had he written in English, for in
stance. his well-earned position in the
hall, of fame would have been won in
years where it will now take decades.
The two dramatic poems, "Brand'
and "Peer Gynt,' represent a side of
Ibsen s character so strange and new
to us that Mr.. Mansfeld's production
surprise. Advance study of the poem
will help greatly to its understanding.
Despite it's fantastical and whimsical
character, the story of "Peer Gynt'
is so simple as to furnish little assist
ance by its mere telling. Mr.. Mans
field himself, when asked to tell the
story in the simplest possible words,
Charles Kingsley, which sum up the
story better perhaps than is possible in
any other way:
When all the world is young, lad,
And all tie trees are green,
And every goose swan, lad,1
Then hey! for boot and horse, lad,
And ride the world away,
Young blood must have its course, lad
And every dog his day.
But when the world Is old, lad,
And all the trees are brown.
And every swan a goose, lad,
And all the wheels run down; --.fs'
Then HE away to home, lad, '.- -.
Thy early friends among,
God grant thou find face lad,
Thou knew when all was young.
There is a vast deal of pother among
devotees of the, Ibsen cult over the
exact meaning of the symbolism of
"Peer Gynt." The adventures of the
headstrong youth in the realm Of the
Dovre king. for instance, are SYM
bolical They furnish the explanation
for his selfish pursuit of pleasure and
power thru long life. So, too, in the
last act, the conversation of Peer with
the strange passenger on shipboard,
reminding one of Death in Every
man. and his subsequent encounters
with the button molder, who may be
said to ,typify fate, are largely sym
bolical. Nevertheless, it is not neces-
sary. for the true enjoyment and appre-
cation of the play to look too far
beneath the surface for meanings It
IS better to take the play as it comes
on the stage, and not spoil it's strange
EFFECTS by attempting too deep an an
alysis. .s,. 50. .s
In the course of a striking review,
William Morton Payne, writing in the