The Project Gutenberg EBook of When We Dead Awaken, by Henrik Ibsen

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Title: When We Dead Awaken

Author: Henrik Ibsen

Commentator: William Archer

Translator: William Archer

Release Date: December, 2003 [EBook #4782]
Posting Date: February 17, 2010

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN ***

Produced by Sonia K

WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN

By Henrik Ibsen.

Introduction and translation by William Archer.

INTRODUCTION.

From _Pillars of Society_ to _John Gabriel Borkman_, Ibsen's plays had
followed each other at regular intervals of two years, save when his
indignation over the abuse heaped upon _Ghosts_ reduced to a single
year the interval between that play and _An Enemy of the People_. _John
Gabriel Borkman_ having appeared in 1896, its successor was expected in
1898; but Christmas came and brought no rumour of a new play. In a
man now over seventy, this breach of a long-established habit seemed
ominous. The new National Theatre in Christiania was opened in September
of the following year; and when I then met Ibsen (for the last time) he
told me that he was actually at work on a new play, which he thought of
calling a "Dramatic Epilogue." "He wrote _When We Dead Awaken_,"
says Dr. Elias, "with such labour and such passionate agitation, so
spasmodically and so feverishly, that those around him were almost
alarmed. He must get on with it, he must get on! He seemed to hear
the beating of dark pinions over his head. He seemed to feel the grim
Visitant, who had accompanied Alfred Allmers on the mountain paths,
already standing behind him with uplifted hand. His relatives are firmly
convinced that he knew quite clearly that this would be his last play,
that he was to write no more. And soon the blow fell."

_When We Dead Awaken_ was published very shortly before Christmas 1899.
He had still a year of comparative health before him. We find him in
March 1900, writing to Count Prozor: "I cannot say yet whether or not
I shall write another drama; but if I continue to retain the vigour of
body and mind which I at present enjoy, I do not imagine that I shall be
able