n (1813-1898),
the author of an excellent dictionary of the Norwegian language. A
prominent poetical representative of this school was Aasmund Olafson
Vinje (1818-1870), while Kristofer Janson (born 1841) has also written
a number of stories and poems in the _Landsmaal_ (country tongue).

A new and grand period in Norwegian literature commenced about 1857,
and the two most conspicuous names in this period--and in the whole
Norwegian literature--are those of Henrik Ibsen and Bjoernstjerne
Bjoernson.

Henrik Ibsen was born in Skien, in 1828. He has written many beautiful
poems; but his special field is in the drama, where he is a master.
His first works were nearly all historical romantic dramas. His first
work, _Catilina_, printed in 1850, was scarcely noticed until years
afterward, when he had become famous. In 1856 appeared the romantic
drama, _Gildet paa Solhaug_, "The Feast at Solhaug," followed by _Fru
Inger til Oestraat_, 1857, and _Haermaedene paa Helgeland_, "The
Warriors on Helgeland," 1858. In 1863, he wrote the historical tragedy
_Kongsemnerne_, "The Pretenders," in which the author showed his great
literary power. Before this play was published, he had been drawn
into a new channel. In 1862, he began a series of satirical and
philosophical dramas with _Kjaerlighedens Komedie_, "Love's Comedy,"
which was succeeded by two masterpieces of a similar kind, _Brand_, in
1866, and _Peer Gynt_, in 1867. These two works were written in verse;
but in _De Unges Forbund_, "The Young Men's League," 1869, a political
satire, he abandoned verse, and all his subsequent dramas have been
written in prose. In 1873 came _Keiser og Galilaeer_, "Emperor and
Galilean." Since then he has published a number of social dramas which
have attracted world-wide attention. Among them are: _Samfundets
Stoetter_, "The Pillars of Society," _Et Dukkehjem_, "A Doll's House,"
_Gengangere_, "Ghosts," _En Folkefiende_, "An Enemy of the People,"
_Rosmerholm, Fruenn fra Havet_, "The Lady from the Sea," _Little
Eyolf, Bymester Solnes_, "Masterbuilder Solnes," _John Gabriel
Borkman_, and the latest and most-talked-about, _Hedda Gabler_.

Bjoernstjerne Bjoernson (born in Osterdalen, in 1832) is the more
popular of the two giants of Norwegian literature of to-day. His works
are more national in tone. It has been said that to mention his name
is to raise the Norwegian flag. His first successes were made in the
field of the novel, and the first two, _Syn