Henrik Ibsen Collection

Henrik Ibsen

• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9788827808108
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

A Doll's House Hedda Gabler Ghosts An Enemy of the People The Lady from the Sea The Master Builder When We Dead Awaken "They sat there, the two, in so cosy a house, through autumn
and winter days. Then the house burned down. Everything
lies in ruins. The two must grope among the ashes. For among them is hidden a jewel—a jewel that never can burn.
And if they search faithfully, it may easily happen that he
or she may find it. But even should they find it, the burnt-out two—find this
precious unburnable jewel—never will she find her burnt faith,
he never his burnt happiness. "

ACT FIRST.

A plainly-furnished work-room in the house of HALVARD SOLNESS.
Folding doors on the left lead out to the hall. On the right
is the door leading to the inner rooms of the house. At the
back is an open door into the draughtsmen's office. In front,
on the left, a desk with books, papers and writing materials.
Further back than the folding door, a stove. In the right-
hand corner, a sofa, a table, and one or two chairs. On the
table a water-bottle and glass. A smaller table, with a
rocking-chair and arm-chair, in front on the right. Lighted
lamps, with shades, on the table in the draughtmen's office,
on the table in the corner, and on the desk.

In the draughtsmen's office sit KNUT BROVIK and his son RAGNAR,
occupied with plans and calculations. At the desk in the outer
office stands KAIA FOSLI, writing in the ledger. KNUT BROVICK
is a spare old man with white hair and beard. He wears a
rather threadbare but well-brushed black coat, with spectacles,
and a somewhat discoloured white neckcloth. RAGNAR BROVIK is
a well-dressed, light-haired man in his thirties, with a
slight stoop. KAIA FOSLI is a slightly built girl, a little
over twenty, carefully dressed, and delicate-looking. She has
a green shade over her eyes.—All three go on working for some
time in silence.

KNUT BROVIK.

[Rises suddenly, as if in distress, from the table; breathes heavily and laboriously as he comes forward into the doorway.] No, I can't bear it much longer!

KAIA.

[Going up to him.] You are feeling very ill this evening, are you not, Uncle?

BROVIK.

Oh, I seem to get worse every day.

RAGNAR.

[Has risen and advances.] You ought to go home, father. Try to get a little sleep—

BROVIK.

[Impatiently.] Go to bed, I suppose? Would you have me stifled outright?

KAIA.

Then take a little walk.

RAGNAR.

Yes, do. I will come with you.

BROVIK.

[With warmth.] I will not go till he comes! I and determined to have it out this evening with—[in a tone of suppressed bitterness]—with him—with the chief.

KAIA.

[Anxiously.] Oh no, uncle,—do wait awhile before doing that!

RAGNAR.

Yes, better wait, father!

BROVIK.

[Draws is breath laboriously.] Ha—ha—! I haven't much time for waiting.

KAIA.

[Listening.] Hush! I hear him on the stairs.

[All three go back to their work. A short silence.

HALVARD SOLNESS comes in through the hall door. He is a man no
longer young, but healthy and vigorous, with close-cut curly
hair, dark moustache and dark thick eyebrows. He wears a
greyish-green buttoned jacket with an upstanding collar and
broad lapels. On his head he wears a soft grey felt hat,
and he has one or two light portfolios under his arm.

SOLNESS.

[Near the door, points towards the draughtsmen's office, and asks in a whisper:] Are they gone?

KAIA.

[Softly, shaking her] No.

[She takes the shade off her eyes. SOLNESS crosses the room,
throws his hat on a chair, places the portfolios on the table
by the sofa, and approaches the desk again. KAIA goes on
writing without intermission, but seems nervous and uneasy.

SOLNESS.

[Aloud.] What is that you are entering, Miss Fosli?

KAIA.

[Starts.] Oh, it is only something that—

SOLNESS.

Let me look at it, Miss Fosli. [Bends over her, pretends to be looking into the ledger, and whispers:] Kaia!

KAIA.

[Softly, still writing.] Well?

SOLNESS.

Why do you always take that shade off when I come?

KAIA.

[As before.] I look so ugly with it on.

SOLNESS.

[Smiling.] Then you don't like to look ugly, Kaia?

KAIA.

[Half glancing up at him.] Not for all the world. Not in your eyes.

SOLNESS.

[Strokes her hair gently.] Poor, poor little Kaia—

KAIA.

[Bending her head.] Hush—they can hear you!

[SOLNESS strolls across the room to the right, turns and pauses
at the door of the draughtsmen's office.

SOLNESS.

Has any one been here for me?

RAGNAR.

[Rising.] Yes, the young couple who want a villa built, out at Lovstrand.

SOLNESS.

[Growling.] Oh, those two! They must wait. I am not quite clear about the plans yet.

RAGNAR.

[Advancing, with some hesitation.] They were very anxious to have the drawings at once.

SOLNESS.

[As before.] Yes, of course—so they all are.

BROVIK.

[Looks up.] They say they are longing so to get into a house of their own.

SOLNESS.

Yes, yes—we know all that! And so they are content to take whatever is offered them. They get a—a roof over their heads—an address—but nothing to call a home. No thank you! In that case, let them apply to somebody else. Tell them that, the next time they call.

BROVIK.

[Pushes his glasses up on to his forehead and l...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Henrik Ibsen Collection
• A DOLL'S HOUSE
• ACT I
• ACT II
• ACT III
• HEDDA GABLER
• INTRODUCTION
• PLAY IN FOUR ACTS.
• ACT FIRST.
• ACT SECOND.
• ACT THIRD.
• ACT FOURTH.
• FOOTNOTES.
• GHOSTS
• INTRODUCTION.
• A FAMILY-DRAMA IN THREE ACTS.
• ACT FIRST.
• ACT SECOND.
• ACT THIRD.
• AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE
• ACT I
• ACT II
• ACT III
• ACT IV
• ACT V
• THE LADY FROM THE SEA
• ACT I
• ACT II
• ACT III
• ACT IV
• ACT V
• THE MASTER BUILDER
• INTRODUCTION
• ACT FIRST.
• ACT SECOND.
• ACT THIRD.
• WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN
• INTRODUCTION.
• A DRAMATIC EPILOGUE.
• ACT FIRST.
• ACT SECOND.
• ACT THIRD.