Henrik Ibsen

When We Dead Awaken Henrik Ibsen

Ibsen's last work concludes the series of autobiographical dramas begun with The Master Builder which deal with the aging rebel, despairing of life and racked with guilt, who experiences an ambiguous victory at the moment of death. Plays for Performance Series. An open, park-like place with a fountain, groups of fine old trees, and shrubbery. To the left, a little pavilion almost covered with ivy and Virginia creeper. A table and chair outside it. At the back a view over the fjord, right out to sea, with headlands and small islands in the distance. It is a calm, warm and sunny summer morning.[PROFESSOR RUBEK and MRS. MAIA RUBEK are sitting in basket chairs beside a covered table on the lawn outside the hotel, having just breakfasted. They have champagne and seltzer water on the table, and each has a newspaper. PROFESSOR RUBEK is an elderly man of distinguished appearance, wearing a black velvet jacket, and otherwise in light summer attire. MAIA is quite young, with a vivacious expression and lively, mocking eyes, yet with a suggestion of fatigue. She wears an elegant travelling dress. MAIA.[Sits for some time as though waiting for the PROFESSOR to say something, then lets her paper drop with a deep sigh.] Oh dear, dear, dear-!PROFESSOR RUBEK.[Looks up from his paper.] Well, Maia? What is the matter with you?MAIA. Just listen how silent it is here. PROFESSOR RUBEK.[Smiles indulgently.] And you can hear that?MAIA. What?PROFESSOR RUBEK. The silence?MAIA. Yes, indeed I can. PROFESSOR RUBEK. Well, perhaps you are right, mein Kind. One can really hear the silence. MAIA. Heaven knows you can-when it's so absolutely overpowering as it is here-PROFESSOR RUBEK. Here at the Baths, you mean?MAIA. Wherever you go at home here, it seems to me. Of course there was noise and bustle enough in the town. But I don't know how it is-even the noise and bustle seemed to have something dead about it. PROFESSOR RUBEK.[With a searching glance.] You don't seem particularly glad to be at home again, Maia?MAIA.[Looks at him.] Are you glad?PROFESSOR RUBEK.[Evasively.] I-?MAIA. Yes, you, who have been so much, much further away than I. Are you entirely happy, now that you are at home again?PROFESSOR RUBEK. No-to be quite candid-perhaps not entirely happy-MAIA.[With animation.] There, you see! Didn't I know it!PROFESSOR RUBEK. I have been too long abroad. I have drifted quite away from all this-this home life. MAIA.[Eagerly, drawing her chair nearer him.] There, you see, Rubek! We had much better get away again! As quickly as ever we can. PROFESSOR RUBEK.[Somewhat impatiently.] Well, well, that is what we intend to do, my dear Maia. You know that. MAIA. But why not now-at once? Only think how cozy and comfortable we could be down there, in our lovely new house-PROFESSOR RUBEK.[Smiles indulgently.] We ought by rights to say: our lovely new home. MAIA.[Shortly.] I prefer to say house-let us keep to that. PROFESSOR RUBEK.[His eyes dwelling on her.] You are really a strange little person. MAIA. Am I so strange?