Peer Gynt : A Dramatic Poem (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Henrik Ibsen (Author), Christopher Fry (Author), Johan Fillinger (Author), James McFarlane (Author)

Book Description

Series: Oxford World's Classics | Publication Date: March 18, 1999

This translation is based upon the Norwegian text in the Centenary Edition of Ibsen's collected works. It provides a close account of the quality of Ibsen's play by reproducing as nearly as possible not only the meaning in the literal sense but the verse forms that constitute so much of the substance and dramatic structure of the original. It makes an important contribution to those studying Peer Gynt in English, as until now little of the dramatic quality of the play has found its way into English translations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Distinguished by the union of wit and sentiment which marks the Norwegian original....Invites the reader to "feel out the sinew" of the master's varied poetic rhythms; and it is a pleasure to do so in this new version, which is crafted in British rather than American English....Along with the informative and inviting introduction, endnotes give background essential to a fuller appreciation of this 1867 masterpiece....Recommended for all libraries."--Choice

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Norwegian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019283746X
• ISBN-13: 978-0192837462
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,909,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the emptiness of prodigality., July 2, 2001

By 

Cipriano "www.bookpuddle.blogspot.com" (Planet Claire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peer Gynt : A Dramatic Poem (Mass Market Paperback)

Often funny. Often bizarre. Always deep. Peer Gynt first appears to me as this self-centered youth who cares only for himself and the satisfaction of his impulses and whims at any cost. He is the quick non-thinker, who leaves a life of relative conventionality to roam as a dissolute wanderer. He is indeed all of these things, but all the while his "self" is not "centered". At the end of his adventures as a libertine, the grey-bearded Peer Gynt is at a cross-roads, and he asks the character of the Button Moulder this question: "What, after all, is this being one's self?" The Button Moulder replies that being one's self means slaying one's Self, and furthermore "observing the Master's intentions in all things." Peer Gynt contemplates this... restraint and delayed gratification have never been manageable themes with him. In my opinion, this whole idea of the search for the "self" is what Peer Gynt is all about. At the very final crossroads he is redeemed by the undeserved forgiveness and love of Solvieg, the woman he has once abandoned... this scene being a beautiful picture of the grace and love of God that is available to the Peer Gynt in every reader.

Ibsen originally wrote Peer Gynt as a poem, and therefore we lose the Norwegian rhyme and metre in any English translation. To compensate if at all possible, I suggest reading the play while listening to the incidental music of Edvard Grieg, specifically composed to accompany the live performance of Peer Gynt. (Note: My review is based on the translation by Peter Watts).

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Ibsen's Version, June 4, 2010

By 

N. Ahlhelm "nodea" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Peer Gynt; A Play in Five Acts in Verse (Paperback)

This version of Peer Gynt should be avoided at all costs. It is a copy that was made with robotic page turners and character recognition software that was marginal. The book is full of misspellings and punctuation errors. If you've never read Ibsen's Peer Gynt, this text is very difficult to follow,

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good play, terrible edition, November 9, 2010

By 

Nicholas H. Whitworth - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Peer Gynt; A Play in Five Acts in Verse (Paperback)

The play is fine.

This printing of it, however, is absolutely terrible. Do not waste your money on it. I don't care how much cheaper it is than any of the others. This is completely unreadable. It appears to have been scanned from an 1908 edition of Peer Gynt. They OCR'ed it (Quite poorly I might add), then they print it on demand.

There are no stage directions. There is almost no punctuation in sentences (no commas, etc). There are numerous misspellings. It is nearly impossible to tell who is speaking as the names are misspelled, sometimes in all caps, sometimes not, sometimes indented. The Act and Scene divisions are almost nonexistent.

I read about 5 pages of it before I gave up and got a photocopied version from my teacher. Complete waste of money.