Product Description
According to one of Ibsen´s contemporaries, When We Dead Awaken was written "with such labour and such passionate agitation, so spasmodically and so feverishly, that those around him were almost alarmed ... He seemed to hear the beating of dark pinions over his head." If the great dramatist did indeed have a premonition of his impending death, this play, subtitled "a dramatic epilogue," may be regarded as a sort of last confession, Ibsen's final communication to the world at large.
A harbinger of the symbolist movement in Europe, When We Dead Awaken is an unforgiving account of the last days of a world-renowned artist, not unlike Henrik Ibsen himself. Rubek, an aging sculptor, has lost all interest in the world around him. In spite of his wealth, his fame, and the attentions of his beautiful, young wife, he can find no joy in his existence. He has lost interest even in his work, sculpting nothing but occasional portrait busts for wealthy aristocrats whom he despises. He is stagnating, like the murky, shallow waters he travels with his wife, trapped in a spiritual vacuum, when suddenly he is jolted out of his stupor by an unexpected reunion with Irene, a model who once posed for him and whom he idolized. She is now half-mad-or appears to be so-and literally believes herself to be a walking corpse, a dead woman who roams the earth, who has returned from "the great dead waste." In spite of her delusions, however, and in spite of his marriage, Rubek attempts to rekindle the relationship. Irene is less than receptive. She has come to despise Rubek in the years since they last met. "You did me a great injustice," she says bitterly. "A passionate young woman . full of life and . natural desires . I stood before you in complete and utter nakedness . sacrificed myself for your art . and you . you-!" Rubek protests that he never did her any wrong, but Irene continues, years of pent-up anger boiling to the surface, "You did wrong to my innermost, most inborn nature! I served you with all the pulsing blood of my youth! Fell down at your feet and served you! Exposed myself to you unreservedly! My body! My heart! And not once - not once did you touch me! Not once did you give any part of yourself to me!" But Rubek is accustomed to getting what he wants and, believing that Irene will fill the black void that is consuming him, he woos her mercilessly. After leaving his young wife to fend for herself, he confesses to Irene that "When you left ... when you disappeared ... I cannot express to you ... I was filled with such regret. I became painfully aware of all that I had left unsaid ... all the moments I had allowed to pass ... without ... without grasping them ... without ... I had come to think of you as something sacred, you see ... something holy ... a gift from God ... a creature of innocence not to be touched save in adoring thoughts. A superstition took hold of me that if I touched you ... if I desired you with my senses ... my soul would be desecrated, and I would not be able to finish my work. I was a fool! An idealistic young fool! I should have taken you in my arms right then and there - on the floor of my studio, I should have taken you! With the clay still on my fingers! It would only have added to the beauty of the child - to the depth and complexity of her meaning - of her mystery." Rubek begs for the chance to correct what he sees as his greatest mistake. He believes that, together, he and Irene can make each other whole. He will cure her of her delusions of death, and she will restore in him the joy of life. Irene eventually agrees to allow Rubek a few moments of real happiness. She will spend one final night with him . but there is a terrible price to be paid.
When We Dead Awaken contains many flashes of Ibsen's brilliance - yet it is generally considered the product of a failing mind. This is not
A harbinger of the symbolist movement in Europe, When We Dead Awaken is an unforgiving account of the last days of a world-renowned artist, not unlike Henrik Ibsen himself. Rubek, an aging sculptor, has lost all interest in the world around him. In spite of his wealth, his fame, and the attentions of his beautiful, young wife, he can find no joy in his existence. He has lost interest even in his work, sculpting nothing but occasional portrait busts for wealthy aristocrats whom he despises. He is stagnating, like the murky, shallow waters he travels with his wife, trapped in a spiritual vacuum, when suddenly he is jolted out of his stupor by an unexpected reunion with Irene, a model who once posed for him and whom he idolized. She is now half-mad-or appears to be so-and literally believes herself to be a walking corpse, a dead woman who roams the earth, who has returned from "the great dead waste." In spite of her delusions, however, and in spite of his marriage, Rubek attempts to rekindle the relationship. Irene is less than receptive. She has come to despise Rubek in the years since they last met. "You did me a great injustice," she says bitterly. "A passionate young woman . full of life and . natural desires . I stood before you in complete and utter nakedness . sacrificed myself for your art . and you . you-!" Rubek protests that he never did her any wrong, but Irene continues, years of pent-up anger boiling to the surface, "You did wrong to my innermost, most inborn nature! I served you with all the pulsing blood of my youth! Fell down at your feet and served you! Exposed myself to you unreservedly! My body! My heart! And not once - not once did you touch me! Not once did you give any part of yourself to me!" But Rubek is accustomed to getting what he wants and, believing that Irene will fill the black void that is consuming him, he woos her mercilessly. After leaving his young wife to fend for herself, he confesses to Irene that "When you left ... when you disappeared ... I cannot express to you ... I was filled with such regret. I became painfully aware of all that I had left unsaid ... all the moments I had allowed to pass ... without ... without grasping them ... without ... I had come to think of you as something sacred, you see ... something holy ... a gift from God ... a creature of innocence not to be touched save in adoring thoughts. A superstition took hold of me that if I touched you ... if I desired you with my senses ... my soul would be desecrated, and I would not be able to finish my work. I was a fool! An idealistic young fool! I should have taken you in my arms right then and there - on the floor of my studio, I should have taken you! With the clay still on my fingers! It would only have added to the beauty of the child - to the depth and complexity of her meaning - of her mystery." Rubek begs for the chance to correct what he sees as his greatest mistake. He believes that, together, he and Irene can make each other whole. He will cure her of her delusions of death, and she will restore in him the joy of life. Irene eventually agrees to allow Rubek a few moments of real happiness. She will spend one final night with him . but there is a terrible price to be paid.
When We Dead Awaken contains many flashes of Ibsen's brilliance - yet it is generally considered the product of a failing mind. This is not
From the Publisher
A harbinger of the symbolist movement in Europe, When We Dead Awaken is an unforgiving account of the last days of a world-renowned artist, not unlike Henrik Ibsen himself. Rubek, an aging sculptor, has lost all interest in the world around him. In spite of his wealth, his fame, and the attentions of his beautiful, young wife, he can find no joy in his existence. He has lost interest even in his work, sculpting nothing but occasional portrait busts for wealthy aristocrats whom he despises. He is stagnating, like the murky, shallow waters he travels with his wife, trapped in a spiritual vacuum, when suddenly he is jolted out of his stupor by an unexpected reunion with Irene, a model who once posed for him and whom he idolized. She is now half-mad--or appears to be so--and literally believes herself to be a walking corpse, a dead woman who roams the earth, who has returned from "the great dead waste." In spite of her delusions, however, and in spite of his marriage, Rubek attempts to rekindle the relationship. Irene is less than receptive. She has come to despise Rubek in the years since they last met. "You did me a great injustice," she says bitterly. "A passionate young woman ... full of life and ... natural desires ... I stood before you in complete and utter nakedness ... sacrificed myself for your art ... and you ... you--!" Rubek protests that he never did her any wrong, but Irene continues, years of pent-up anger boiling to the surface, "You did wrong to my innermost, most inborn nature! I served you with all the pulsing blood of my youth! Fell down at your feet and served you! Exposed myself to you unreservedly! My body! My heart! And not once - not once did you touch me! Not once did you give any part of yourself to me!" But Rubek is accustomed to getting what he wants and, believing that Irene will fill the black void that is consuming him, he woos her mercilessly. After leaving his young wife to fend for herself, he confesses to Irene that "When you left ... when you disappeared ... I cannot express to you ... I was filled with such regret. I became painfully aware of all that I had left unsaid ... all the moments I had allowed to pass ... without ... without grasping them ... without ... I had come to think of you as something sacred, you see ... something holy ... a gift from God ... a creature of innocence not to be touched save in adoring thoughts. A superstition took hold of me that if I touched you ... if I desired you with my senses ... my soul would be desecrated, and I would not be able to finish my work. I was a fool! An idealistic young fool! I should have taken you in my arms right then and there - on the floor of my studio, I should have taken you! With the clay still on my fingers! It would only have added to the beauty of the child - to the depth and complexity of her meaning - of her mystery." Rubek begs for the chance to correct what he sees as his greatest mistake. He believes that, together, he and Irene can make each other whole. He will cure her of her delusions of death, and she will restore in him the joy of life. Irene eventually agrees to allow Rubek a few moments of real happiness. She will spend one final night with him ... but there is a terrible price to be paid.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
