[Illustration: AGE 37.
_From a Print._]
[Illustration: AGE 43.
_From a Photo by Budtz, Muller & Co., Kjobenhavn._]
[Illustration: PRESENT DAY.
_From a Photo by Jos. Albert, Munich._]
Henrik Ibsen, the eminent Norwegian poet and dramatist, was born at
Skien. He is of German descent and speaks German with fluency; but
he has never written anything in that language. He at first studied
medicine, but soon abandoned that profession for literature. Under the
pseudonym of Brynjolf Bjarme, he published in 1850 "Catilina," a drama
in three acts. In the same year he entered the University, where, in
conjunction with others, he founded a literary journal, in the columns
of which appeared his first satire, "Nora et Dukkehjem." Through the
influence of Ole Bull, the violinist, he became director of the theatre
at Bergen, and in 1857 went to Christiania, where several of his plays
were produced with great success. For some time he lived in Rome, and
in 1866 obtained from the Storthing a pension. His best known works
are: "Fru Inger til Oesteraad," 1857; "Haer Maendene paa Helgeland,"
1858; "Brandt," 1866; "Peer Gynt," 1867; "Keiser og Galelaeer," 1875;
and a volume of poems, "Lyriske Digte," 1871. "The Pillars of Society,"
1877, contains, perhaps, the best embodiment of his social philosophy.
Other works of his are: "Ghosts," 1881; "A Social Enemy," 1882; "The
Wild Duck," 1884; "Hedda Gabler," 1890; "The Master Builder," 1893.