The Plays of Ibsen - When We Dead Awaken - Newly Translated from the Norwegian - Michael Meyer

Oct 13, 2026

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Newly translated from the Norwegian, When We Dead Awaken presents Henrik Ibsen’s final dramatic epilogue alongside context for its composition and theatrical history. The introduction explains the play’s rarity in England, its early lack of understanding by figures such as William Archer, and its later critical reevaluation. It also clarifies Ibsen’s intent for the subtitle “A Dramatic Epilogue” as a declared closing of a realistic cycle, not an absolute end to his authorship.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages78

Reading Time2 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Introduction

When We Dead Awaken

English Stage History

Note on the Translation

THE PLAYS OF IBSEN eulyeazoed from the Narwegian by Michael Meyer When We Dead # Awaken A sATISFACTORY translation ofIbsen's plays has never appeared inEnglish.Archer's pioneering ver-sions are obscure and outmoded,and later adapters,usually workingwithout any knowledge of Nor-wegian,have been no more success-ful.In Michael Meyer,as recentLondon productions have shown,Ibsen has at last found a translatorto convey a good deal more,in hu-mour,poetry and dramatic power,than the false impression of gloomyatmosphere and clumsy speechwhich has for so long held the stage. A mighty Brand at Hammer-smith,Olivier in fohn Gabriel Bork-man on television,a fluent effectiveproduction of The Lady from theSea,all these have proved MichaelMeyer the first translator of Ibsenfor the theatre as well as for thereader.As The Times pointed out,he has ‘found a form of speechcommon to the period in which tplays were written,and to the present.'At last the plays require nturgid notes of explanation;asintloriginal,they explain themsel The present edition,in wheach play occupies a single voluwith a short introduction describi gthe circumstances in which Ibsenwrote the play and its theatric:history,will undoubtedly establishitself as the best translation for thestage.Ios.6d. 二AUG1964 309 # WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN ## The Plays of Ibsen (1828-1906) mith their dates of composition CATILINE,I849 THE WARRIOR'S BARROW,I849-50NORMA,I85IST JOHN'S EVE,1852 LADY INGER OF OESTRAAT,I854THE FEAST AT SOLHAUG,I855OLAF LILJEKRANS,I856THE VIKINGS AT HELGELAND,I857LOVE's COMEDY,1862THE PRETENDERS,1863BRAND,I865PEER GYNT,1867 THE LEAGUE OF YOUTH,I868-69EMPEROR AND GALILEAN,1864-73THE PILLARS OF SOCIETY,1875-77A DOLL's HOUSE,1879GHOSTS,1881 AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE,1882THE WILD DUCK,I884ROSMERSHOLM,1886THE LADY FROM THE SEA.1888HEDDA GABLER,1890THE MASTER BUILDER,I892LITTLE EYOLF,I894JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN,1896WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN,1899 HENRIK IBSEN # When We Dead Awaken NEWLY TRANSLATED FROM THE NORWEGIAN BY Michael Meyer RUPERT HART-DAVIS Soho Square London I960 B60-09072 ⑥Michael Meyer,I960 All rights whatsoever in this translation are strictlyreserved,and applications for performance etc.byprofessional and amateur companies in all parts ofthe world,except the United States of America andCanada,should be made to: Margaret Ramsay LtdI4 Goodwin's CourtLondon wC2ENGLAND. In the United States of America and Canada,appli-cation should be made to: Brandt &Brandt IncIOI Park AvenueNew York City N.YU.S.A. No performance may be given unless a licence hasbeen obtained. 482440 200138352 CONTENTS Introduction 7 When We Dead Awaken I7 English Stage History 70 Note on the Translation 7I ## INTRODUCTION When We Dead Awaken,Ibsen's last play,is the least knownin England of all his mature works.It has long been out ofprint,and has only twice been professionally staged inLondon;once in I903 and once in I938,both times inade-quately.William Archer did not understand it,and thoughtit showed signs of senility;¹but he thought that about fohnGabriel Borkman too.C.E.Montague also found it bewilder-ing.“The play as a whole affected us like a large,complicatedmachine working in a dark room;one peered in here andthere,and saw part of a wheel going round with apparentpurpose,or a piece of belting that seemed to imply coherencein the whole apparatus,but the next moment it whirled onundistinguishably,and even that small clue was lost.How-ever,"he added,"likely enough,when we stupid awaken,we shall find the queer,tough play a big thing,and even aclear one." Two people at least,had already found it big."It shews nodecay of Ibsen's highest qualities,”wrote Bernard Shaw."His magic is nowhere more potent.It is shorter than usual;that is all."And the young James Joyce,writing in theFortnightly Reviem in I900,proclaimed:“On the whole,When We Dead Awaken may rank with the greatest of theauthor's work—if,indeed,it be not the greatest.” It is

FAQs

Why is When We Dead Awaken described as one of Ibsen’s least known mature works in England?

The introduction states it has long been out of print and professionally staged in London only twice, with limited understanding from earlier critics.

What did Ibsen mean by calling the play “A Dramatic Epilogue”?

He explained that “epilogue” referred to ending a series of plays beginning with A Doll’s House—completing the cycle—rather than implying he would never write again.

How does the introduction portray the reception of the play by contemporary figures like Archer, Montague, Shaw, and Joyce?

Archer and Montague found it puzzling, while Bernard Shaw praised its qualities in a brief assessment, and James Joyce ranked it among Ibsen’s greatest works.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Jacob