Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906)
Still quoted and still relevant after all these years
Henrik Johan Ibsen, son of a sea merchant, was born in 1828 and became one of Norway’s foremost playwrights and theatre directors.
I have not seen any of his plays, have you?
Whether you’re familiar with Henrik Ibsen’s work or not, you may have seen or heard some of his quotes. I’m a quote person. I may not remember them in context, but I often remember bits and pieces of a quote or the person being quoted. Thanks to the internet (once again), it[‘s easy enough to research.
Let’s start with this one. The original and the English translation:
At leve er — krig med trolde
i hjertets og hjernens hvælv.
At digte, — det er at holde
dommedag over sig selv.To live is to battle the demons
in the heart as well as the brain.
To write is to preside at
judgement day over one’s self.
Powerful words for a writer, right?
I have the right to write, to be the judge over what I write.
Ibsen was thought to be an anarchist and may have been a member of the Paris Commune. According to Wikipedia, the Paris Commune was a temporary, three-month seizure of power by French Revolutionists. This part of history is waaaaayyy out of my…
