Rhyme and Reason in Ibsen’s Norma

Abstract

Rhyme and Reason in Ibsen’s Norma Samuel G. McLellan Norma eller En Politikens Kjaerlighed: Musik-Tragedie i Tre Akter (Norma or a Politician’s Love: A Musical Tragedy in Three Acts) appeared in two June issues of the satirical student journal Manden (The Man) in 1851, with Ibsen on the staff principally as a theater critic. Even the title itself is satirical in nature, for this reaction to the Bellini opera by the same name, translated for the Christiania stage by Adam Oehlenschlager, was present in a May critique of the opera: “Denne herlige Musiktragedie, som Oehlenschlaeger naivt har kaldet Stykket, uagtet det ikke er nogen Tragedie, er noksom bekjendt.” (“This splendid musical tragedy, as Oehlenschlager naively has called the piece, despite the fact that it is no tragedy, is rather well known” (XV.68).i Harold Clurman has called the eight page play “one long joke,”2 and the obvious political overtones out­ lined in Ibsen’s preface define it for James McFarlane as a “modest exercise in political satire”3 far removed from tragedy. However, there is more to Ibsen’s political analogy than meets the ear. On a political plane, according to the play’s prologue, “Storthinget er en dramatisk begavet Korporation” (“the Stort­ ing is a dramatically talented company” 1.328). The drama’s central figure Severus is cast as “en Liberal eller i Mangel deraf: Hr. Stabell” (“a Liberal or, lacking that, Mr. A. B. Stabell”), who by the 1851 Storting had shifted his position as leading spokesman for and reformist with the liberal working class to one more in line with the current conservative governing body. The proposed vote of no confidence in the government was defeated, a loss which Ibsen and another of his companion editing writers, A. O. Vinje, connected with Stabell’s defection. The latter viewed Stabell’s desertion as a father forsaking a child, a corresponding relationship which is found in Severus’ 321 322 Comparative Drama disregarding of his offspring by Norma, representing the party of “Oppositionen” (“the opposition”). Ibsen’s attacks took a similar approach. In a column to Manden entitled “Handlinger og Traek af Stortinget” (“Proceedings and Features of the Parliament”), Ibsen compared Stabell’s alternating conduct to that of Hiin ihaerdige engelske Praest, som urokkeligt havde foresat sig at leve og d0e som Sjaelehyrde i sin Idle Landsby; under Henrik VIII afsvor han derfor Katholicismen, antog den igjen under Maria, afsvor den atter under Elisabeth, antog den paany under Kong Jakob og naaede derved virkelig sit Maal. that persevering English priest who had firmly decided to live and die as a pastor in his small country village; under Henry VIII he therefore renounced Catholicism, embraced it again under Mary, renounced it under Elizabeth, embraced it once more under King James and thereby actually attained his aim. (XV.64) There is no doubt that the oscillating Severus stands at the be­ ginning, as he himself puts it in Act 1, “paa Omvendelsens Vei” (“on conversion’s way”), and when he likewise abandons Norma for Adalgisa, who represents “Regjeringspartiet” (“the govern­ mental party”), he is in Adalgisa’s judgment a “gjenfundne Faar” (“lamb found again”). In his June article, Ibsen again criticized Stabell by comparing him to the Greek mythical sea god Proteus, who kan for0vrigt efter Omstaendighederne paatage sig alle mulige Skikkelser og derfor kan man med fuld F0ie sige, at han igrunden hverken er Fugl eller Fisk. can for that matter according to circumstances assume all possible forms and therefore one can with good reason say that he is in reality neither fish nor fowl. (XV.70) The same series of articles further compares Stabell to the Norse god Odin, da han havde faaet Mj0den fra Gunl0de; han skaber sig om til Fugl og Fisk for at undgaa Suttung: Folkebevidstheden, som forfplger ham. Suttung vil ikke miste den Mj0d, som den forslagne Gud har tilvendt sig i Gunl0des: Morgenbladets Favntag. Odin, when he had gotten the mead from Gunl0de; he changes himself into a bird and fish in order to escape Suttung, the folk consciousness which follows him. Suttung does not wish to lose the mead, which the cunning god has appropriated in Gunl0de’s, Morgenbladet...