Dewhurst, F: Losing and Finding of Life in "Peer Gynt", "Par

Excerpt from The Losing and Finding of Life in "Peer Gynt", "Paracelsus", "Brand", "Parsifal"

Let us then turn to Peer Gynt, the tragedy of a lost soul. It is believed that Ibsen intended Peer Gynt to be primarily a satire upon the fickle and irresolute character of the Norwegian people. He is the impersonation of the spirit of compromise, the disposition to hedge, never to commit one's self to a definite and resolute course of action. But it is a fruitful study of the personal life as well. And through all the bewildering and kaleidoscopic career of the central figure, the haunting question keeps asking itself Where is the true Peer Gynt? Where is Peer Gynt as God meant him to be?

He is thrust upon our attention, a sturdy young peasant, a good-natured lounger, always dreaming of something grand, but never actually doing any thing to realize his dreams. The land of Norway is full of traditional tales of men who have done marvelous exploits, had hair-breadth escapes, and Peer Gynt is fond of relating these tales as thoughthey had happened to himself. He has gained a reputation for telling yarns full of brag, exaggeration, and lying - and he is particularly fond of working up these imaginary biographical exploits to his mother, who alternates between scolding her way ward son, and fondly doting upon him and defending him without measure when any other than herself finds fault with him. We may as well, then, get our first impression of this braggart youth at the point where Ibsen introduces him. He is telling his mother a big story of a hunting exploit, which she for the moment forgets has been handed down in the traditions of Norway from time immemorial. As the story begins to grow large, she exclaims.

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