Henrik Ibsen

“ Rebecca. Yes, happy men.
Rosmer. Because it is happiness that gives the soul nobility, Rebecca.
Rebecca. Do you not think suffering too? The deepest suffering?
Rosmer. Yes, if one can win through it—conquer it—conquer it completely.
Rebecca. That is what you must do.
Rosmer (shaking his head sadly) . I shall never conquer this completely. There will always be a doubt confronting me—a question. I shall never again be able to lose myself in the enjoyment of what makes life so wonderfully beautiful.
Rebecca (speaking over the back of his chair, softly) . What do you mean, John? ”

“ I thought I should be able to live my life here as I have done hitherto—peacefully and happily. I wanted to read, and absorb myself in all the works that so far had been sealed books to me—to familiarise myself thoroughly with the great world of truth and freedom that has been disclosed to me now.
Kroll. An apostate. Every word you say bears witness to that. But, for all that, why have you made this confession of your secret apostasy? Or why just at the present moment?
Rosmer. You yourself have compelled me to it, Kroll.
Kroll. I? I have compelled you? ”

“ Rosmer. When I heard of your violent behaviour at public meetings—when I read the reports of all the vehement speeches you made there of all your bitter attacks upon those that were on the other side—your scornful censure of your opponents—oh, Kroll, to think that you—you—could be the man to do that!—then my eyes were opened to my imperative duty. Mankind is suffering from the strife that is going on now, and we ought to bring peace and happiness and a spirit of reconciliation into their souls. ”

“ Rosmer. Is that really true, Kroll? But why have you kept so obstinately away from us?
Kroll (seriously, and in, a subdued voice) . Because I did not want to come here like a living reminder of the unhappy time that is past—and of her who met her death in the mill-race.
Rosmer. It was a very kind thought on your part. You are always so considerate. But it was altogether unnecessary to keep away from us on that account. Come along, let us sit down on the sofa. (They sit down.) I can assure you it is not in the least painful for me to think about Beata. We talk about her every day. ”

“ But, be sure of this—you need expect no emancipation to be the result of the spirit that relies on the poisoning of the whole of our social life.
Rosmer. I do not give my allegiance to the spirit that is directing this, nor to any of those who are leading the fight. I want to try to bring men of all shades of opinion together—as many as I can reach—and bind them as closely together as I can. I want to live for and devote all the strength that is in me to one end only—to create a real public opinion in the country.
Kroll. So you do not consider that we have sufficient public opinion! ”

“ Kroll. Yes, only test yourself, and you will see! And if it is true in your case, it is easy to recognise how true it must be in John Rosmer's. Of course it is madness, pure and simple. He will be running headlong to his ruin if he persists in coming openly forward and proclaiming himself an apostate! Just think of it—he, with his shy disposition! Think of HIM disowned—hounded out of the circle to which he has always belonged—exposed to the uncompromising attacks of all the best people in the place. Nothing would ever make him the man to endure that.
Rebecca. He MUST endure it! ”

“ Rebecca. I—in Beata's place—?
Rosmer. And then that chapter of my life will be closed—completely closed, never to be reopened.
Rebecca (in a low, trembling voice) . Do you think so, John?
Rosmer. It must be so! It must! I cannot—I will not—go through life with a dead body on my back. Help me to throw it off, Rebecca; and then let us stifle all memories in our sense of freedom, in joy, in passion. You shall be to me the only wife I have ever had.
Rebecca (controlling herself) . Never speak of this, again. I will never be your wife.
Rosmer. What! Never? ”

“ Rosmer. There will. You will never have the heart to go Beata's way.
Rebecca. Do you believe that?
Rosmer. Never. You are not like Beata. You are not under the influence of a distorted view of life.
Rebecca. But I am under the influence of the Rosmersholm view of Life—now. Whatever my offences are—it is right that I should expiate them.
Rosmer (looking at her fixedly) . Have you come to that decision?
Rebecca. Yes.
Rosmer. Very well. Then I too am under the influence of our unfettered view of life, Rebecca. There is no one that can judge us. And therefore we must be our own judges. ”

“ Kroll (nodding slowly) . Poor Beata could not stand the scent of them.
Rebecca. Nor their colours either. They made her feel dazed.
Kroll. Yes, I remember. (Continues in a more cheerful tone of voice) . Well, and how are things going here?
Rebecca. Oh, everything goes on in the same quiet, placid way. One day is exactly like another. And how are things with you? Is your wife—?
Kroll. Oh, my dear Miss West, don't let us talk about my affairs. In a family there is always something or other going awry—especially in such times as we live in now. ”

“ Rebecca. Yes, innocence—which is at the root of all joy and happiness. That was the teaching, you know, that you wanted to see realised by all the men you were going to raise up to nobility and happiness.
Rosmer. Ah, do not remind me of that. It was nothing but a half-dreamt dream, Rebecca—a rash suggestion that I have no longer any faith in. Human nature cannot be ennobled by outside influences, believe me. ”

“ Of course I thought the whole thing was merely wild, empty fancy—until yesterday evening.
Rosmer. Then you do not think so any longer?
Kroll. Did not Beata see clearly enough, when she saw that you were going to fall away from your childhood's faith?
Rosmer (staring in front of him) . Yes, I cannot understand that. It is the most incomprehensible thing in the world to me.
Kroll. Incomprehensible or not, the thing is true. And now I ask you, Rosmer, how much truth is there in her other accusation?—the last one, I mean. ”

“ Mrs. Helseth. No. In this house, little children have never been known to cry, as long as any one can remember.
Rebecca. That is very strange.
Mrs. Helseth. Yes, isn't it, miss? But it runs in the family. And there is another thing that is just as strange; when they grow up they never laugh—never laugh, all their lives.
Rebecca. But that would be extraordinary
Mrs. Helseth. Have you ever once heard or seen Mr. Rosmer laugh, miss?
Rebecca. No—now that I think of it, I almost believe you are right. But I fancy most of the folk hereabouts laugh very little. ”

“ Rosmer. And it was this life of intimacy, with one another and for one another, that we took to be friendship. No, dear—the tie between us has been a spiritual marriage—perhaps from the very first day. That is why I am guilty. I had no right to it—no right to it for Beata's sake.
Rebecca. No right to a happy life? Do you believe that, John? ”

“ Does my own boy not know that wherever Ulrik Brendel stands he is always in earnest about it? Look here, I mean to become a new man now—to emerge from the cloak of reserve in which I have hitherto shrouded myself.
Rosmer. In what way?
Brendel. I mean to take an active part in life—to step forward—to look higher. The atmosphere we breathe is heavy with storms. I want now to offer my mite upon the altar of emancipation.
Kroll. You too?
Brendel (to them all) . Has your public here any intimate acquaintance with my scattered writings?
Kroll. No, I must candidly confess that—
Rebecca. ”

“ Rebecca (standing behind him, with her arms on the back of his chair) . How beautiful it was when we used to sit there downstairs in the dusk—and helped each other to plan our lives out afresh. You wanted to catch hold of actual life—the actual life of the day, as you used to say. You wanted to pass from house to house like a guest who brought emancipation with him—to win over men's thoughts and wills to your own—to fashion noble men all around you, in a wider and wider circle—noble men!
Rosmer. Noble men and happy men. ”

“ Rebecca. Yes, that is quite true.
Kroll. And it seems to me that very much the same applies to most of this "emancipation" of yours, as you call it. Your reading has introduced you to a hotch-potch of new ideas and opinions; you have made a certain acquaintance with researches that are going on in various directions—researches that seem to you to upset a good many ideas that people have hitherto considered incontrovertible and unassailable. But all this has never gone any further than knowledge in your case, Miss West—a mere matter of the intellect. It has not got into your blood. ”

“ Rosmer (laying down the paper) . Rebecca, this is the conduct of dishonourable men.
Rebecca. Yes, it seems to me they have no right to talk about Mortensgaard.
Rosmer (walking up and down the room) . They must be saved from this sort of thing. All the good that is in men is destroyed, if it is allowed to go on. But it shall not be so! How happy—how happy I should feel if I could succeed in bringing a little light into all this murky ugliness.
Rebecca (getting up) . I am sure of it. There is something great, something splendid, for you to live for!
Rosmer. ”

“ Kroll. Did that affect him so deeply, then?
Rebecca. Of course. A man of such gentle disposition as he—
Kroll. I imagined that one of your so-called "emancipated" men would know how to overcome any scruples. But there it is! Oh, yes—as a matter of fact it turned out just as I expected. The descendant of the men who are looking at us from these walls need not think he can break loose from what has been handed down as an inviolable inheritance from generation to generation.
Rebecca (looking thoughtfully in front of her) . John Rosmer's nature is deeply rooted in his ancestors. ”

“ Rosmer. So you persist in thinking that I have something to conceal here?
Mortensgaard. I do not see any reason why a man of emancipated ideas should refrain from living his life as fully as possible. Only, as I have already said, you should be cautious in future. If rumours should get about of anything that offends people's prejudices, you may be quite certain that the whole cause of freedom of thought will suffer for it. ”

“ Rebecca. But, Mr. Kroll, you know how little taste Mr. Rosmer has for that sort of thing.
Kroll. Then he has got to overcome that distaste now. You do not keep abreast of the times, John. You sit here and bury yourself in your historical researches. Goodness knows, I have the greatest respect for family pedigrees and all that they imply. But this is not the time for such occupations, unhappily. You have no conception of the state of affairs that is going on all over the country. Every single idea is turned upside down, or very nearly so. ”

“ Kroll. Does she really?
Rebecca (lighting the lamp) . Yes, it is really quite true.
Rosmer. She really does. We both think so affectionately of her. And both Rebecca—both Miss West and I know in our hearts that we did all that lay in our power for the poor afflicted creature. We have nothing to reproach ourselves with. That is why I feel there is something sweet and peaceful in the way we can think of Beata now.
Kroll. You dear good people! In future I am coming out to see you every day.
Rebecca (sitting down in an arm-chair) . Yes, let us see that you keep your word. ”

“ Rebecca. You? How can you say such a thing?
Kroll (coming into the room) . You are always so kind. (Looks round the room.) Is John up in his room?
Rebecca. No, he has gone out for a walk. He is later than usual of coming in, but he is sure to be back directly. (Points to the sofa.) Do sit down and wait for him.
Kroll (putting down his hat) . Thank you. (Sits down and looks about him.) How charmingly pretty you have made the old room look! Flowers everywhere!
Rebecca. Mr. Rosmer is so fond of having fresh flowers about him.
Kroll. And so are you, I should say.
Rebecca. Yes, I am. ”

“ We shall try if we cannot make you powerless to do any harm.
Rosmer. Oh, Kroll—how you have sunk! How low you have sunk!
Kroll. I? And a man like you has the face to say so? Remember Beata!
Rosmer. Are you harking back to that again!
Kroll. No. You must solve the riddle of the millrace as your conscience will allow you—if you have any conscience still left. (PETER MORTENSGAARD comes in softly and quietly, by the door on the left. He is a short, slightly built man with sparse reddish hair and beard. KROLL gives him a look of hatred.) The "Searchlight" too, I see. ”

“ May I ask, sir, if you have any special influence with that no doubt most useful Association?
Kroll. I have nothing whatever to do with it.
Rebecca (to BRENDEL) . You ought to apply to Peter Mortensgaard.
Brendel. Pardon, madame—what sort of an idiot is he?
Rosmer. Why do you make up your mind he is an idiot?
Brendel. Do you suppose I can't tell, from the sound of the name, that it belongs to a plebeian?
Kroll. I did not expect that answer.
Brendel. But I will conquer my prejudices. There is nothing else for it. When a man stands at a turning-point in his life—as I do—. ”

“ Just inquire a little into the opinions that are current amongst the Radicals, both out here in the country and in town. You will find them to be nothing else than the words of wisdom that appear in the "Searchlight".
Rebecca. Yes, Mortensgaard has a great deal of influence over the people about here.
Kroll. Yes, just think of it—a man with as dirty a record as his! A fellow that was turned out of his place as a schoolmaster because of his immoral conduct! This is the sort of man that poses as a leader of the people! ”

“ Brendel. The dark night is best. Peace be with you! (He goes out. Silence in the room for a short time.)
Rebecca (breathing heavily) . How close and sultry it is in here! (Goes to the window, opens it and stands by it.)
Rosmer (sitting down on a chair by the stove) . There is nothing else for it after all, Rebecca—I can see that. You must go away.
Rebecca. Yes, I do not see that I have any choice.
Rosmer. Let us make use of our last hour together. Come over here and sit beside me.
Rebecca (goes and sits down on the couch) . What do you want, John? ”