The Vikings of Helgeland - The Prose Dramas Of Henrik Ibsen, Vol. III.
Ibsen, Henrik, 1828-1906
English
We will print you a perfectly bound paperback of your selected title and send it to you at your nominated address
Below is a summary of The Vikings of Helgeland - The Prose Dramas Of Henrik Ibsen, Vol. III.
THE PROSE DRAMAS OF HENRIK IBSEN, VOL. III
THE VIKINGS OF HELGELAND, Translation by William Archer
THE VIKINGS OF HELGELAND. (1858.)
CHARACTERS.
ORNULF OF THE FIORDS, an Icelandic Chieftain.
SIGURD THE STRONG, a Sea-King.
GUNNAR HEADMAN,[1] a rich yeoman of Helgeland.
DAGNY, Ornulf's daughter.
HIORDIS, his foster-daughter.
KARE THE PEASANT, a Helgeland-man.
EGIL, Gunnar's son, four years old.
ORNULF'S SIX OLDER SONS.
ORNULF'S AND SIGURD'S MEN.
Guests, house-carls, serving-maids, outlaws, etc.
The action takes place in the time of Erik Blood-axe (about A.D.
933) at, and in the neighbourhood of, Gunnar's house on the island
of Helgeland, in the north of Norway.
[PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES.--Helgeland=Helgheland; Ornulf=Ornoolf;
Sigurd=Sigoord; Gunnar=Goonar; Thorolf=Toorolf; Hiordis=Yordeess;
Kare=Koare [e,umlaut]; Egil=Ayghil. The letter o [umlaut] as in German.]
[1] Failing to find a better equivalent for the Norwegian "Herse,"
I have used the word "Headman" wherever it seemed necessary to give
Gunnar a title or designation. He is generally spoken of as "Gunnar
Herse" in the Norwegian text; but where it could be done without
inconvenience, the designation has here been omitted.
Producer's Notes:
1. Diacritical Marks in Characters' names;
Ornulf, umlaut above the "O".
Hiordis, umlaut above the "o".
Kare, ring above the "A".
2. All the text inside parentheses in the original is printed in
italics, save for the characters' names. I've eliminated the
usual markings indicating _italics_ for the sake of readability.
--D. L.
THE VIKINGS OF HELGELAND.
PLAY IN FOUR ACTS.
ACT FIRST.
(A rocky coast, running precipitously down to the sea at the back.
To the left, a boat-house; to the right, rocks and pine-woods. The
masts of two war-ships can be seen down in the cove. Far out to
the right, the ocean, dotted with reefs and rocky islands; the sea
is running high; it is a stormy snow-grey winter day.)
(SIGURD comes up from the ships; he is clad in a white tunic with a
silver belt, a blue cloak, cross-gartered hose, untanned shoes, and
a steel cap; at his side hangs a short sword. ORNULF comes in sight
immediately afterwards, up among the rocks, clad in a dark lamb-skin
tunic with a breastplate and greaves, woollen stockings, and untanned
shoes; over his shoulders he has a cloak of brown frieze, with the
hood drawn over his steel cap, so that his face is partly hidden.
He is very tall, and massively built, with a long white beard, but
somewhat bowed by age; his weapons are a round shield, sword, and
spear.
SIGURD (enters first, looks around, sees the boat-shed, goes quickly
up to it, and tries to burst open the door.)
ORNULF (appears among the rocks, starts on seeing SIGURD, seems to
recognise him, descends and cries:) Give place, Viking!
SIGURD (turns, lays his hand on his sword, and answers:) 'Twere the
first time if I did!
ORNULF. Thou shalt and must! I have need of the shelter for my
stiff-frozen men.
SIGURD. Then must outlaws be highly prized in Helgeland!
Back