Catiline (play)
Encyclopedia
Catiline or Catalina was Henrik Ibsen
's first play. It was written during winter 1848-49
and first performed under Ibsen's name on December 3, 1881 at the Nya Teatern (New Theater), Stockholm
, Sweden
. The first Norwegian performance under Ibsen's name was at Det Nye Teater
in Oslo
on August 24, 1935.
Forced to support himself after his father declared bankruptcy, Ibsen went to Grimstad
as a pharmacist's apprentice. There he both prepared himself for university and experimented with various forms of poetry. While studying, he found himself passionately drawn into the Cataline orations by his prosecutor Cicero
, and the elected questor
Sallust
and chose this famous conspirator as the subject for his initial effort, finnishing Cataline in 1849. Henrik Ibsen expresses in the prologue the second edition that he was profoundly inspired by the contemporary tempestuous political situation of Europe, especially he favours the Magyar uprising
against the Hagsburgian empire. He explains in the prologue to the second edition written i February 1875, that the case of Cataline had special interest for him, because, as he writes: "there are given few examples of historical persons, whose memory has been more entirely in the possession of its conquerors, than Cataline
". Thus Cataline can be read as one of Ibsen's heroes, alongside Brand
and Gregers Werle
.
The play appeared the next year in Christiania in the following spring under Ibsen's early pseudonym, Brynjolf Bjarme.
The main character in this historical drama is the noble Roman Lucius Catilina, based on the historical figure of Catiline
. He is torn between two women, his wife Aurelia and the Vestal virgin
Furia. As characteristic of Ibsen's early work the play is metrical (iambic pentameter
) in blank verse.
Although Catiline is by no means regarded among Ibsen's best play, it foreshadows many of the important themes found in his later works. Catilina, full of doubts and torn between love and duty, is quite similar to characters in Ibsen's later plays, such as John Gabriel Borkman
, and Halvard Solness in The Master Builder
.
Furia is also the prototype of some of the later female characters, such as Hedda Gabler
.
Ibsen was not the first playwright to dramatize the story of Catiline
. Ben Jonson
wrote a tragedy
on the subject, called Catiline, His Conspiracy
, in 1611.
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's first play. It was written during winter 1848-49
1849 in literature
The year 1849 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*La Tribune des Peuples, a pan-European romantic nationalist periodical, is published between March and November by Adam Mickiewicz.*Who's Who is published for the first time....
and first performed under Ibsen's name on December 3, 1881 at the Nya Teatern (New Theater), Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The first Norwegian performance under Ibsen's name was at Det Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater
Oslo Nye Teater in Oslo is one of Norway's most visited theatres.The theatre opened in 1959 as a merge between Det Nye Teater and Folketeatret, and consists of four stages; Oslo Nye Hovedscenen, Oslo Nye Centralteatret, Oslo Nye Trikkestallen and Oslo Nye Caféscenen.-External links:*...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
on August 24, 1935.
Forced to support himself after his father declared bankruptcy, Ibsen went to Grimstad
Grimstad
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Other notable places in Grimstad include Eide, Fevik, Fjære, Landvik, Prestegårdskogen, Reddal, and Roresanden.It is...
as a pharmacist's apprentice. There he both prepared himself for university and experimented with various forms of poetry. While studying, he found himself passionately drawn into the Cataline orations by his prosecutor Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, and the elected questor
Questor
The term Questor may refer to:*Questor Thews, a character in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series of books by Terry Brooks.*An alternate spelling of Quaestor, an ancient Roman official...
Sallust
Sallust
Gaius Sallustius Crispus, generally known simply as Sallust , a Roman historian, belonged to a well-known plebeian family, and was born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines...
and chose this famous conspirator as the subject for his initial effort, finnishing Cataline in 1849. Henrik Ibsen expresses in the prologue the second edition that he was profoundly inspired by the contemporary tempestuous political situation of Europe, especially he favours the Magyar uprising
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
against the Hagsburgian empire. He explains in the prologue to the second edition written i February 1875, that the case of Cataline had special interest for him, because, as he writes: "there are given few examples of historical persons, whose memory has been more entirely in the possession of its conquerors, than Cataline
Cataline
Cataline was the nickname given to Jean Caux or Jean-Jacques Caux, the most famous mule packer of the Canadian West.-Biography:In different biographies Cataline has been recorded as being born in Mexico, Spain and France...
". Thus Cataline can be read as one of Ibsen's heroes, alongside Brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
and Gregers Werle
The Wild Duck
The Wild Duck is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.-Plot:The first act opens with a dinner party hosted by Håkon Werle, a wealthy merchant and industrialist. The gathering is attended by his son, Gregers Werle, who has just returned to his father's home following a self-imposed...
.
The play appeared the next year in Christiania in the following spring under Ibsen's early pseudonym, Brynjolf Bjarme.
The main character in this historical drama is the noble Roman Lucius Catilina, based on the historical figure of Catiline
Catiline
Lucius Sergius Catilina , known in English as Catiline, was a Roman politician of the 1st century BC who is best known for the Catiline conspiracy, an attempt to overthrow the Roman Republic, and in particular the power of the aristocratic Senate.-Family background:Catiline was born in 108 BC to...
. He is torn between two women, his wife Aurelia and the Vestal virgin
Vestal Virgin
In ancient Roman religion, the Vestals or Vestal Virgins , were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. The College of the Vestals and its well-being was regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome, as embodied by their cultivation of the sacred fire that could not be...
Furia. As characteristic of Ibsen's early work the play is metrical (iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter is a commonly used metrical line in traditional verse and verse drama. The term describes the particular rhythm that the words establish in that line. That rhythm is measured in small groups of syllables; these small groups of syllables are called "feet"...
) in blank verse.
Although Catiline is by no means regarded among Ibsen's best play, it foreshadows many of the important themes found in his later works. Catilina, full of doubts and torn between love and duty, is quite similar to characters in Ibsen's later plays, such as John Gabriel Borkman
John Gabriel Borkman
John Gabriel Borkman is the penultimate composition of the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, written in 1896.-Plot:The Borkman family fortunes have been brought low by the imprisonment of John Gabriel who used his position as a bank manager to illegally speculate with his investors' money...
, and Halvard Solness in The Master Builder
The Master Builder
The Master Builder is a play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It was first published in December 1892 and is regarded as one of Ibsen's most significant and revealing works.-Performance:...
.
Furia is also the prototype of some of the later female characters, such as Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler is a play first published in 1890 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The play premiered in 1891 in Germany to negative reviews, but has subsequently gained recognition as a classic of realism, nineteenth century theatre, and world drama...
.
Ibsen was not the first playwright to dramatize the story of Catiline
Catiline
Lucius Sergius Catilina , known in English as Catiline, was a Roman politician of the 1st century BC who is best known for the Catiline conspiracy, an attempt to overthrow the Roman Republic, and in particular the power of the aristocratic Senate.-Family background:Catiline was born in 108 BC to...
. Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
wrote a tragedy
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
on the subject, called Catiline, His Conspiracy
Catiline His Conspiracy
Catiline His Conspiracy is a Jacobean tragedy written by Ben Jonson. It is one of the two Roman tragedies that Jonson hoped would cement his dramatic achievement and reputation, the other being Sejanus His Fall .-Publishing:...
, in 1611.