Terje Vigen
Encyclopedia
Terje Vigen is a poem written by Henrik Ibsen
, published in 1862. Much of the story and setting is from the area around the town of Grimstad
in southern Norway
where Ibsen lived for a few years in his youth. It describes the dramatic saga of Terje who, in 1809, tried to run the English blockade
of Norway's southern coast in a small rowboat in a desperate attempt to smuggle food from Denmark back to his starving wife and daughter. He was captured and imprisoned on an English prison hulk
at Fjære and released in 1814 after the Napoleonic Wars
were over, only to find that his family had died. He became a pilot, and years later rescued an English lord who turned out to be the commander of the ship that had captured him. The denouement, as in most Ibsen works, should be understood by reading the original (links provided below).
In his biography of Ibsen, Edmund Gosse
indicates:
The poem and the character of Terje Vigen has become a core icon of Norwegian coastal culture and a sense of a national identity. Every year the poem is read at festivals and included in dance and music performances. Best known are the wood boat festival at Risør
and the Ibsen festival in Grimstad
. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK, broadcasts on the radio a reading of Terje Vigen on New Year's Eve at midnight.
The Norwegian composer Guttorm Guttormsen wrote his Terje Vigen for Bass soloist and orchestra in 1977. In 1994/5 Jon Mostad
wrote music for Terje Vigen for resitation, choir (SSA) and symphonic wind band. A major production was mounted in Yokohama
, Japan in November 2006. Composer & Producer Kjell-Ole Haune
developed Terje Vigen into a multi media musical in 2006 where a new film is part of the performance. This production went on tour in Norway and USA in 2006 and 2007 and was staged in London's West End in 2008.
In Grimstad Ibsen was inspired by the stories of the Norse pilots. He became a close friend to one of the oldest and most experienced pilots, who had lived a remarkable life and had exciting stories to tell the young writer. His name was Svend Hanssen Haaø, from the Haaø Island (Håøya). The story of his life became the most important source for Ibsen when he wrote his famous poem Terje Vigen. His life contains most of the essential elements in the poem Terje Vigen. Henrik Ibsen never revealed if he had a model when he wrote the story of Terje Vigen, however the most important specialists on Henrik Ibsen’s life in Grimstad, were convinced that Ibsen’s friendship with Svend and Svend’s remarkable life as a pilot at the coast was the most important inspiration for Ibsen.
Svend Hanssen Haaø made several trips by rowboat to Denmark through the English blockade, in the years 1807-14, to smuggle food back to his family and friends in Grimstad. The Englishmen captured him as much as four times, and some of his crew were put to prison in England as in the poem. It is well documented that Henrik Ibsen and Svend Hanssen Haaø became close friends. They made a lot of visits to each other, both at Svend’s house at the Haaø Island, and in Ibsen’s department at Grimstad Pharmacy.
The pilot from Haaø Island.
Henrik Ibsen was primarily a dramatist and poet, but he
also made some paintings, among them a nice painting
of his friend Svend, sitting at Haaø Island watching
over the sea after ships to help. The painting is called
“The pilot from Haaø Island”.
This painting is placed in Ibsenhuset (The Ibsen
House) in Grimstad, and is owned by Grimstad
Museum.
In 1917 a Swedish
film based on the poem was made with Victor Sjöström
as director. See Terje Vigen (film)
. German remake of 1933 "Das Meer ruft", set on a fictional Baltic island under Russian occupation during the First World War, with Heinrich George
.
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...
, published in 1862. Much of the story and setting is from the area around the town of 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...
in southern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
where Ibsen lived for a few years in his youth. It describes the dramatic saga of Terje who, in 1809, tried to run the English blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of Norway's southern coast in a small rowboat in a desperate attempt to smuggle food from Denmark back to his starving wife and daughter. He was captured and imprisoned on an English prison hulk
Hulk (ship)
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Although sometimes used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, the term most often refers to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipment removed, retaining only its flotational qualities...
at Fjære and released in 1814 after the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
were over, only to find that his family had died. He became a pilot, and years later rescued an English lord who turned out to be the commander of the ship that had captured him. The denouement, as in most Ibsen works, should be understood by reading the original (links provided below).
In his biography of Ibsen, Edmund Gosse
Edmund Gosse
Sir Edmund William Gosse CB was an English poet, author and critic; the son of Philip Henry Gosse and Emily Bowes.-Early life:...
indicates:
- "He was perhaps momentarily saved by the publication of Terje Vigen, which enjoyed a solid popularity. This is the principal and, indeed, almost the only instance in Ibsen's works of what the Northern critics call "epic," but what we less ambitiously know as the tale in verse. Terje Vigen will never be translated successfully into English, for it is written, with brilliant lightness and skill, in an adaptation of the Norwegian ballad-measure which it is impossible to reproduce with felicity in our language."
- "Among Ibsen's writings Terje Vigen is unique as a piece of pure sentimentality carried right through without one divagation into irony or pungency. It is the story of a much-injured and revengeful Norse pilot, who, having the chance to drown his old enemies, Milord and Milady, saves them at the mute appeal of their blue-eyed English baby. Terje Vigen is a masterpiece of what we may define as the "dash-away-a-manly- tear" class of narrative. It is extremely well written and picturesque, but the wonder is that, of all people in the world, Ibsen should have written it."
The poem and the character of Terje Vigen has become a core icon of Norwegian coastal culture and a sense of a national identity. Every year the poem is read at festivals and included in dance and music performances. Best known are the wood boat festival at Risør
Risør
is a city and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The city belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet. It is a popular tourist place. The surrounding area includes many small lakes and hills, and is known for its beautiful coastline as well....
and the Ibsen festival in 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...
. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK, broadcasts on the radio a reading of Terje Vigen on New Year's Eve at midnight.
The Norwegian composer Guttorm Guttormsen wrote his Terje Vigen for Bass soloist and orchestra in 1977. In 1994/5 Jon Mostad
Jon Mostad
Jon Mostad is a composer from Fredrikstad, Norway. He received the Norwegian state three year scholarship for artists from 1982 until 1984.-Musical style:...
wrote music for Terje Vigen for resitation, choir (SSA) and symphonic wind band. A major production was mounted in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan in November 2006. Composer & Producer Kjell-Ole Haune
Kjell-Ole Haune
Kjell-Ole Haune born in Norway 1976, is a composer and producer.Best known for composing and producing Terje Vigen-The Musical, which is based on a poem by Henrik Ibsen, and the musical TONIGHT, for which he wrote the story, lyrics and music...
developed Terje Vigen into a multi media musical in 2006 where a new film is part of the performance. This production went on tour in Norway and USA in 2006 and 2007 and was staged in London's West End in 2008.
In Grimstad Ibsen was inspired by the stories of the Norse pilots. He became a close friend to one of the oldest and most experienced pilots, who had lived a remarkable life and had exciting stories to tell the young writer. His name was Svend Hanssen Haaø, from the Haaø Island (Håøya). The story of his life became the most important source for Ibsen when he wrote his famous poem Terje Vigen. His life contains most of the essential elements in the poem Terje Vigen. Henrik Ibsen never revealed if he had a model when he wrote the story of Terje Vigen, however the most important specialists on Henrik Ibsen’s life in Grimstad, were convinced that Ibsen’s friendship with Svend and Svend’s remarkable life as a pilot at the coast was the most important inspiration for Ibsen.
Svend Hanssen Haaø made several trips by rowboat to Denmark through the English blockade, in the years 1807-14, to smuggle food back to his family and friends in Grimstad. The Englishmen captured him as much as four times, and some of his crew were put to prison in England as in the poem. It is well documented that Henrik Ibsen and Svend Hanssen Haaø became close friends. They made a lot of visits to each other, both at Svend’s house at the Haaø Island, and in Ibsen’s department at Grimstad Pharmacy.
The pilot from Haaø Island.
Henrik Ibsen was primarily a dramatist and poet, but he
also made some paintings, among them a nice painting
of his friend Svend, sitting at Haaø Island watching
over the sea after ships to help. The painting is called
“The pilot from Haaø Island”.
This painting is placed in Ibsenhuset (The Ibsen
House) in Grimstad, and is owned by Grimstad
Museum.
In 1917 a Swedish
Cinema of Sweden
Swedish cinema is known as producing many critically acclaimed movies, and during the 20th century was the most prominent of Scandinavia. This is largely due to the popularity and prominence of the directors Ingmar Bergman, Victor Sjöström, and more recently Lasse Hallström and Lukas...
film based on the poem was made with Victor Sjöström
Victor Sjöström
Victor Sjöström was a Swedish actor, screenwriter, and film director.- Biography:Born in Silbodal, in the Värmland region of Sweden, he was only a year old when his father, Olof Adolf Sjöström, moved the family to Brooklyn, New York. His mother died when he was seven years old in 1886...
as director. See Terje Vigen (film)
Terje Vigen (film)
A Man There Was is a 1917 Swedish drama directed by Victor Sjöström, based on a poem of the same title by Henrik Ibsen. At a cost of 60,000 SEK it was the by then most expensive Swedish film ever made, marking a new direction in Swedish cinema with more funding to fewer films, resulting in more...
. German remake of 1933 "Das Meer ruft", set on a fictional Baltic island under Russian occupation during the First World War, with Heinrich George
Heinrich George
Heinrich George , born Georg August Friedrich Hermann Schulz, was a German stage and film actor.He had one of his first roles in the Fritz Lang directed film Metropolis and the first film version of Berlin Alexanderplatz...
.
External links
- Provides an English and Norwegian version of Ibsen's poem Terje Vigen
- Provides a Norwegian version of Ibsen's poem Terje Vigen
- Provides an English translation of Terje Vigen
- Link to the article: Who was Terje Vigen?
- Link to a Norwegian version of Terje Vigen in Rock, Beat & Blues
- Terje Vigen by Henrik Ibsen. KOH Ltd, London 2006 ISBN 9780955230608