Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/74

 68 Further Influences upon Ibsen's "Peer Gynt" To the bidding of death that he repeat the Lord's Prayer before he dies the actor declares himself unable without a prompter; Peer Gynt makes the same suggestion to the drowning cook, whose memory is similarly at fault, and there is a similar humorous allu- sion to his occupation in that his mind dwells upon the "give us to-day" part (p. 283). The Lean One of Peer Gynt has various points of similarity to the Mefistofeles of Heiberg, for example the power of miraculously rapid locomotion, as in fact to Mephis- topheles in Faust, etc. (pp. 33815.); and finally the term "Bede- mandsstil" is used both by Mefistofeles and the Lean One (p. 344). That Ibsen was acquainted with Heiberg' s poem is not neces- sarily to be inferred from John Paulsen's statement, 4 but remark- able words of praise of Heiberg contained in a newspaper article of Ibsen's from 1861 5 would imply that their writer was familiar with all of Heiberg's works, or at any rate with so many as to justify absolute confidence in their author's literary ability. 6 In the case of the two works one is struck no less by general points of resemblance than by particular parallels. Both are dramatic poems (in five acts, though of different length and scope), in varying metres, a number of Ibsen's verseforms being the same as Heiberg's, philosophical satirical in their direc- tion, both idealistic, impatient of the trivialities of life in the authors' respective countries. 7 Many allusions of a satirical nature are interspersed in both, as in Goethe's Faust. As to further particulars, the soul is required to present a testimonial of his qualifications for admission to heaven as Peer seeks one as a means of escape from the button-moulder. As a further test the soul is expected to take a trip to Palestine, to Egypt, through the desert, etc., which reminds one somewhat of Peer's wanderings in Ibsen's fourth act. In Elysium the soul in accordance with St. Peter's instructions looks forward to entertainment by dancing girls, as Peer is entertained by Anitra and her companions. The soul apologizes for not having studied (having no academic education) by explaining that he was brought up to a commercial career. So Peer, after confessing that he has not studied, explains to his inter- national companions of the yacht-cruise the training secured 8 Samlede varker, X, 458; cf. also J. Paulsen, Samliv med Ibsen, 46 f. 1906. 6 Cf. also Koht & Elias, in H. Ibsen, Efterladte skrifter, I, LXII f. 1909. 7 Cf. Logeman, Commentary, 223.
 * Mine erindringer, I, 180. 1900.