Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/76

 70 Further Influences upon Ibsen's "Peer Gynt" but Mefistofeles rather makes light of it and points out that board, lodging and the other philistine necessities are to be had there. The Lean One asks Peer, who desires admittance to hell, if he would like a warm room. In the chorus of mourners ("Efter- levende") at the beginning and end of Heiberg's poem there is somewhat of the expression, tone and metre of the funeral sermon overheard by Peer over the man whom he had earlier in life seen mutilate himself to escape military service. As Ibsen spoke of Heiberg's literary productions as if he were familiar with them in their entirety it may not be superfluous to note points of contact with others of them. For this purpose I shall refer to the Poetiske Skrifter (in 11 volumes, 1862) and Pro- saiske Skrifter (in 11 volumes, 1861-2), giving in each case the date of original publication of the article or work in question. Some of the points closely duplicate ones already recorded from En Sjcel efter Djden. Poetiske Skrifter, I, 130 (1814). Talking in iambics is referred to. t, 282 ff. (1814). The small trolls of the mountains are conjured up to guard the hero; they torment him grievously, but take to flight at the appear- ance of the young girl, Rosa. This is suggestive of Peer's troubles with the small trolls of Dovre and his rescue through the power of women. There is also allusion to selling one's soul to the devil. II, 205 f. (1838). The metrical feet are personified and made to play a rdle. VI, 84 (1826). "Gale-Frands." Peer speaks of himself (to Anitra) as a "Galfrands." The word is however common enough to be included in Falk & Torp's etymological dictionary. 10 VIII, 45 (1819). Birds struggling yearly at the anniversary of Memnon's burial ("Gravfest"). Ibsen could have got this directly from Ovid. 11 VIII, 175 ff. (1842). Newspapers are discussed as in En Sjcel efter Dfiden. EX, 356 (1817). The devil in clerical garb; so the Lean One in Peer Gynt. X, 350 (1845). A squirrel throws down nut-shells on the persons gathering nuts as Peer thinks the monkeys are throwing down fruit on him, while the squirrel's threat of "something worse" he finds in his own case realized. In both places the offender is spoken of as "Knczgt" and man as "lord of the beasts," "lord of creation." Prosaiske Skrifter, II, 56 (1837). "A posse ad esse valet consequentia" is twisted by Peer to "Ab esse ad posse." 12 10 Etymologisk ordbog, I, 212; N orwegisch-ddnisches etymologise hes Worter- buch, I, 295; cf. Logeman, Commentary, 228. 11 Cf. Logeman, Commentary, 243 ff. 12 Cf. Modern Philology, XV, 631. 1918.