



Produced by Martin Adamson.  HTML version by Al Haines.









ROSMERSHOLM

A play in four acts


by

HENRIK IBSEN




Translated by R. FARQUHARSON SHARP




DRAMATIS PERSONAE

  John Rosmer, of Rosmersholm, an ex-clergyman.
  Rebecca West, one of his household, originally engaged as
      companion to the late Mrs. Rosmer.
  Kroll, headmaster of the local grammar school, Rosmer's
      brother-in-law.
  Ulrik Brendel.
  Peter Mortensgaard.
  Mrs. Helseth, Rosmer's housekeeper.

(The action takes place at Rosmersholm, an old manor-house in the
neighbourhood of a small town on a fjord in western Norway.)




ACT 1


(SCENE--The sitting-room at Rosmersholm; a spacious room, comfortably
furnished in old-fashioned style. In the foreground, against the
right-hand wall, is a stove decorated with sprigs of fresh birch and
wild flowers. Farther back, a door. In the back wall folding doors
leading into the entrance hall. In the left-hand wall a window, in
front of which is a stand filled with flowers and plants. Near the
stove stand a table, a couch and an easy-chair. The walls are hung
round with portraits, dating from various periods, of clergymen,
military officers and other officials in uniform. The window is open,
and so are the doors into the lobby and the outer door. Through the
latter is seen an avenue of old trees leading to a courtyard. It is a
summer evening, after sunset. REBECCA WEST is sitting by the window
crocheting a large white woollen shawl, which is nearly completed. From
time to time she peeps out of window through the flowers. MRS. HELSETH
comes in from the right.)

Mrs. Helseth. Hadn't I better begin and lay the table for supper, miss?

Rebecca. Yes, do. Mr. Rosmer ought to be in directly.

Mrs. Helseth. Isn't there a draught where you are sitting, miss?

Rebecca. There is a little. Will you shut up, please? (MRS. HELSETH
goes to the hall door and shuts it. Then she goes to the window, to
shut it, and looks out.)

Mrs. Helseth. Isn't that Mr. Rosmer coming there?

Rebecca. Where? (Gets up.) Yes, it is he. (Stands behind the
window-curtain.) Stand on one side. Don't let him catch sight of us.

Mrs. Helseth (stepping back). Look, miss--he is beginning to use the
mill path again.

Rebecca. He came by the mill path the day before yesterday too. (Peeps
out between the curtain and the window-frame). Now we shall see
whether--

Mrs. Helseth. Is he going over the wooden bridge?

Rebecca. That is just what I want to see. (After a moment.) No. He has
turned aside. He is coming the other way round to-day too. (Comes away
from the window.) It is a long way round.

Mrs. Helseth. Yes, of course. One can well understand his shrinking
from going over that bridge. The spot where such a thing has happened
is--

Rebecca (folding up her work). They cling to their dead a long time at
Rosmersholm.

Mrs. Helseth. If you ask me, miss, I should say it is the dead that
cling to Rosmersholm a long time.

Rebecca (looking at her). The dead?

Mrs. Helseth. Yes, one might almost say that they don't seem to be able
to tear themselves away from those they have left behind.

Rebecca. What puts that idea into your head?

Mrs. Helseth. Well, otherwise I know the White Horses would not be seen
here.

Rebecca. Tell me, Mrs. Helseth--what is this superstition about the
White Horses?

Mrs. Helseth. Oh, it is not worth talking about. I am sure you don't
believe in such things, either.

Rebecca. Do you believe in them?

Mrs. Helseth (goes to the window and shuts it). Oh, I am not going to
give you a chance of laughing at me, miss. (Looks out.) See--is that
not Mr. Rosmer out on the mill path again?

Rebecca (looking out). That man out there? (Goes to the window.) Why,
that is Mr. Kroll, of course!

Mrs. Helseth. So it is, to be sure.

Rebecca. That is delightful, because he is certain to be coming here.

Mrs. Helset