HENRIK IBSEN
Born in Norway in 1828, died in 1906; studied medicine, but devoted himself to literature; his first dramatic work published in 1850; went to the University in Christiania in 1850; for a time edited a weekly paper at Christiania; became manager of a theater at Bergen in 1852; visited Germany in 1852; returned to Christiania as director of the Norwegian Theater in 1857; thereafter wrote plays continuously; lived in later years first at Dresden and then at Munich.
THE THOUGHT CHILD[51]
The action passes in the first half of the Thirteenth Century. Present: Skule; Jatgeir the Skald, an Icelander; Paul Flida, a nobleman.
Jatgeir [enters from the back]—Forgive my coming, lord King.
King Skule—You come to my wish, Skald!
Jatgeir—I overheard some townsfolk at my lodging talking darkly of—