cultural resources in henrik ibsen's early environment - Ibsen.net

as a rule only during fun and amusement, he had no associates, and in the first years of
our acquaintance never participated in social gatherings, but spent his time almost
exclusively in the pharmacy and in its watchroom, interrupted only by, that as quickly as
possible he shared in the midday mealtime at the home of his employer's parents, in
whose nearby home pharmacist Nielsen lived. Breakfast and the evening meal were
brought up from there to Ibsen in the pharmacy's watchroom.
IBSEN FINALLY PARTICIPATES IN SOCIETY
Ibsen was strongly influenced by the French Revolution in 1848, and afterwards
he became an out-and-out republican. With him as the life-giving center, at one and
another opportunity social gatherings of friends were created, where there was much
amusement and speeches were given, especially with republican ideas in view.
Accordingly we arranged after the French model a so-called "reform banquet," where
Ibsen gave a fire-breathing speech against all emperors and kings, those monsters of
society, and for the republic, the "only possible" form of government.
We also sometimes arranged dance entertainments. Grimstad had no satisfactory
social hall, but one adapted oneself practically and very spontaneously to that, in that the
moving powers among the young people applied in turn to the honorable ladies and
gentlemen who presided over the largest halls, and asked without further permission to
hold a ball at their house. The good-natured inhabitants of Grimstad as a rule gave their
408