ful, but there is no doubt
that Bjoernson's treatment of this fascinating subject is one of the
strongest it has ever received, and that his play takes rank with such
European masterpieces as Scott's novel, and Alfieri's tragedy, and
Swinburne's great poetic trilogy.

The late sixties and the early seventies were with Bjoernson a period of
unrest and transformation. His previous work had been that of a genius
isolated, comparatively speaking, and concentrated upon a small part of
human life. His frequent journeys abroad and the wider range of his
reading now brought him into the full current of European thought, and
led to a substitution of practical ideals for those of the visionary. He
felt that he must _reculer pour mieux sauter_, and for nearly a decade
he produced little original work. Yet his first attempt at a modern
problem-play, 'De Nygifte' (The Newly Married Pair), curiously enough,
dates from as far back as 1865. This work was, however, a mere trifle,
and has interest chiefly as a forerunner of what was to come. It was not
until 1874 that Bjoernson became conscious that his new thought was ripe
enough to bear fruit, and that he began with 'Redaktoeren' (The Editor)
the series of plays dealing with social problems that have been the
characteristic work of his second period. It is interesting to note, for
comparison, the fact that the similar striking transformation of energy
in Ibsen's case dates from 1877, when 'Samfundet's Stoetter' (The Pillars
of Society) was produced, and that this work had, like Bjoernson's
'Redaktoeren,' a forerunner in 'De Unges Forbund' (The League of Youth),
published in 1869. The list of Bjoernson's problem-plays--many of which
have been extraordinarily successful upon the stage, both in the
Scandinavian countries and in Germany--includes in addition to
'Redaktoeren,' seven other pieces. They are: 'En Fallit' (A Bankruptcy:
1875), 'Kongen' (The King: 1877), 'Leonarda' (1879), 'Det Ny System'
(The New System: 1879), 'En Hanske' (A Glove: 1883), 'Over AEvne' (Beyond
the Strength: 1883), and 'Geografi og Kjaerlighed' (Geography and Love:
1885). A sequel to 'Over AEvne' has also recently appeared. The most
noteworthy of these works, considered as acting plays, are 'Redaktoeren'
and 'En Fallit.' The one has for its subject the degradation of modern
journalism; the other attacks the low standard of commercial morality
prevailing in modern society. 'En Hanske' plants itself squarely upon