Study On The Geographical Poetics In Henrik Ibsen’s Dramas

Henrik Ibsen, the Norwegian dramatist, occupies a most dominant position in the history of world drama and exerts a great influence on writers and theorists, including both contemporary and later generations. This dissertation attempts to analyze the geographical space constructed in Ibsen’s dramas by means of detailed reading, geographical criticism of literature, and other approaches as well. Ibsen’s dramas construct the multi-layered geographical spaces on the basis of colorful geographical images, which present an independent yet integral geographical schema. They are parallel in importance to the major themes, characterization and aesthetic ideals expressed in the dramas. The paper also tries to explore deeper implications, aesthetic ideas and the significance of the geographical spaces from the angles of philosophy, religion and aesthetics. As the beginning of modern drama, Ibsen’s works take on independent and profound poetic qualities, which bear the influence of geographical environment in Northern Europe and contextual imbuement of Norwegian culture, as can be seen from the formation of various geographical images, the construction of multi-layered geographical space, and the variety of artistic presentations, all of which display the close-knit relationship between literature and geography. The important relationship between the dramatist and geography is illustrated by the writer’s philosophical thinking on such questions as human emotions, the religious dwelling of human destiny, and the ethical questioning of humanity. The natural relationship between his aesthetic pursuit of drama (and literary works as a whole) and geography is displayed through the geographical elements in his dramas and their direct correlation with artistic expression, form and style. All the above constitute the multi-dimensional aspects of the geographical poetic qualities in Ibsen’s dramas.The paper mainly consists of nine parts, including the introduction, seven chapters and the conclusion.The introduction first summarizes the historical development of Ibsen Study at home and abroad from the comparative perspective, with the conclusion that studying on Ibsen from the perspective of geographical space is still in preliminary stage, and that rereading Ibsen and his dramas with the approach of geographical criticism of literature is a brand-new academic field. The paper then moves on to discuss the plentitude of geographical elements in Ibsen’s dramas to verify the artistic presentation. With the modernity indicated in his works, Ibsen is proclaimed as "the father of modern drama". That the multiple codes in his dramas like the motley of geographical images, multiple types of geographical spaces, etc. are capable of being reread, constituting the independent artistic schema as a result. Thirdly, the paper tries to analyze Ibsen’s works systematically on the basis of geographical criticism of literature, a new theoretical perspective with key terminologies like "geographical image","construction of geographical space","geographical genes","geographical schema", and "geographical poetics". These terms are independent yet interrelated, hence providing a unique and systematic approach for Ibsen study.Chapter One,"Construction of Geographical Space with the South and the North as Framework", holds the view that South and North are the basic points of geographical coordination in Ibsen’s works. The straight line linking the south and the north forms the central line of geographical space as a basis for other multiple geographical spaces. Section One discusses the geographical difference between the south and the north:the south is signified by the seaside, while the north mountains. These two geographical spaces are both interrelated and independent. Section Two goes on to analyze two spiritual states as revealed in these geographical spaces, namely, sunny and happy versus foggy and gloomy, which correlate with Ibsen’s pursuit of two different life philosophies. Section Three attempts to probe the connection and integration of the two spaces on the basis of contradiction and conflict. After the conflict of the south and north in Brand, it comes the rebirth of religious spirit and the hatred for war in The Warrior’s Barrow, which is followed by God of Peace. Section Four tries to illustrate that the geographical space construction, on the one hand, is related with the dramatist’s personal experience with his heart’s running between the two extremes, on the other hand reflects his two different life states, that is, on the other, the sunny south and the cold north.Chapter Two,"Norwegian Geographical Space Construction with Mountains and Gorges and Bays as the Main Body", is also divided into four sections. Section One presents the differences and combinations of such geographical spaces as mountains and valleys in Ibsen’s dramas like Brand and Peer Gynt. Section Two analyses the multi-layered and multi-dimensioned structures of images such as the sea, gorges and bays, etc. in The Lady from the Sea and Little Eyolf. Section Three focuses on the construction of Norwegian geographical spaces with mountains, gorges and bays as signposts. The geographical space founded on the basis of mountains and valleys constructs a vertical geographical landscape, while that founded on the basis of seas, gorges and bays constructs a horizontal geographical landscape. These two kinds of landscapes are interwoven with each other, formulating a three-dimensioned geographical sketch. Section Four comes to the conclusion that the construction of Norwegian geographical space reveals Ibsen’s geographical notion of taking Norway as the starting point.Chapter Three,"Construction of World Geographical Space with Norway as the Centre", discusses how Ibsen constructs his world geographical space by broadening his view to the whole world with Norway as the centre. Section One illustrates the way that a zigzagging world geographical space is established in Peer Gynt, where Peer’s impractical "Gynt’s country" is repeatedly interwoven with the Solveig’s cottage in the deep forest. Section Two endeavors to disclose a kind of progressively expanding mode of world geographical space in The Lady from the Sea, where the garden is the starting point in the geographical coordination of the town, and Norway takes the town as the geographical centre. Likewise, Northern Europe centers on Norway, and the whole world on Northern Europe. Section Three reveals the interlocking complex of world geographical space in When We Dead Awaken, where the south and the north, mountainous snow and deep valleys reflect each other. To sum up, this chapter postulates that the geographical space mode of Norway—â†'Northern Europe—jiantou—â†'World, which in turn reflects the dramatist’s global view, choice of his ideal and artistic thought on global prosperity.Chapter Four,"Religious Geographical Space Construction with Church Tower as the Centre", attempts to uncover the much implicated geographical space structure displayed through the image of church towers in Ibsen’s dramas. The religious geographical space with "triple church" at the core in Brand reveals the conflict between mundane religion and ideal religion; the space in The Master Builder which takes the spiral towers as axes implicates Solness’ pursuit of ideal religious faith; and the space where forest hutch dominates in Peer Gynt is an evidence of conflicts between justice and evil in Peer. This chapter concludes that the religious geographical space demonstrates the dramatist’s sublime ideal and ambition, with every power pointing upwards the heaven and everybody looking up to it.Chapter Five,"The Construction of Household Geographical Space with Alcove and Pavilion as the Core", postulates that the different household geographical spaces in and between the mountains and ocean are the external appearance of Ibsen’s image of native place and hometown. The garden space in The Lady from the Sea is presented by the alcove and corridor as the main part, while the household space in The Wild Duck and in When We Dead Awaken are presented by the pavilion deep in the ocean, the hutch and villa."Alcove and pavilion in the air" is an outlet the dramatist finds for himself amid his complicated spiritual states and a balance between foreign country and native homeland, which bears the dramatist’s fantasy about the world.Chapter Six,"Ibsen and the Geographical Space in his Drama", explicates the relation between the geographical space and the dramatist himself. Section One begins with a summary of chapter1to5, with the view that the construction of the five geographical spaces discussed above is a kind of writing from the outer world to the inner universe, thus forming a ball-like artistic schema. Section Two expounds that these geographical spaces influence on the thematic expression. Section Three relates the geographical spaces to Ibsen’s life experiences. The violent oceanic gorges and bays at birthplace profoundly impact the dramatist’s temperament. Childhood memory of churches has a direct link with high hill landscape extending upward. Worldwide tour at youth brings him geographical spaces of multiple worlds, while the mountains, gorges and bays at homeland stay in his heart as his last cozy home.Chapter Seven focuses on the exploration of Ibsen’s geographical poetics, with the overlapping of multiple dimensions and congruence of multiple implications. Geographical environment has a decisive relation with the author’s geographical gene, and the formation of artistic style stays in a restrictive relation with geographical spirit. In addition, the dramatic personae and geographical images form a correlative relation, thematic ideas and geographical spaces exist in a structural relation, and national aesthetic constructs a relation naturally with geographical landscapes. Thus, the most unique significance of specific geographical landscapes, multiple geographical spaces, plentiful geographical informations in Ibsen’s dramas lies in its pivotal function in the artistic expression, thematic expression, personae characterization, and formation of artistic style. The further study and understanding of Ibsen’s construction of geographical spaces and poetics will contribute to the exploration of more profound academic issues, such as how human lives harmoniously with nature, himself and others, where human’s spirit goes, what the ultimate meaning of humanity is, etc.In the Conclusion, the paper explores the significance and revelation of geographical poetics of Ibsen’s drama. From geographical landscapes and images to the construction mode of geographical spaces, then to the composition of geographical schema and poetics, it indicates Ibsen to be a high integration of humanist and naturalist, philosopher and artist. It points out that previous studies on Ibsen and his works have mainly conducted from the perspectives of social, historical, ethical or feminine criticism, neglecting the important poetic significance of multiple geographical spaces, geographical images and landscapes, which feature the mountains, gorges and bays, etc. The construction of geographical spaces and the formation of geographical schema may help analyze the dramatist’s aesthetic preference and creative motivation, and also the formulating route as well as principle of his artistic temperament and style. What’s more, it may help understand the natural link and close relationship between geography and the origin of literature, the formation of literary works, and the literary meaningfulness, which will in the end contribute to rethinking the literary production, nature, text and the spreading of literature with new and significant values.