We come now to the most interesting chapter in the history of Shakespeare in Norway.  This is a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream under the direction of Bjornstjerne Bjornson at Christiania Theater, April 17, 1865.  The story belongs rather to the history of Shakespeare on the Norwegian stage, but the documents of the affair are contributions to Shakespearean criticism and must, accordingly, be discussed here.  Bjornson’s fiery reply to his critics of April 28 is especially valuable as an analysis of his own attitude toward Shakespeare.

Bjornson became director of Christiania Theater in January, 1865, and the first important performance under his direction was A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Skjaersommernatsdroemmen) in Oehlenschlaeger’s translation, with music by Mendelssohn.[8] Bjornson had strained the resources of the theater to the utmost to give the performance distinction.  But the success was doubtful. Aftenposten found it tiresome, and Morgenbladet, in two long articles, tore it to shreds.[9] It is worth while to review the controversy in some detail.

    [8.  Blanc. Christianias Theaters Historie, p. 196.]

    [9.  April 26-27, 1865.]

The reviewer begins by saying that the play is so well known that it is needless to give an account of it.  “But what is the meaning,” he exclaims, “of this bold and poetic mixture of clowns and fairies, of mythology, and superstition, of high and low, of the earthly and the supernatural?  And the scene is neither Athens nor Greece, but Shakespeare’s own England; it is his own time and his own spirit.”  We are transported to an English grove in early summer with birds, flowers, soft breezes, and cooling shadows.  What wonder that a man coming in from the hunt or the society of men should fill such a place with fairies and lovely ladies and people it with sighs, and passions, and stories?  And all this has been brought together by a poet’s fine feeling.  This it is which separates the play from so many others of its kind now so common and often so well presented.  Here a master’s spirit pervades all, unites all in lovely romance.  Other plays are mere displays of scenery and costume by comparison.  Even the sport of the clowns throws the whole into stronger relief.

Now, how should such a play be given?  Obviously, by actors of the first order and with costumes and scenery the most splendid.  This goes without saying, for the play is intended quite as much to be seen as to be heard.  To do it justice, the performance must bring out some of the splendor and the fantasy with which it was conceived.  As we read A Midsummer Night’s Dream it is easy to imagine the glorious succession of splendid scenes, but on the stage the characters become flesh and blood with fixed limitations, and the illusion is easily lost unless every agency is used to carry it out.  Hence the need of lights, of rich costumes, splendid backgrounds, music, rhythm.