Act 4, Part 1 Summary

This act is set on Christmas Eve. Agnes waits anxiously for Brand to return, speaking with brief poetic beauty about the gentle prettiness of the falling snow. Brand comes in, and Agnes greets him anxiously. Conversation reveals that he's been gone for two days and that she's decorated their house with what little greenery she could salvage from the evergreen planted near their son's grave. As Agnes weeps, Brand at first tries to comfort her, but then he harshly tries to get her to face reality. Finally, he admits he's grieving as well but says they must be strong together. Agnes asks Brand to remember her suffering and that it's not as easy for her to feel strong. Brand tells her that even now, in his moments of grief, he feels God's tender and supportive love close by. Agnes expresses the...