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Page 46
Act II.--Broddi now assumes the leadership of the outraged nobles,
Brand being bound, as he thinks, by his oath, and incapable of strongly
opposing their intention to kill Thorolf. By chance, and in fulfillment
of a prophecy, Thorolf seeks refuge from a snowstorm in a wintry cave
and there is forewarned of his impending death by Woden himself. He
is surprised by the allies and slain. But no sooner is their purpose
accomplished than Helga, his protectress, appears on the scene and
smilingly assures them of retribution awaiting them. Her information
that Kolbein is on the road to recovery strikes the nobles with dismay.
Broddi immediately decides on assuming the aggressive; but on Brand's
suggestion they choose first to cleanse themselves before the world by
receiving absolution for their deed from Bishop Botolf at Holar.
Act III.--Here Kolbein puts them to flight. He, in his turn, must flee
before Broddi's superior forces, but not without audaciously carrying
along the bishop, who in his fear and rage has the Treuga Dei rung over
the land. This frustrates the immediate pursuit by Broddi.
Act IV.--While the truce is still in force, Lady Helga visits Brand's
wife, Jorun. Childless herself, she desires to foster up one of Jorun's
sons in her own cruel way, promising, in return, to procure an honorable
peace for Brand; or else, to destroy him. The loving mother staunchly
refuses. But soon the weakness of Brand's situation becomes evident.
Unable to act with the requisite force and severity, he has lost the
confidence of his dependents who fear to rise against the superior
genius of Kolbein. The last hope departs when Broddi learns through a
(forged) letter that his fortifications are accessible to Kolbein by
subterranean passages. Utterly dismayed, the allies decide to throw
themselves upon the mercy of Kolbein the Young. Brand's wife follows
them, disguised in male attire. She knows that Helga thirsts for his
life, but also that she has sworn to spare him if any one were found
willing to give his life instead.
Act V.--Brand and his little troop file into the warrior-filled hall of
Kolbein. In vain they seek conciliation at any price with the chieftain,
who is enraged by the slaying of his friend Thorolf, and infuriated
beyond measure by the speeches of his implacable wife. Even Jorun's
offering her life for Brand's does not soften his heart; when, finally,
the prisoner-bishop's threat of excommunication subdues Kolbein with the
fear of the hereafter. Compensation is duly imposed upon the allies, and
peace once more rules in the harried land.
The subject of the above drama was suggested by two or three rather
meagre pages of the 'Islendingasaga' of Sturla Thordsson (ed. Vigf�sson,
ch. 146). To my notion, the poet has succeeded admirably in
reproducing the cool coloring, the ironic-pessimistic attitude, that
uncompromisingly masculine sentiment we know so well in their refreshing
acerbity from the best sagas. Not the least meritorious thing in the
play, by the way, is the very slight insistence on Thorolf's relations
to Helga, notwithstanding its temptation to the author of a social drama
betraying strong influence of Ibsen; for the saga--it is to be borne in
mind--is the literature of revenge and ambition as ruling motives, love
having an incomparably smaller sphere allotted to it. Too much weight
laid on that relation would have been ruinous to the total conception of
the play.
In conformity to that conception are also the terse, pithy language
which allows us to surmise the unlimited possibilities hidden in the
saga literature, and the equally succinct manner of character drawing.
The most interesting figure in the drama is Brand, a Hamletic character
without a Hamlet's zest of retaliation--noble, generous, and beloved;
yet ever a loser, because never resolutely willing the means to an end.
As Thorolf avers scornfully, 'Brand lacks both the forethought _before_
battle, and that fire _in_ battle which wins the victory,' The reign
of lawlessness and bloodshed appalls him, to be sure; but he cannot
see that his own irresolution is one of the causes. 'He is sick in his
soul.' But 'peace'!--cries Broddi--'whenever was peace gotten in feuds,
excepting the battle be won or--lost.' And yet, by the irony of fate,
both his birth and his noble gifts make men look to Brand as Kolbein's
natural successor. The tigerish Kolbein himself is equaled in ruthless
pursuit of his own ends, but not in good fortune, by Broddi. As foils to
these larger characters stand out the mean, vengeful Einar, the brutal
Alf, the insolent but brave Thorolf. In Jorun we fancy we see the
living strength of Christian virtue and devotion opposed to the heathen
fierceness and self-seeking of Helga. Between the two parties the
bishop, whose motives and intentions are, however, not brought out with
sufficient clearness. Like the proverbial fifth wheel of a wagon he
seems out of place and embarrassing, whenever he appears--a predicament,
to be sure, which he shares with the Church itself in those times,
whenever not guided by a born ruler.
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