 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
Table of Contents Act Summaries With Notes Act I This act opens with a party being held in the home of Werle, a wealthy businessman who is both merchant and manufacturer. The party is in honor of his prodigal son Gregers, who has come home after seventeen years. During the party, Werle gives a toast. To everyone's surprise it is not made in honor of Gregers; instead Werle toasts Mrs. Sorby, his housekeeper, who is to become his future wife. She is already completely at ease in the Werle household and assumes the role of a gracious hostess, carrying on light-hearted, flirtatious conversations with the guests. Old Ekdal arrives at the Werle residence, but not as a guest. He wants to go to the office, supposedly to do some work. Werle's servant, Pettersen, reluctantly allows him to enter. He does not trust Ekdal, because he has spent time in prison. Werle tells his son that there will be thirteen people seated for dinner. Hialmar Ekdal, Gregers' friend and Old Ekdal's son, overhears this unlucky number and tells Gregers that he should not have invited him; it is obvious that the young man feels out of place at the party. Gregers disagrees; he tells Hialmar that this may be the only time they have to visit since he is not staying in town for long. Gregers also explains to Hialmar that he himself will be the thirteenth person at the table. The two friends try to catch up on the seventeen years of their separation. Hialmar states that his father has lived with him since the shame and disgrace of his imprisonment. He also tells Gregers that he has become a photographer in order to support his family. Werle, Gregers' father, has been generous enough to advance him money to get started in business. He also encouraged him to marry Gina Hausen, who had been the Werle housekeeper during the last year of Gregers' mother's illness. Hialmar assures Gregers that Gina has gained a lot of culture since her housekeeping days; he gives himself credit for her advancements. Mrs. Sorby and the chamberlains enter the room and begin to patronize Hialmar, making him feel even more out of place. At about the same time, Graberg, Werle's bookkeeper, and Old Ekdal walk together to the front door. Hialmar refuses to recognize his father, turning his back to him. When someone asks if he knows the old man, Hialmar lies and says he did not notice him at all. Gregers is shocked that his friend can deny his father. He shames Hialmar by saying, "(You) deny that you knew him!" As Hialmar is leaving after dinner, Mrs. Sorby asks him to say hello to his wife, Gina; she promises that she will come for a visit soon. Gregers tells him that he also plans to pay him a visit at his house. Hialmar tells him not to do so, claiming that his house is a "melancholy abode;" this is the first foreshadowing on the terrible events that will later occur at Hialmar's house. Gregers forces his father to have a private talk with him; it is obvious that father and son do not get along very well together. Gregers tells Werle that he does not consider Old Ekdal to be the only one responsible for the illegal felling of timber on government land. He implies that his father was equally to blame even though he escaped jail time and nothing was legally proved against him. Werle, in self-defense, says that he has done everything he can for the Ekdals. He explains how he has given Old Ekdal a job and pays him more than he is worth. Gregers then accuses his father of casting off his mistress, Gina Hansen, to Hialmar. Werle denies that Gina was his mistress and accuses Hialmar of telling tales. Gregers, however, informs him that his mother had told him about the liaison between Werle and Gina. Werle tells his son that he should find something more useful to do than dig out all sorts of slander against his own father.
Werle tells Gregers that his eyes are growing weak with age and asks his son to join the family firm as a partner. Gregers refuses the offer because he feels his father has some ulterior motive, as always. When Werle tells him that he is going to marry Mrs. Sorby, Gregers thinks this is why he has offered him a partnership. Werle wants to show the world, and Mrs. Sorby, that father and son are no longer estranged. But Gregers refuses to accommodate his father and to approve of his upcoming marriage. Werle tells his son not to judge him through his mother's eyes. The remark infuriates Gregers. He then accuses his father of being responsible for his mother's death. He also accuses him of taking advantage of Hialmar, who is childlike and trusting, never suspecting Werle of treachery or fraud. At the end of the scene, an angry Gregers announces that he is going to leave his father's house forever, for he has found his mission in life. He does not state what the mission is. Table of Contents | |
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