Brand

by Henrik Ibsen, Inga-Stina Ewbank (Translator), Geoffrey Hill (Adapter)

Brand — dramat Henrika Ibsena z roku 1865. Głównym bohaterem jest pastor, opierający swoją religijność na dewizie „wszystko albo nic”. Nawet jego nazwisko jest znaczące (oznacza ogień). Dramaturg traktuje jego poglądy z wyraźną sympatią, zarazem jednak nie zamyka oczu na spustoszenie, jakie radykalnie wyznawana wiara sieje pośród ludzi otaczających głównego bohatera. Jego niewątpliwa charyzma doprowadza do rozbicia małżeństwa, poczucie obowiązku — do śmierci syna, a następnie żony, kaznodziejski zapał podsyca konflikty we wspólnocie, a w finale prowadzi do spektakularnego nieszczęścia.

Źródło opisu: www.wolnelektury.pl

Genres: Plays, Classics, Drama, Fiction, Theatre, Literature, Scandinavian Literature

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1865

About the author

Henrik Johan Ibsen was a major Norwegian playwright largely responsible for the rise of modern realistic drama. He is often referred to as the "father of modern drama." Ibsen is held to be the greatest of Norwegian authors and one of the most important playwrights of all time, celebrated as a national symbol by Norwegians.

His plays were considered scandalous to many of his era, when Victorian values of family life and propriety largely held sway in Europe and any challenge to them was considered immoral and outrageous. Ibsen's work examined the realities that lay behind many facades, possessing a revelatory nature that was disquieting to many contemporaries.

Ibsen largely founded the modern stage by introducing a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality. Victorian-era plays were expected to be moral dramas with noble protagonists pitted against darker forces; every drama was expected to result in a morally appropriate conclusion, meaning that goodness was to bring happiness, and immorality pain. Ibsen challenged this notion and the beliefs of his times and shattered the illusions of his audiences.

Reviews

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guess, I'm not ready for Norwegian classics yet 😅

[Peiman E iran · Rating 2 out of 5]

‎دوستانِ گرانقدر، شخصیتِ اصلیِ این داستان، کشیشی بیخرد و متعصب به نامِ <براند> میباشد... براند، هرکس و همه چیز، حتی خانواده اش را نیز حاضر است در راهِ دین و مذهبش فدا کند... کشیش براند در دهکده ای کوهستانی و دورافتاده زندگی میکند و یکسری روستاییِ خرافاتی و مذهبی نیز از او پیروی میکنند... این کشیشِ متصب، نه تنها واقعیت را باور ندارد و چشمِ خِرَدش کور شده است، بلکه مسائلِ دست نیافتنی و موهوم را نیز برایِ خویش تبدیل به بُتی نموده که آن را ابلهانه میپرستد... کشیش براند زمانی که با خبر میشود، یک قاتل و جنایتکار در حالِ مرگ میباشد و برایِ آنکه در لحظهٔ مرگ بر بالینش حاضر شده و اعترافِ پیش از مرگِ او را گوش دهد و با آن مراسمِ مذهبی و موهوم به مسیحیت خدمت کند، تصمیم میگیرد با قایق از تنگه ای خطرناک و عمیق گذر کند.. ولی او نمیتواند به تنهایی این کار را انجام دهد و نیاز به کسی دارد که مراقبِ بادبانهایِ قایق بوده و خودش نیز سکانِ قایق را به دست بگیرد.. در میانِ مردم، هیچکس آنقدر از جانش سیر نشده است که او را در این مسیر همراهی نماید.. تا آنکه زنی بیچاره حاضر میشود تا اینکار را انجام دهد... در این سفر، آنها با یکدیگر ازدواج کرده و صاحبِ فرزندی میشوند... در بخشهایِ دیگر از این نمایشنامه، متأسفانه، براند، این موجودِ بیخرد، آنقدر به فکرِ دین میباشد که فهم نمیکند فرزندش نمیتواند شرایطِ آب و هوایی سخت را تحمل کند، و در نتیجه بچهٔ بیچاره جان میدهد و براند به خیالش این فرزند را همچون پیامبرانش برایِ خداوند قربانی کرده است و لباسِ فرزندش را نیز به یک کولیِ فقیر میدهند..... در ادامهٔ داستان زنش نیز تاب و توانش را از دست داده و جانش را در راهِ اهدافِ پوچ و نابخردانهٔ براند، از دست میدهد... ولی براند در دل احساسِ رضایت دارد، چراکه با قربانی نمودنِ همسر و فرزندش در راهِ دین، نزدِ مردم به یک قدیس تبدیل خواهد شد و حتی در ادامهٔ داستان تصمیم دارد که کلیسایی را در بالایِ کوه و در مسیری دشوار از نظرِ رفت و آمد بسازد... ولی این موجودِ متعصب و نادان، نمیداند که این قله ای که او از موهومات و خزعبلاتِ دینی در ذهنِ بیمارش ساخته است، در حقیقت قله ای میباشد که مردم او را از آن به پایین خواهند انداخت
‎عزیزانم، بهتر است خودتان این نمایشنامه را خوانده و از سرانجامِ کارِ این دین فروشِ بیخرد، آگاه شوید
‎برخی از منتقدین، بر این باور هستند که این نمایشنامه به نوعی نشان دهندهٔ عرفانِ شرقی میباشد!!! و برخی از اندیشمندان نیز این اثر را شرحی داستانی، از نظراتِ انتقادیِ <کیرکگارد> فیلسوفِ دانمارکی، از مسیحیت و مذهب، به شمار می آورند
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‎امیدوارم این ریویو در جهتِ آشنایی با این کتاب، کافی و مفید بوده باشه
‎<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>

[amapola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brand è l'emblema del fallimento del titanismo protestante. Sì, ma non solo. Brand è l'emblema del fallimento di tutti i titanismi.

«Rispondimi, o Dio, mentre la morte m’inghiotte: non è dunque sufficiente tutta la volontà di un uomo per compiere un solo atto perfetto?».

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had planned to read all of Henrik Ibsen plays that was available on my book app for some reason but completely forgotten it for a long time. Decided to pick one up again but wasn't a huge fan of this one. It didn't spark any interest reading it and I don't have any strong feelings for it

[Samane⚘️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

برای ما نبود که جام عذاب را قطره قطره نوشید برای ما نبود که تاج خار نشان زخم بر پیشانیش گذاشت. برای ما نبود که نیزه تهی گاهش را شکافت. برای ما نبود که میخ پا و دستانش را به آتش کشید ما حقیریم و پست ما، شایسته ی این همه نیستیم. ما به دعوت به ستیز بی اعتنایی میکنیم برای ما نبود که صلیب ش را، بر دوش کشید!

[miledi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volli, sempre volli, fortissimamente volli

Brand, un pastore protestante, è l’uomo che antepone Dio a tutto il resto sforzandosi di modellare la propria umanità su obiettivi radicali, totalizzanti, per i quali sacrifica tutto. Ma nessuno lo segue su questa strada e il suo sforzo immane e sterile lo rende sempre più solo, arido, sfinito. La tragedia è inevitabile.
Il mio Ibsen preferito: capolavoro supremo tra capolavori.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3:
Brand, the hero of Henrik Ibsen's epic drama, is a religious zealot who refuses all compromise. But faced with the possible loss of his loved ones, can he persist in his absolutism?

Music composed and performed by Nicolai Abrahamsen.

Directed by Peter Kavanagh.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b015ygzz

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesus was an all or nothing guy. Christians say they want to be like him, but you can’t live that way in the real world without misery. This does not bother most Christians, who do not recognize their commonplace and minute by minute hypocrisies, compromises, and divided loyalties. What if someone did, and put ALL others things after his devotion to god? This is the miserable story of Brand, a preacher who struggles to find peace with god through his enmity with all earthly things. Ibsen’s vision is uncompromising, bleak, and unrealistic because no one really lives that way, but is ultimately more of a testimony to the truth than the gospels. I’m not sure if this is a brilliant play, but it is a brilliant argument.

[Jakub Horbów · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nadspodziewanie dobrze czytalo się tę sztukę. Piękny język w przekładzie Jana Kasprowicza powodował, że ciężko było się oderwać od tekstu, choć do samej treści nie jestem w pełni przekonany i fanatyczny pastor cierpiący na wielkość woli i odwagi terroryzujacy najbliższych w imię wiary mnie nie porwał. Jednak biorąc pod uwagę mój skomplikowany stosunek do dramatów, ten zaliczam do jednych z ciekawszych.

[Tuva Kongshaug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruker ikke å skrive så mange reviews, men føler denne fortjener mer oppmerksomhet, så letsgooo

Brand er enda et eksempel på hvorfor jeg eeelsker Ibsen. Brand er en modig idealist som på kompromisløst vis søker å fullføre sin livsoppgave. På en måte er han den rake motsetningen til min favoritt Ibsen-karakter, Peer Gynt, og hans egoistiske, feige og drømmende vesen. Men på en annen side, er man ikke ganske drømmende når man er så idealistisk? Og er man ikke ganske egoistisk når man er så kompromissløs? Ikke vet jeg, men på en rar og sår måte minner de meg litt om hverandre. Dette tross at Peer velger minste motstands vei og Brand er villig til å ofre alt for sin livsoppgave, til og med sin kone Agnes. Men Peer ofrer vel også tid med Solveig og Åse for sin egoistiske, drømmende og selvrealiserende reise på jakt mot selvet? Brand viser hvor kompromissløs man må være i forsøket på å bli profet i eget land. Om han lykkes bedre enn Peer i sin livsoppgave, vet jeg ikke. Begge karakterene blir også konfrontert med sin livsførsel i femte akt, og hvem som oppnår mest erkjennelse av dette, vet jeg heller ikke?

Skrivemåten er også helt fantastisk! Den lyriske formen gjør at man flyter gjennom alle 5 akter på null komma niks.

Alt i alt et mesterverk🥹

[Anna Kļaviņa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brand by Maurice Dumont, 1895

[Dwayne Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

This translation is totally incomprehensible in English. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME!

[Sigmund Aarvik-Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg oppdaterer i disse dager sjeldent GoodReads, men det er en selvfølge at verden får vite at jeg i disse dager har lest Brand atter en gang.

Hvorfor, spør kanskje noen,* har jeg latt meg fascinere slik? Dette spørsmålet kan jeg besvare både i rollen som velkjent litteratur-synser, og samtidig også som et plaget sinn som etter hvert har tilbrakt adskillige timer hos psykologen.

Rent litteraturhistorisk er Brand interessant i den grad det gjenspeiler ikke bare Ibsen som forfatter, men Ibsen som menneske; Brand er en kompromissløs idealist hvis prinsipper står såpass sterkt at han den dag i dag nok hadde blitt utredet for autisme - og Ibsen var jo ikke helt god, selv: man får inntrykk av at han var både mutt, prinsippfast og trolig nokså kjip på fest. Ibsen selv var jo sørgelig klar over disse lytene og problemene de medførte (derav spenningen i forholdet til Bjørnson?), og vår gode venn Henrik slet tilsynelatende stadig med å finne den riktige balansen mellom det å alltid skulle handle i tråd med sine idealer og det å skulle fungere som et normalt, feilbarlig menneske; dette er derfor en tematikk han tar opp i Vildanden, Brand, Peer Gynt, Kejser og Galileer (?) og En Folkefiende - og i sistnevnte tar Ibsen sin selvkritikk såpass langt at han våger å harselere med det å være prinsippfast til det absurde.

Brand, derimot, mangler denne komikken; Brand mister mor, kone, barn og Gud - og likevel hevder Ibsen at Brand er ingen ringere enn Henrik Ibsen i sine beste stunder!

Med andre ord: forstår man Brand, forstår man Ibsen og den konflikten som gjennomsyret hans liv og virke; og samtidig forstår man kanskje i større grad en annen forfatter fra det norske Østlandet, nemlig Dag Solstad, som selv har skrevet utførlig om menneskets behov for å leve "autentisk" - og som i sin omtale av Brand fant styrken til å på infamt vis uttrykke at han atter en gang sluttet seg til kommunismen.

Og i rollen som plaget sinn kan jeg vel bare nevne at den konflikten har gjennomsyret også mitt eget liv, og at det kanskje derfor jeg er såpass glad i Ibsen og Solstad.

Takk for meg.

*"Ingen spurte, Sigmund" - Min far, ved en rekke anledninger

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brand, a traveling preacher in a snowy valley, has no patience for people who refuse to live "all or nothing". This goes for everyone: his wife, his mother, himself. Various events occur, tragedies or tests depending on your viewpoint, but Brand holds fast to his beliefs, possibly as a self-defense mechanism or as divine inspiration

A very surprising play in it's scope considering Ibsen's later work (though his last plays start to open up to this size again). What makes this play work for me is that Ibsen seems to be ambivalent about whether or not Brand is in the right in his beliefs. He keeps it open ended enough that I could imagine many people responding to Brand with awe or disgust. Amazingly, the events in the story are often very touching, and despite the scope of some scenes Ibsen makes sure to keep his focus tight and human. I would love to get this play on the stage someday soon.

[Andreea Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult read, but I loved it.

[Elias Blichfeldt Mørk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dette var ikke noe for meg. Kjedelig, repetitivt, og rim er krevende når man ikke er så fascinert av innholdet. Skuffa, likte både Gengangere og Et dukkehjem veldig godt (mens Hedda Gabler var midt på treet).

Litt spennende fra ca side 150 til 160.

Favorittsitat:

- Inn i natten. Gjennem døden. -
Bakom demrer morgenrøden. (s. 52)

[Vaggelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πολλά και περίπλοκα έως πολύ αινιγματικά τα νοήματα και τα θέματα του έργου, καταιγιστική η πλοκή του, κρύα και παγωμένα τα τοπία οπου διαδραματίζεται η πλοκή. Στον πρωταγωνιστικό ρόλο ένας νεαρός ιερέας, ο Μπραντ, ο οποίος δεν έπαψε να μου θυμίζει νιτσεϊκό χαρακτήρα — έναν παράλληλο Ζαρατούστρα ("Όταν δεν μπορείς να 'σαι ΄κείνο που πρέπει, να 'σαι τουλάχιστον με ειλικρίνεια 'κείνο που μπορείς"), αλλά και πνευματικό παιδί του Κίρκεγκωρ, στην απαίτησή του για αγνότητα και πλήρη διαφάνεια σε ό,τι αφορά την πίστη — δηλαδή σε ολόκληρο το βίο του καθενός.

Εντοπίζοντας σα λαγωνικό την υποκρισία και το συμβιβασμό στους συγκαιρινούς του — στον τρόπο που πιστεύουν και, κατ' επέκταση για τον Μπραντ, ζουν — ξεκινά μια εκστρατεία — που λίγο λείπει να καταλήξει σε ιερό πόλεμο — με βασικό σύνθημα το "όλα ή τίποτα".

"Ξέρε το, πως η απαίτησή μου είναι σκληρή. Ζητώ... Ό λ α ή τ ί π ο τ α . Μία αδυναμία μονάχα και η ζωή σου πάει χαμένη. Μην περιμένεις βοήθεια στις δύσκολες στιγμές... μην περιμένεις επιείκεια για το κακό. Κι αν δεν είναι αρκετή η ζωή, πρέπει πρόθυμα να δεχτείς το θάνατο."

Μηδενική ανοχή, μηδενική συμπόνια, καμία συγχώρεση σε πισωγυρίσματα και μισόλογα. 'Ολα ή τίποτα στην πίστη, όλα ή τίποτα στη ζωή, όλα ή τίποτα στην αποδοχή των συνεπειών των πράξεων του ανθρώπου. Αυτό το σύνθημα είναι που ορίζει όλη του την προσωπικότητα, και τελικά τη μοίρα του την ίδια, και οι συνέπειες αυτού είναι που κυρίως εξερευνά ο Ίψεν, ο οποίος αριστοτεχνικά ποτέ δεν εκφράζει μέσω της γραφής του είτε θετική είτε αρνητική άποψη για τον χαρακτήρα που δημιούργησε. Δρώντας ως εντελώς αντικειμενικός αφηγητής αφήνει τον αναγνώστη/θεατή να εξάγει τα συμπεράσματά του (παρ' όλο που είχε πει κάποτε ότι ο Μπραντ είναι "ο ίδιος (ο Ίψεν) στα καλύτερά του").

Αποφασισμένος να (ξανα)ενώσει την πίστη με τη ζωή, να εξαλείψει κάθε μετριότητα σε πράξεις και πεποιθήσεις, να μιμηθεί κατά γράμμα τη ζωή του Χριστού, θυσιάζοντας τα πάντα και τους πάντες, συχνά με τυφλά αυτοτιμωρητική διάθεση, ο Μπραντ φαίνεται να είναι ο μόνος πραγματικά πιστός άνθρωπος, συνεπώς και ο μόνος του οποίο του όραμα αποκαλύπτει την πραγματική φύση του θεού: τη σιωπή, την αδιαφορία. Σε όλη του τη ζωή ο Μπραντ επιζητά το θεϊκό άγγιγμα, αλλά τελικά καταλήγει αυτός απλώς να γλιστρά συνεχώς από δίπλα του. Κι εκεί που θα λέγαμε ότι ο ίδιος ο Ίψεν εκεί ακριβώς θα ήθελε να καταλήξει και να βάλει μια τελεία, έρχεται η τελευταία φράση του έργου να μας κάνει να αναρωτηθούμε: μήπως ο Μπραντ είχε παρεξηγήσει εντελώς τα διδάγματα του Χριστού του; Μήπως αυτό που τόσο ζητούσε, δηλαδή η λύτρωση, δεν θα ερχόταν μέσω της πίστης, αλλά μέσω της αγάπης;

Εκφράζει πριν το τέλος αυτος αυτός το εξής παράπονο:
"Χριστέ μου!... Σε φώναξα και ποτέ δε μ' άνοιξες την αγκαλιά σου... Γλίστρησες κοντά μου και χάθηκες, όπως χάνεται το νόημα μιας λέξης, που δεν τη μεταχειριζόμαστε πια... 'Αφησέ με ν' αγγίξω το μανδύα της σωτηρίας... Την άκρη μονάχα... Και δως μου μια στάλα από το κρασί της ζωής..."

Μήπως ο Μπραντ στον αγώνα του να πιστέψει ξέχασε να αγαπά; Κι αν ναι, ήταν αυτό που τελικά έφερε την καταστροφή του;

Αυτά και πολλά πολλά περισσότερα θα αναρωτηθεί ο σύγχρονος αναγνώστης του Μπραντ.

Καλό διάβασμα!

ΥΓ: Αφού διαβάσετε το βιβλίο, ψάξτε στο YouTube και την διανομή του BBC με τον Patrick McGoohan. Αξίζει να τη δείτε. Επίσης η συγκεκριμένη μετάφραση παίζει να είναι από το Αγγλικό που χρησιμοποιείται και στη συγκεκριμένη διανομή κι όχι από το Νορβηγικό — ποιος ξέρει.

[Raúl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poema dramático sobre un sacerdote que bajo el lema "todo o nada" acaba siendo pernicioso para su madre, su mujer, su hijo, su grupo social... Todo esto visto con una entrega completa a este ser tan irracional y fanático, tan intransigente, al que no se duda al final en compararlo con Cristo.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As part of Radio 3's Conviction series, Henrik Ibsen's study of a religious zealot who refuses to compromise, leading him to risk catastrophe for himself and his family. Faced with possible tragedy for his loved ones, will he persist with his absolutism?

Brand ..... Gerard Murphy
Agnes ..... Morven Christie
Mayor ..... Jeremy Swift
Mother/Voice ..... Ann Mitchell
Ejnar ..... Carl Prekopp
Gerd, Son, Woman ..... Alex Tregear
Doctor ..... Alan Cox
Provost ..... Mark Tandy
Guide, Man ..... James Lailey
Crazed Woman ..... Susie Riddell
Gipsy, Woman ..... Elaine Claxton
Sexton, Man ..... Reg Stewart
Schoolmaster, Man ..... Gerard McDermott
Man ..... Simon Bubb

Music composed and performed by Nicolai Abrahamsen.

Directed by Peter Kavanagh.

From wiki - A verse tragedy, written in 1865 and first performed in Stockholm on 24 March 1867. Brand was an intellectual play that provoked much original thought.

Brand is a priest who wants to take consequence of his choices, and is therefore deeply bound to doing the "right thing". He believes primarily in the will of man, and lives by the device "all or nothing". To make compromises is therefore difficult, or by his moral standards questionable at best. His picture of God is clearly derived from the Old Testament. His beliefs render him lonely in the end, as people around him, when put to the test, as a rule can not or will not follow his example. Brand is arguably a young idealist with a main purpose: to save the world, or at least Man's soul. His visions are great, but his judgement of others may seem harsh and unfair.

[Cecilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, lest denne boka flere ganger. Har en eller annen merkverdig fasinasjon med en mann som er så til de grader beinhard og kompromissløs i sin tro at han ofrer alt. At jeg som ateist finner dette direkte romantisk, er kanskje litt sprøtt. Samtidig gjør det historien enda mer brutal. Det er så urolig tragisk at det er vakkert.

Når det kommer til oversettelsen til Engelsk er jeg veldig kritisk til den. Umulig å oversette, det som er vakkert forsvinner. Ble positivt overrasket over hvor møysommelig oversatt boka var, men likevel sjelen og det enkle, brutale, kompakte og det som virkelig gjør Ibsen uvanlig blir nesten helt borte.

Dette er og blir mitt favorittsitat fra noen bok, noen gang :

Sjel, vær trofast til det siste!
Seirens seir er alt å miste.
Tapets alt din vinning skapte; -
evig eies kun det tapte.”

*sukk/stønn/snufs/ahhh* LOL ;-)

[Eliz Manandhar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brand is the first published play by Ibsen and shows the playwright's fiery and tragic wit. Like the dark, moral works that followed in the forms of A Doll's House and Ghosts, Brand visits Ibsen's troubled protagonist, a priest caught in the turmoils of God and circumstances. Brand's acts render him a lone soul upon whom the forces of life prey bit by bit until he is incapacitated in the end. Brand is guided by the Old Testament and his acts look selfish and judgemental to others.

[Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Ibsen's early work, which tends to be fantastical in nature and picaresque in structure, and Peer Gynt is perhaps my favourite play by any playwright. The play that Ibsen wrote immediately prior to that one, Brand, is a doomy philosophical journey full of ice and crags and stormy fjords and weird manifestations and mad people and extremely intense verse monologues.

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lugas ideja izcila un pārdomas rosinoša. Vairākas atziņas šķiet saglabāšanas vērtas. Beigas tomēr nesapratu, bet ceru, ka ar laiku vērtējumu nomainīšu.

[mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to understand at first, especially with me not knowing too much about Christianity, but I really enjoyed it towards the end.

[Henrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brand, which means fire, is a fitting name for the main character. A passionate priest with an "all or nothing" approach to religion, call it fanatical or fundamentalist, Brand becomes the village priest in an unnamed place in northern Norway. His unrelenting faith both gives and takes, but it is never enough for Brand.

This play came out in 1866, in the middle of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, two thinkers who come to mind as I read this play. Brand was written during Ibsen's stay in Italy, and is often seen as the earliest of his major works. It was followed by Peer Gynt the year after, with Peer Gynt being the antithesis of Brand in many ways

The language of Ibsen is impressive. Written in verse with polished prose throughout, Ibsen shows himself as a master of language. I read the anniversary edition from Kagge forlag which uses the same language as the last version that Ibsen himself approved. Based on other reviews here it seems like the play does not translate well into English, which is a shame.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the few times I wished I had read up on some context before reading, because I felt lost a lot of the time I was reading. I knew there was an important message, but I wasn't sure what. I picked up on that Brand had a lot of resolve, was someone who's opinion wouldn't sway, and that often left hurt and frustration with those around them. After reading the intro and chatting with my sister (who studied Ibsen), it's a bit clearer.

This was also the longest play I've read by Ibsen, so maybe going forward if there are others that are 300 pages and I'm still confused after a good chunk of it, I may consider doing some reading up on it. That's the risk I take when reading works without context. And for this play, it might mean more research and also re-reading it because I felt like there was a lot of great moments that I picked up on the high stakes but missed the impact. Next time around, I will know more!

[Austin Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Brand back-to-back with Peer Gynt, which makes for a good double feature. The two are similar in many ways while opposites in others. While you're far less likely to encounter somebody of the Brand-mold in your daily life compared to the Peer-mold, I found Brand as a work to be more cohesive. Brand is a fairly unsympathetic character, yet the ending of the play is tragic nonetheless. I also found the development of Agnes as a character to be far more compelling than that of Solveig in Peer Gynt (although the opposite could be said for the development of the mother figures).

"In both plays the main character is a man who consumes, devours a woman." - Kenneth Haynes

[Maddy TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brand es un fanático religioso capaz de arrastrar a su familia con tal de seguir "fiel" a Dios, con una idea extremista que él mismo se inventa.
Me hubiera gustado que terminara la obra en el tercer acto, a mi gusto muy larga y el final no es tan impactante como los grandiosos finales de Henrik como Casa de Muñecas, El Pato Silvestre y Emperador y Galileo.

[Arian Matland · Rating 3 out of 5]

På sitt beste helt nydelig, men fy faen så langt!

Jeg tror at hvis Brand hadde sunget Beliver av Imagine Dragons, og Doktoren hadde sunget Karma Police av Radiohead ville mye vært løst

Her er min oppsummering av stykket

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[Jacob Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

seems like the script bergman tried (and failed) all his life to write. reminds me of 'enemy of the people' but with a more existential psychology sonewhere between peer gynt and master builder, and with a (slightly heavy handed) religious focus unlike the other ibsens ive read.