PILLARS OF SOCIETY
A monologue from the
play by Henrik
Ibsen
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NOTE: This monologue is reprinted
from The Collected Works of Henrik Ibsen, vol. vi: The League
of Youth/Pillars of Society. Ed. William Archer. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1912. |
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BERNICK: I didn't get you here to argue with you. I
sent for you to tell you that the Indian Girl must be
ready to sail the day after tomorrow. The day after tomorrow,
do you hear? At the same time as our own ship; not an hour later.
I have my reasons for hurrying the affair. Have you read this
morning's paper? Ah!--then you know that the Americans have been
making disturbances again. The ruffianly crew turn the whole
town topsy-turvy. Not a night passes without fights in the taverns
or on the street; not to speak of other abominations. And who
gets the blame of all this? It is I--yes, I--that suffer for
it. These wretched newspaper-men are covertly carping at us for
giving our whole attention to the Palm Tree. And I, whose
mission it is to set an example to my fellow citizens, must have
such things thrown in my teeth! I won't bear it. I cannot have
my name bespattered in this way. Not just now; precisely at this
moment I need all the respect and goodwill of my fellow citizens,
I have a great undertaking in hand, as you have probably heard;
and if evil-disposed persons should succeed in shaking people's
unqualified confidence in me, it may involve me in the most serious
difficulties. I must silence these carping and spiteful scribblers
at any cost; and that is why I give you till the day after tomorrow.
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MONOLOGUES BY HENRIK IBSEN |
