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File XIII.
IBSEN'S PRACTICE ESSAYS IN NORWEGIAN COMPOSITION.

This file contains both the original text (from Henrik Ibsens Samlede Verker. Vol. 15: Artikler og Taler. Ved Francis Bull, Halvdan Koht, Didrik Arup Seip. (Oslo: Gyldendal, 1930)) and English translations.

Pp. 21 ff.:

Henrik Ibsen: NORSK STILEBOG.

1. Om Vigtigheden af Selvkundskab.

    Blandt alle Tænkningens Grene er maaskee Undersøgelsen af vort eget Væsens Beskaffenhed en af dem, hvori den største Opmærksomhed og Upartiskhed er nødvendig, forat komme til, hvad der er Formaalet for enhver Grandskning, nemlig Sandhed. Selvkundskab forudsætter den nøieste Agtpaagivenhed paa os selv, vore Tilbøiligheder og Handlinger og først ved Resultaterne af en saadan Iagttagelse er det muelight for Mennesket at komme til en klar og rigtig Erkjendelse af sin Characteers Beskaffenhed.

    Hvor vigtig denne Kundskab er for os, fremgaaer allerede af dens Benævnelse, Selvkundskab, Kundskab om sig selv og det maa være Mennesket høist magtpaaliggende at tilegne sig denne, thi ethvert af vore Foretagender fordre dens Bistand altformeget, til at den uden Skade skulde kunne undværes. –

    Efter de forskjellige Hensigter, hvori Mennesket gjør Brug af sin Selvkundskab, kan Vigtigheden af denne siges hovedsagelig at vise sig i to Retninger, nemlig:

1. i Henseende til vor Aands vidre Uddannelse og Udvikling og dernæst
2. med Hensyn til vort materielle Velvære, vore Foretagender og vort Forhold til andre Mennesker. –

Hvad det første Punct angaaer, da er det indlysende at Mennesket nødvendigviis maa besidde et tilstrækkeligt Kjendskab til sig selv, dersom heldige Fremskridt i den antydede Retning skulle kunne ventes. Antage vi nemlig, at det tænkende Menneskes Formaal i aandelig Henseende er, stadig at udvikle sine Sjeleevner, at klargjøre sine Begreber og idetheletaget saavidt mueligt at aflægge de Feil, som Tilbøielighed eller ydre Foranledninger kunne have fremkaldt, saa fremgaaer heraf tillige den overveiende Indflydelse, Selvkundskab udøver paa Menneskets Bestræbelser i denne Henseende. Man maa kjende sig selv, forat vide paa hvilket Standpunct man befinder sig og i hvilke Retninger Forbedringer ere nødvendige. Mennesket maa være sig sine Feil, saavelsom sine gode Egenskaber bevidst, forat kunne aflægge hine og endmere udvikle disse, -- det maa kjende sine Lidenskaber, forat kunne hæmme dem, naar de true med Udbrud og saaledes efterhaanden svække den Magt, de have tilkjæmpet sig. Dog ikke herved allene, men tillige som Hjælpemiddel til Bedømmelse af Andres Characteer og til Menneskekundskab ialmindelighed er det nødvendigt, rigtigt at have opfattet sin egen Gemytsbeskaffenhed og Tænkemaade, da det kuns ved Slutninger uddragne af denne er muligt for Mennesket, at komme til et nogenlunde sikkert Resultat i nævnte Henseender. –

Af det her kortelig Anførte er det indlysende at Selvkundskab betinges som Grundlag for Menneskets Aandsudvikling og intellectuelle Fremskridt idetheletaget; men det er vistnok Færre end man skulde ønske, som i denne Retning gjøre Brug af det Kjendskab til sig selv, som de maatte have erhvervet sig. Mere almindeligt gjør derimod Mennesket Brug af sin selvkundskab i det practiske Liv, som et nødvendigt Hjelpemiddel til at fremme sine materielle Interesser og det er de forskjellige Henseender, hvori Vigtigheden af denne er skarpest fremtrædende, som her nærmere skulle belyses.

Det maa antages, at ethvert tænkende Menneske, forinden han fatter sine Beslutninger, overveier de Hindringer der kunne modsætte sig saavelsom de Farer, hvormed Udførelsen kan være forbunden, og det maa derfor være ham af Vigtighed at kjende sig selv, for at vide om hans Kraft formaaer at bortrydde hine eller hans Mod tillader ham at gaae disse imøde;og Kjendskab til sig selv maa derfor altid være af overveiende Indflydelse paa Menneskets Handlemaade, da man ene derved sættes istand til, nogenlundde sikkert at kunne beregne Udfaldet af sine Forehavender.

Det kan derfor vistnok paastaaes, at saafremt Mennesket virkelig selv formaaer Noget med Hensyn til sin Skjæbne, saa vilde dette i end høiere Grad være Tilfældet, dersom det besad Selvkundskab nok til altid at afpasse sine Handlinger efter de Evner det havde til sin Raadighed og stedse kjendte sine Tilbøieligheder tilstrækkeligt til ikke at lade dem faae Overhaand.

I enhver Retning af Menneskets Stræben udfordres altsaa Selvkundskab forat kunne virke til Held for sig selv og Andre; -- det er derfor høist nodvendigt at tilegne sig denne Kundskab og om det end er saaledes, at Mennesket, ved Erhvervelsen deraf, idet han lærer sine mindre gode Sider at kjende, sættes i den Nødvendighed, mere end eengang at maatte ydmyge sig for sig selv, saa kan denne Ydmygelse dog ingenlunde svække Menneskets Selvagtelse, da den megetmere beviser en kraftig Villie og en redelig Stræben for, hvad der er Menneskets Formaal i Livet. – Udviklingen af sine Aandsevner og Omsorgen for sin timelige Velvære. –

Grimstad den 3die Febr. 1848.

1. On the Importance of Self-Knowledge.

    Among all the branches of thought, the investigation of the nature of our own being is perhaps the one in which the greatest attentiveness and impartiality are necessary, in order to arrive at that which is the aim of every investigation, namely truth. Self-knowledge presupposes the most accurate attention to ourselves, our inclinations, and our actions, and only as the results such observation is it possible for the person to attain to a clear and correct realization of the nature of his own character.

    How important this knowledge is for us is already evident from its name, self-knowledge, knowledge about oneself, and it must be of the greatest importance to the person to acquire this, since every one of our undertakings requires its assistance all-too-much, until it can be dispensed with without harm.

    According to the different purposes to which the person makes use of his self-knowlege, its importance can be said to show itself mainly in two directions, namely:

    1. with respect to our soul's further education and development, and next

    2. with regard to our material well-being, our undertakings and our relationship to other people.

    As far as the first point is concerned, then, it is obvious that the person necessarily must possess an adequate knowledge of himself, if favorable progress in the suggested direction is to be expected. Indeed, if we assume that the thinking person's goal in intellectual respects is continually to develop his spiritual abilities, to clarify his conceptions and on the whole as far as possible to lay aside the errors which inclination or outer causes could have produced, then from this as well is evident the predominant influence self-knowledge exerts on the person's endeavors in this respect. One must know oneself, in order to know in what position he finds himself and in which directions improvements are necessary. The person must be conscious of his faults as well as his good qualities, in order to be able to lay aside the former and further develop the latter; he must know his passions, in order to be able to restrain them when they threaten to erupt, and thereby gradually to weaken the power they have gained. Yet not in this alone, but also as an aid to judgment of the character of others and to human knowledge in general is it necessary to have correctly understood the nature of one's own character and mode of thinking, since only by conclusions drawn from this is it possible for the person to attain a somewhat certain result in the mentioned respects.

    From what is here briefly advanced, it is obvious that self-knowledge is required as a basis for the person's spiritual development and intellectual progress on the whole; but certainly there are fewer than one would desire who make use in this direction of the knowledge of themselves which they must have acquired. More generally, however, the person makes use of his self-knowledge in practical life as a necessary aid to advance his material interests, and the different respects in which the importance of this is most sharply evident, will be more closely explained here.

    It must be assumed that every thinking person, before he makes his conclusions, considers the obstacles which could oppose themselves, as well as the risks with which the execution can be associated, and it must therefore be important to him to know himself, in order to know whether his strength is capable of clearing away the former or his courage permits him to approach the latter; and knowledge of himself must therefore always be of predominant influence on the person's mode of action, since only thereby is one put in a position more-or-less certainly to be able to calculate the outcome of his projects.

    It can therefore certainly also be maintained that, provided that the person himself is actually capable of something with respect to his destiny, then the chances of this would be better if he possessed self-knowledge enough always to adjust his actions according to the abilities he had at his disposal, and always to know his inclinations enough not to let them get the upper hand.

    Accordingly, in every direction of the person's endeavor self-knowledge is challenged, in order to be able to exert an influence for the benefit of himself and others; it is therefore of the highest necessity to acquire this knowledge, and if, then, as he learns to know his less good sides, the person is placed more than once in the necessity of having to humble himself before himself, even so this humiliation can still not weaken the person's self-respect in any way, since it demonstrates all the more a strong will and an honest striving for that which is the person's goal in life: the development of his spiritual abilities and the concern for his temporal welfare.

    Grimstad, the 3rd of February 1848.

2. Arbeide har Lønnen i sig selv.

    Ved Arbeide forstaaes enhver Bestræbelse for at erholde et tilsigtet, gavnligt Udbytte af en hensigtssvarende Virksomhed. Der ligger saaledes i dette Ord en mere udstrakt Betydning, end den, hvori man sædvanligviis opfatter samme, nemlig som en anstrængende Anvendelse af legemlige Kræfter; -- ogsaa aandelig Virksomhed i den antydede Hensigt benævnes Arbeide og det er om denne, saavelsom om enhver anden gavnlig Virksomhed, at den Sætning kan anvendes: Arbeide har Lønnen i sig selv. –

    Der er i Menneskets Natur nedlagt Evner til Virksomhed og Besiddelsen af disse er naturligviis et Gode; men dette Gode ligger ingenlunde i den døde Tilstædeværelse, det fremkaldes tvertimod først derved, at de anvendes i den Hensigt, hvori de ere givne nemlig til Virksomhed. Arbeide bliver saaledes Middelet, hvorved vi, saa at sige, egentlig først komme i Besiddelse af vore Evner, som et Gode betragtet; thi en Evne, der ikke anvendes, er et Intet og en Evne, anvendt i en skadelig og urigtig Hensigt er endog i sine Følger et Onde; men enhver Virksomhed, hvorved et gavnligt Resultat tilsigtes, er Arbeide, -- følgelig er Arbeide ikke allene Middelet, men endog det eneste Middel, hvorved vore Evner til Virksomhed blive et Gode for os. –

    Hvad enten Mennesket bringes til Virksomhed af den indre Drift dertil, som i høiere eller ringere Grad er Enhver medfødt, eller hans Forholde tvinge ham, saa bliver under alle Omstændigheder Resultatet det samme. I første Tilfælde følger han sin Tilbøielighed og har derved Erstatning nok for sin Møie, i andet Tilfælde handler han af Tvang; men denne Tvang er i Realiteten et Gode, idet han derved sættes istand til at forbedre sin Stilling og erhverve sig forøgede Midler til Velvære og Nydelse.

    Det er imidlertid ikke det materielle Udbytte af Virksomheden, som forstaaes ved den Løn, der ligger i Arbeidet, da dette Udbytte snarere fremgaaer som en Følge af Arbeidet. Ved den i Arbeidet liggende Belønning forstaaes derimod den Nytte, som er forbunden med selve Virksomheden uden Hensyn til Resultaterne af samme, og hertil maa da fornemmelig henregnes: -- At Legemet styrkes og, som en Følge heraf, Sundheden vedligeholdes, at Sindet opmuntres og forædles, idet Tanken er rettet mod et gavnligt Maal, at Ideerne klargjøres og en stedse videre og videre Mark aabnes for Forskeraanden, hvorved den aandeligt Virkende beredes den bevidsthed at have gjort et Skridt fremad mod det store Maal, Fuldkommenheden, -- forsaavidt det er Menneskeslægten givet, nogensinde her i Livet at naae dette Punct. –

2. Labor is its own reward.

    By labor is understood every endeavor to obtain an intented, useful benefit from an appropriate activity. Therefore a broader meaning lies in this word than that which one ordinarily understands by it, namely, a strenuous application of physical energies; accordingly, in the suggested sense spiritual activity is called labor, and it is about this, as well as about every other useful activity, that the sentence can be employed: Labor is its own reward.

    Talents for activity are implanted in the person's nature, and the possession of these is naturally a good; but this good by no means lies in their dead presence, on the contrary, it is called forth only insofar as they are used for that purpose for which they are given, namely for activity. Accordingly, work is the only means whereby, so to speak, we actually come into possession of our talents, considered as a good; since an ability which is not used is a nothingness, and an ability used for a harmful or incorrect purpose is even in its feelings an evil; but every activity whereby a useful result is intended is work; consequently work is not only a means, but even the only means whereby our talents for activity become a good for us.

    Whether the person is brought to activity by the inner impulse to it, which to a higher or lower degree is innate in everyone, or whether his situation compels him, under all circumstances the result is the same. In the first case he follows his inclination and thereby has compensation enough for his toil; in the second case one acts out of necessity, but this necessity is in reality a good, as thereby he is put in a position to improve his position and earn increased means to well-being and enjoyment.

    However, that which is understood by the reward which lies in the labor is not the material benefit of the activity, since this reward rather appears as a consequence of the labor. The reward which lies in the labor is understood to be the benefit which is joined to the activity itself without respect to the results of the same, and here then must especially be included: that the body is strengthened and, as a consequence of that, the health is maintained, that the mind is encouraged and improved, inasmuch as the thought is directed towards a useful goal, that the ideas are clarified and a continually wider and wider field is opened for the inquiring mind, whereby the spiritual activity produces the consciousness of having made a step forward towards a great goal, perfection, insofar as it is given to the human race at any time here in life to reach this point.

3. Hvor bør en Nation søge at bevare sine Forfædres Sprog og Minder?

    Det er kun ved en fra Slægt til Slægt igjennem Aarhundreder fortsat Paavirkning af Fortidens Traditioner, at den Eiendommelighed i Begreber og Anskuelser formaaer at udvikle seg som, naar den fremtræder skarpt nok begrændsende, tilsidst erholder Navn af et Folks nationale Characteer, imedens de ved Forfædrene vundne resultater ere Efterslægtens Eiendom og denne Besiddelse fælles for ethvert Individ af det sociale Forbund, til hvilket han hører; men det er netop i denne fælles Tilegnelsesret at Grunden maa søges, til det indre Samhold og den ydre Afgrændsning, der ene formaa at vedligeholde et Folks Existentse, thi det er heri, at Nationaliteten har sin Rod, eller maaskee rettere, dette er Nationaliteten selv.

    Men dersom de Baand, der knytte en Nations Individer til hverandre, hovedsagelig maa søges i den fælles Arveret til Fædrenes Færd og Virken, saa maa det naturligviis være Nationen magtpaaliggende at forskaffe sig den størst muelige Sikkerhed for den Retmæssighed, hvormed den tilegner sig Fortiden, -- den maa søge at vedligeholde og klargjøre Alt, hvad der endnu minder om Forfædrene og fremforalt Sproget, dette talende Vidne om et Folks fælles Oprindelse.

    Det er kun igjennem Minderne at Forfædrene endnu leve iblandt os, det er igjennem Minderne vi ene formaa at tilegne os Fortiden, -- men det er paa Fortiden, det Bestaaende er grundet; rystes Grundvolden, saa maa ogsaa den paa samme opførte Bygning vakle. -- Et Folk uden Fortid eller uden Minder om Fortiden har intet Holdepunct i Faren; vidner Mindet om fordums Storhed, saa ligger deri for Efterkommerne en forøget Opfordring til ikke at svække dets Glands, -- er Mindet sørgeligt saa eier det ogsaa rige Erfaringer. Det er i ethvert Menneskes Bryst nedlagt en vis Pietetsfølelse for de Begreber og Indtryk han i sin Barndom har modtaget; tænker man sig en Nation som Individ, saa bliver Fortiden dens Barndomserindringer, -- de ville altid tale trøstende og advarende, de ville være et kraftigt Værn mod Demoralisationen, hvorfra denne end maatte have sit Udspring.

    I Anerkjendelsen af den Betydning Forfædrenes Minder have, ligger tillige en Forpligtelse til at vedligeholde dem. Herved forstaaes naturligviis ikke blot de synlige Mindesmærker om Fortiden, men ogsaa ethvert aandeligt Vidne, ethvert i Folkecharacteren indflættet Træk fra den svundne Tid og fornemmelig Bibeholdelsen af Forfædrenes Sprog, der sikkerlig danner et af de vigtigste Baand mellem dem og os. Det er ikke herved ment at en Nation ved Stagnation og ufornuftig Fasthængen ved det Gamle skulde værne om Fortiden og dens Minder; det er tvertimod ved stadigen at udvikle og forædle det Modtagne, uden nogensinde at tabe dets Udspring afsigte, at Efterkommerne rettelig hædre Erindringen om de Slægter, der have overdraget dem Fortidens rige Arv.

    Dog ogsaa mod de kommende Tider har Folket isaahenseende Forpligtelser; hvad Forfædrene have virket for de nulevende Slægter, det bør disse at overgive til de kommende; thi ogsaa Nuet tilhører Fortiden med Hensyn til det følgende Øieblik og det er Nutidens Sag at klarne og saavidt mueligt at virkeliggjøre, hvad de svundne Slægter have begyndt, tænkt eller ahnet, da det er paa denne Grundvold, at Fremtides Forhaabninger skulle bygges. --

3. Why should a nation seek to preserve the language and memory of its ancestors?

    It is only by the continued influence through the centuries of the traditions of the past from generation to generation that the distinctive character in conceptions and perceptions is capable of developing itself, when it appears sharply enough defined, finally acquiring the name of a people's national character, while the results achieved by the ancestors are the succeeding generations' possession, and this possession is common for every individual of the society to which he belongs; but it is precisely in this common right of acquisition that the reason must be sought for the inner unity and the outer limitation which alone is capable of maintaining a people's existence, since it is here that nationality has its root, or perhaps more correctly, this is nationality itself.

    But if the bond which knits a nation's individuals to each other must be sought primarily in the common inheritance of the forefathers' conduct and activity, then it must naturally be important to the nation to acquire for itself the greatest possible security for the legitimacy whereby it inherits its past; it must seek to maintain and clarify everything that it still remembers about the ancestors and before all else the language, the speaking witness of a people's common origins.

    It is only through memories that the ancestors still live among us, it is through memories alone that we are able to acquire for ourselves the past, - but it is in the past that what exists is based; if the foundation is shaken, then the building erected on it must also totter. A people without a past or without memories of the past has no basis in tradition ("Faren"); memory bears witness of former greatness, in it, for those who come after, lies an increased demand not to enfeeble its radiance; if the memory is sad, it also possesses rich experiences. In every person's breast there is instilled a certain feeling of piety for the conceptions and impressions he has received in his childhood; if one thinks of a nation as an individual, then the past is its childhood memories; they will always speak faithfully and warningly, they will be a strong bulwark against the demoralisation, from which this still might have its source.

    In the recognition of the significance memories of the ancestors have, also lies a duty to maintain them. By this is understood naturally not merely the visible reminders of the past, but also every spiritual witness, every trait from the vanished time interwoven in the folk-character, and especially the retention of the ancestors' language, which certainly creates one of the most important bonds between them and us. By this it is not meant that a nation should safeguard the past and its memories by stagnation and irrational holding-fast to the old; on the contrary, it is by continuing to develop and improve what is received, without in any way losing sight of its source, that succeeding generations rightly honor the memory of the generations who have consigned to them the past's rich inheritance.

    Yet in this respect the people also have duties toward the coming times; what the ancestors have effected for the now-living generations, the latter should pass on to the coming; since just as the present belongs to the past with respect to the following moment, it is business of the present to clarify and as far as possible to fulfill what vanished generations have begun, thought or guessed, since it is on this foundation that the future's hopes will be built.

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The materials on this website are © copyrighted, and are for the use of individuals and educational institutions only. Any commercial use requires the permission of the compiler & translator P.E. Larson.