The collected works of Henrik Ibsen, Vol. 04 (of 11)

In Short

Henrik Ibsen’s verse drama follows Peer Gynt, an imaginative, self-centered brag-paddler who abandons his mother and the women who love him to seek fame and fortune. His journey spans decades, leading him from mountain wildernesses and troll caves to North Africa and the high seas. Throughout his wild misadventures, he lives by a self-serving philosophy of self-sufficiency. In the end, he returns home penniless, only to realize that his true, untainted identity existed solely in the unconditional love and faith of Solveig, the woman he deserted long ago.

The Story

The story opens in the Norwegian countryside, where young Peer Gynt lives in poverty with his long-suffering widowed mother, Åse. Peer is a compulsive liar and dreamer who squanders his energy on wild fantasies while their farm falls into ruin. At a local wedding, he meets Solveig, a pure and pious young girl who is immediately drawn to him despite his poor reputation. Undeterred by social boundaries, Peer crashes the event, abducts the wealthy bride, Ingrid, and flees into the mountains.

Once he abandons Ingrid, Peer wanders into the realm of fantasy and myth. He encounters three wild sæter-girls and eventually finds himself in the hall of the Old Man of the Rondë, the King of the Trolls. The trolls offer Peer wealth and power on one condition: he must adopt their core philosophy, "Troll, to thyself be enough," rather than the human ideal of being true to oneself. Peer narrowly escapes their clutches, only to be confronted in the pitch dark by the Boyg, a shadowy, shapeless creature that counsels him to "go roundabout" rather than face obstacles directly.

Seeking a new beginning, Peer builds a solitary hut in the forest, where Solveig bravely joins him, ready to share his outcast life. However, his past catches up with him in the form of a Woman in Green—a troll-woman bearing his deformed offspring—who threatens to torment him forever. Fearful of tainting Solveig’s purity, Peer flees without explanation, returning home just in time to sit beside his dying mother, Åse, comforting her with a fantastical tale as she passes away.

Decades pass, and an older, wealthy Peer appears as a prosperous businessman on the coast of Morocco. He has amassed a fortune through unethical ventures, including slave trading and shipping idols to China, justifying his actions through a flexible moral code. After his treacherous companions hijack his yacht, Peer wanders through the Sahara, masquerading briefly as an Arab prophet and being tricked out of his jewels by the dancer Anitra. His arrogance eventually lands him in an asylum in Cairo, where the director crowns him "Emperor of Himself" among the madmen.

In his old age, a broke and weary Peer sets sail for Norway. His ship sinks off the coast in a violent tempest, but Peer survives by pushing another drowning man off a lifebuoy. Back on his native soil, he attends an auction of his past belongings and realizes he has left no meaningful mark on the world. He encounters the Button-Moulder, a eerie figure who informs Peer that he must be melted down in a casting-ladle because he was neither remarkably good nor exceptionally evil—he was simply nothing. Desperate to prove he has a distinct self, Peer seeks testimonials from his past, including the Troll King, but learns he lived as a true troll all along. Returning to his old forest hut on Whitsun Eve, he finds Solveig, now old and blind, still waiting for him. Clinging to her lap as she sings a gentle cradle song, Peer finds redemption and safety in her enduring love as the sun rises.

How It Unfolds

The tale begins Peer Gynt spins grand, absurd yarns to his impoverished mother, Åse, who scolds him for wasting his life while their ancestral estate collapses into ruin and debt.

The wedding raid Peer attends a village wedding, falls instantly for the sweet and modest Solveig, but impulsively kidnaps the bride, Ingrid, fleeing into the harsh mountain peaks.

Among the trolls After discarding Ingrid, Peer wanders into the royal cavern of the Old Man of the Rondë, where he is tempted to marry a troll princess and accept the selfish troll motto.

The shadow's warning Trapped in absolute pitch-blackness, Peer battles the intangible Boyg, a mysterious force that blocks his path and forces him to go "roundabout" instead of straight through.

The cabin in the woods Solveig leaves her family to live with Peer in his woodland hut, but Peer flees the spot when a troll-woman arrives to haunt him with his illegitimately sired brat.

A mother's farewell Peer sneaks back to his childhood home to find Åse on her deathbed, comforting her with a grand, imaginary sleigh ride to heaven until she draws her final breath.

The worldly merchant Decades later, Peer dines on the African coast, boasting to foreign companions about the massive fortune he built through the slave trade and shady business deals.

Prophet of the sand Stranded in the Sahara desert, Peer steals a horse and fine robes to pass himself off as a divine prophet to local tribesmen and the scheming dancer Anitra.

The asylum crown In Cairo, Peer visits a madhouse run by Dr. Begriffenfeldt, where he is crowned "Emperor of Self" surrounded by inmates completely consumed by their own illusions.

Shipwrecked on return An aging Peer travels back to Norway by sea, surviving a horrific storm and shipwreck by ruthlessly clinging to a makeshift raft at another man's expense.

The casting ladle Walking the Norwegian hills, Peer meets the enigmatic Button-Moulder, who announces that Peer's mediocre, wasted soul must be melted down and remade into raw materials.

Dawn of redemption Fleeing from the Button-Moulder, Peer reaches his old hut and collapses into the arms of the faithful Solveig, who forgives his sins and harbors him in her love.

The People

• Peer Gynt, an imaginative, wildly ambitious Norwegian peasant who spends his entire life fleeing accountability, pursuing self-aggrandizement, and living by the selfish motto of the trolls.
• Åse, Peer’s impoverished and exasperated mother, who alternates between fiercely scolding her son for his grand lies and deeply loving him despite his destructive recklessness.
• Solveig, a devout, gentle, and unwavering woman who falls in love with Peer at a young age and spends her entire life faithfully awaiting his return in a mountain hut.
• The Old Man of the Rondë, the ancient Troll King who attempts to convert Peer into a full troll by convincing him to embrace the philosophy of total self-sufficiency.
• Anitra, a clever and opportunistic desert dancer who sees through Peer’s fake persona as a prophet and tricks him out of his purse and horse.
• The Button-Moulder, a mysterious, spectral craftsman tasked with collecting Peer’s soul to melt it down in his casting-ladle because Peer failed to be uniquely himself.

In Its Own Voice

"Where was I, as myself, as the whole man, the true man? / Where was I, with God’s sigil upon my brow?"

During his final confrontation at the mountain hut, Peer desperately demands to know where his true identity resided throughout his long, wasted life.

"In my faith, in my hope, and in my love."

Solveig softly answers Peer’s question, revealing that his true, untainted self was kept alive for decades inside her devotion.

"Sleep thou, dearest boy of mine! / I will cradle thee, I will watch thee——"

As the sun rises on Whitsun morning, Solveig sings a tranquil cradle song, cradling the exhausted, repentant wanderer in her lap.

What It's Really About

Peer Gynt is a scathing critique of self-deception, individualism, and moral compromise. At its heart, the drama explores the profound difference between being true to oneself and being self-absorbed. Through Peer's embrace of the troll philosophy—"To thyself be enough"—the play argues that living entirely for personal pleasure and avoiding hard choices strips a human being of real identity. Peer's grand adventures leave him empty, making him an ideal candidate for the Button-Moulder’s melting pot. Ultimately, the work suggests that human identity is not forged in isolated egoism or relentless escapism, but in accountability, connection, and the transformative power of love and grace.

Why Read It Today

Peer Gynt remains one of the most imaginative, sweeping masterpieces of modern world drama. Readers who enjoy rich folklore, existential satire, and poetic theater will find themselves captivated by its incredible range and theatrical energy. It moves effortlessly from light folk comedy to dark psychological fantasy and sharp social commentary.

Reading the work can be challenging due to its sheer scale, episodic structure, and shifting poetic rhythms. Readers must navigate sudden jumps across decades and continents, along with dense satirical references to nineteenth-century politics and Norwegian cultural movements. Furthermore, Peer's ruthless narcissism and moral apathy—demonstrated in his involvement with the slave trade and his abandonment of those who care for him—make him a deeply flawed protagonist. Yet, this unsparing portrait of human weakness gives the play its lasting power. It leaves readers with an unforgettable warning against living a hollow life and an enduring message about redemption.