The Pillars of the Society - Henrick Ibsen

THE PILLARS OF THE SOCIETY – HENRICK IBSEN

Justify the title of the Drama

It is the first serious social drama produced by Henrick Ibsen. The Play describes the shady machinations of the rising businessman. He employs all means of fair of foul to acquire wealth and build up an image in society completely concealing his real self even from his wife. The play comes to an end with the confession of the leading characters. He declares his intention to start a new era without affection, hypocrisy and its pretence of virtue and its miserable fear of public opinion.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the hero of the play. He is the most important man. He is regarded as a man with high morality and a pillar of the Society. He is a weed. But he is considered as the corn. Mr. Bernick and other pseudo pillars of the society are the cankers of the society.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is a ship builder. At first his mother looked after the firm. Bernick took over the firm from his mother. At that time the financial condition of the firm was in the worst position. At first, he loved Lona Hossel but her half sister Betty came into his life. Bernick found that she was prettier and richer. So, he changed his love from Lone to Betty. At the same time, he was found in the house of Mrs. Dorf. But Johan for the sake of his sister took the blame and went to America. Later a rumour was spread that Johan and taken cash also from the firm. Thus, Bernick could get time to repay his creditors.

The men like men surrounded Mr. Bernick. Mr. Rorland, Mr. Rummel and Mr. Hilmar were of the same category, the pseudo pillars of Society. All of them agreed to support the Railway Project on the condition that they would get one fifth of the booty.

Every action of Bernick was selfish. He objected the coastal line because it affected the steamer service. The branch line was proposed to exploit the forest wealth. Buts they passed on as the pillars of society. A huge gathering assembled to greet him.

He was callous towards the problems of the employees. He did not realise the problems of the retrenched workmen. He wanted only profit.

He was not happy in domestic life. There was no communication between Benrick and his wife and his son Olaf. He could do everything from his wife when he realised his son was stowed away in the Indian Girl felt repentant.

When Lona hear the Bernick thrived on a lie, she decided to make Bernick himself. So, she made Bernick to shed away the false morality and confess the guilt. He felt the women were the pillars of Society. Lona corrected him. She told him that the spirit of truth and the spirit freedom are the pillars of the Society. The society ladies Mrs. Rummel, Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Lynge pretended to be virtuous. But they were the real gossipmongers. Though they haunted Bernick’s house, they stopped visiting him when Lona and Johan returned. The theme of the play has a universal appeal. So, the title of the play The Pillars of the Society is very appropriate.

Character Sketches

Mr. Bernick:

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the hero of the drama The Pillars of the Society. In the beginning of the drama, we have seen him as a very busy businessman, with high morality and principles. Though a weed of the society he was considered the corn. He cleverly hid everything from his life.

Bernick was filled with hypocrisy, false affection, and false virtue was afraid of public opinion. His entire progress depended on a lie. His brother-in-law Johan took away the cash and he was in the house of Mrs. Dorf.

The moving spirit of his actions was selfish craving for power, influence and position. At first when he heard of the coastal line, he fought against it as if affected his steamer service. When an inland line has to be considered, Bernick proposed a branch line to exploit the minerals of the area. He made arrangements to buy lands to become a millionaire. The other pillars of society agreed to it for one fifth of the profit.

He was callous in his attitude towards his employees. He introduced modern machines for more profit without showing any concern for the retrenched workers. He wanted that Indian Girl should sail at the fixed time. When he heard that the repairs were done was defective, he did not stop the sailing of it. When he heard that his son Olaf was in the ship he felt very much.

There was no communication in his house between himself and his wife and his son. He hid his real self from his wife. He did not allow his son to grow up freely. He boasted of high moral principles. At first, he loved Lona. When he found her sister, Betty was richer and pretty, he courted her. At the same time, he had relationship with the pretty actress Mrs. Dorf.

When Lona and Johan returned from America he was not surprised. To the surprise of his wife he asked her to treat them well. Lona let in the fresh air into the stuffy life of Bernick. She made him to confess and be himself. When he was exposed and brought face to face with the realist of the situation his conscience made him a coward. He confessed and was exonerated.

Ibsen gave much importance to the plot. So, the portrayal of Bernick’s character is not convincing. But still in our life we see many Bernick realised that spirit of the truth and spirits of freedom are the pillars of Society.

Lona Hessel

Lona Hessel is one of the famous women characters of Ibsen. She anticipates the famous characters like – Nora in A Doll’s House. She has her individuality. She is capable of intense love and necessary willingness to sacrifice self-interest for the welfare of the man whom she loved.

She is a representative of the New World free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. When she was in America, she cut her hair, wore men’s boots to spite the people.

She had too much affection to her brother Johan. So, she went to America with him. There she sang in taverns, preached and published books. Though Mr. Bernick loved and rejected her she did not think of revenge.

One day she came to know that the life and progress of Mr. Bernick was based on a lie. She pretended to be home sick. She returned to Norway. In the beginning she told them that she was no supply of fresh air into the stuffy life of the people there.

She told Bernick to confess the guilt and be himself, so he confessed. Betty was able to win him. Lona is the symbol of reformation of Mr. Bernick and the society.

Martha Bernick

Martha Bernick is the sister of Mr. Bernick. Johan was her playmate. She loved him. But he went to America. She could not inherit money from her mother. So, she taught in a school. She lived with the Bernicks. She helped the poor children.

When Dina Dorf became an orphan, Martha took her to the house of Bernick. She took good care of Dina. Johan returned. He looked much younger by breathing fresh and free air. Martha looked older by the stuffy atmosphere. Johan had no eye for Martha.

Johan was attracted by Dina. Dina was ready to marry him. At that time the person Rorland revealed the shady past of Johan. Dina was confused. Then Martha and Lona persuaded Dina to trust Johan.

Martha and Lona herald the strong women characters of Ibsen like Nora. She made the supreme sacrifice for her lover.

Miss Dina Dorf

Miss Dina Dorf was the young girl, who lived with the Bernicks. She hated the people with prudish morality. She wanted to be free from the convention-ridden society. She had a rebellious and independent spirit. But sometimes she was confused. She was not certain to whom she should trust.

Her father and mother were actors. One day Bernick was found with her mother. So, her father deserted her. After the death of Dina’s mother, Martha took her to Bernick’s house. She hated the prudish morality of the people especially the gossipmongers like Mrs. Rummel and her friends.

She decided to go to America to be herself first. After setting her foot properly she desired to marry Johan. She called Rorland a parson because of his hypocrisy and prudish morality. She hated the behaviour of the people towards her, as she was the daughter of Mrs. Dorf, an actress. She hated Rorland because he acted as if he was lifting a poor despised girl to his level.

Johan

Johan was the younger brother of Mrs. Betty Bernick. In the beginning he was thought less youth. Mr. Bernick was engaged with Betty. But one day he was found in the room of Mrs. Dorf. It would have spoiled Bernick. But Johan took the blame and went to America. Later rumours were also there about the missing cash.

Lona Hessel accompanied him. She called him my boy she works hard to help Johan during his difficult days.

Martha expected Johan to return like the prodigal son. Johan prospered and returned. He looked young no inclination to Martha. He fell in love with Dina. But at that time Rorland disclosed that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of Dina’s mother. 

Johan requested Bernick to exonerate him. He threatened to black mail Bernick with the two letters. When he could win the heart of Dina, he gave the letters Lona to return to Bernick.

At first, he wanted to travel in the Indian Girl. Later made a plan to travel by the Palm Tree.

Personally, he was not interested to black mail Bernick. So, he gave the two letters to Lona before he went for America. Johan is the representative of the New World, free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. He offers refreshing and informative, contrast to the stuffy world of hypocrisy and pettiness in which men like Bernick live.

Mr. Krap

Mr. Krap is the confidential clerk of Bernick. At first, we see him talking to Mrs. Aune. He was asked to pass a message to Aune to stop his Saturday lectures to the men. He was true and faithful to the master.

Later he reports to Bernick the way in which Aune got the American ship called Indian Girl was repaired. Aune patched up the ship, and it was sure to sink.

He advised Bernick to check the ship. But Bernick was happy when the inspection was over. Bernick was at a loss when he realised that his son was a stowaway in the ship.

The character of Mr. Krap is not given much importance.

Mr. Aune

Mr. Aune was the foreman of Mr. Bernick’s ship building yard. At first Mr. Bernick told him through Mr. Krap to stop his Saturday lectures to the workers. Mr. Aune believed that it was his duty to enlighten the workers about the harm done to the workers by the modern machines. He presented his case to Mr. Bernick. According to Bernick many copywriters lost their job when printing was introduced. Mr. Aune retorted and said that Mr. Bernick would not have felt that way had been a copywriter.

Bernick gave Aune the ultimatum. If the American ship called Indian Girl, was not ready for sail along with the Palm Tree. Mr. Aune would be dismissed. Mr. Aune took it seriously. He patched up the ship so that it would perish in the sea. Before the ship taken to the yard. Aune enquired Bernick whether he would be dismissed in case if the ship were not ready. Bernick repeated his threat. So Anue allowed the ship to go to the sea. When he came to know that Olaf, the son of Bernick was stowaway in the American ship he took his boat and went to the ship with Betty Bernick. He used Bernick’s good name to stop the sail of the ship and saved Olaf and the crew. He was very happy when he learns that he was not dismissed.

Mr. Aune is the representative of sulking employee under as overbearing chief. He resents the way of Bernick to sabotage his plans. He got a ready patched up ship to spite Bernick. Three generations of Aune had worked for Bernick.

Mr. Rorlund

Mr. Rorlund was a schoolmaster. Dine called him parson in the first act we see him reading gilt-edged book to the ladies. Mr. Rorlund is quite necessary for the plot. Mr. Rorlund’s hypocrisy was worse than Bernick’, because it was without any motivation.

His prudish morality and condensation in lifting a fallen woman’s child drove Dina crazy. So, she ran away to America to escape from him. He felt that he was a strong pillar of the Society. He was like a puritan. He always preached to Dina. His morality did not prevent him from loving Dina. He unnecessarily told Dina that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of her mother. Lona and Martha prevailed up on Dina, and she went to America to have her footing. Mr. Rorlund spoke to the crowd in praise of Mr. Bernick and other pillars of Society. So, in the end we find the pseudo pillar of Morality is exposed.

Explain Importance of IV Act.  (Or) Elucidate Circumstances that led to the confession of Bernick.

In the drama The Pillars of Society the most important act is IV Act. A huge gathering of citizens assembled in front of the house of Bernick to felicitate him for the railway project. Rummel and Vigeland made arrangement for it. Dine decided to go to America with Johan. At first, she wanted to make her footing and then to become the wife of Johan. She was fed up with prudish morality of the people.

Olaf escaped from the house to say goodbye to his uncle. Martha disclosed that she had been waiting for Johan returned but he showed no inclination to her. His eyes were on Dina. So, she is sacrificing nature of Martha is shown.

Bernick and Lona met; Lona enquired Bernick whether he was happy at that solemn movement. He said that he was a tool of the society. He told her that his wife was nothing to him. Lona told him that he was so because he failed to share his interests with her. She lived under the self-reproach for the shame. Bernick cast upon Johan.  So, Lona advised him to confess the guilt and make himself. Lona informed him that went to America with Dina. Dina was going to be the wife of Johan. In that way Dina was going to spoil the prudish morality.

Lona also informed Bernick that she was there not to take revenge. She came to know that the Bernick’s life was based on a lie. She wanted to blow some fresh air in the stuffy atmosphere of Bernick's life. She tore the letters given to her by Johan. It moved Bernick very much.

The procession of the citizen reached the house. Betty was not there. He learnt the Olaf was stowaway in the Indian Girl. Bernick felt that the illuminations were like candles in a dead room. At that time Betty Bernick reached there. She told him now Olaf was taken from the Indian Girl with the help of Aune.

Rorlund spoke very vociferously about Bernick. Bernick told the crowd he was selfish in his actions. He was the man who bought the lands. He also told them how he lived on a lie by abusing Johan. He admitted his guilt.

Betty was very happy, she felt that she won him. He allowed Olaf to grow up freely. Thus, Bernick confessed and was exonerated. But the confession is not convincing. Bernick believed that “women were the pillars of the Society”. Lona corrected him by saying that the “spirit of freedom and spirit of truth were the pillars of Society”.

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