Short-Stories | Page 7

dramatist, orator, and political leader, was born December 8, 1832, and died in Paris, April 26, 1910. From his strenuous father, a Lutheran priest who preached with tongue and fist, he inherited the physique of a Norse god. He possessed the mind of a poet and the arm of a warrior. At the age of twelve he was sent to the Molde grammar school, where he proved himself a very dull student. In 1852 ho entered the university in Christiana. Here he neglected his studies to write poetry and journalistic articles.
In politics Bj?rnson was a tremendous force. Dr. Brandes has said; "To speak the name of Bj?rnson is like hoisting the colors of Norway." He was honored as a king in his native land. He won this recognition by no party affiliation, but by his natural gifts as a poet. His magnetic eloquence, great message, and sterling character compelled his countrymen to follow and honor him. He says of his success in this field: "The secret with me is that in success as in failure, in the consciousness of my doing as in my habits, I am myself. There are a great many who dare not, or lack the ability, to be themselves." For his views on political issues the following references may well be used: Independent. January 31, 1901, pp. 253-257; _Current Literature_, November, 1906, p. 581; and _Independent_, July 13, 1905, pp. 92-94.
Bj?rnson and Ibsen, the two foremost men of Norway, were very closely associated throughout life. They were schoolmates, and both were interested in writing and producing plays. Ibsen's son, Dr. Sigurd Ibsen, married Bj?rnson's daughter, Bergilot. These two great writers were direct contrasts in nearly everything: Bj?rnson lived among his people, Ibsen was reserved; Bj?rnson played the r?le of an optimistic prophet, Ibsen, that of a pessimistic judge; the former was always a conciliatory spirit, the latter a revolutionist; and Bj?rnson proved himself a patriotic Norwegian, Ibsen, a man of the entire world.
Lack of space forbids the inclusion of a list of Bj?rnson's writing's. High school teachers will find suitable selections in the list of collateral readings that follows. Those who wish a complete bibliography of his works will find it in _Bookman_, Volume II, p. 65. Translations of his works by Rasmus B. Anderson, Houghton Mifflin Co., and Edmund Gosse, the Macmillan Co., will furnish students extensive and standard readings of this master story-teller.
CRITICISMS
Bj?rnson, in his masterly character delineations, seldom produces portraits. He gives the reader suggestive glimpses often enough and of the right quality and arrangement to produce a full and vigorous conception of his characters. His female parts are especially well done. His characters present themselves to the reader by unique thinking and choice expressions. Students should analyze The Father for this phase of character building. Note also the simplicity of the words, sentences, paragraphs, and complete story arrangement, the author's originality of story conception and expression, his short, passionate, panting sentences, the poetic atmosphere that sweetens and enriches his virile writing, and the correct, religious pictures he paints of his beloved northland.
After having read a number of selections from Bj?rnson, students will see that he has a wonderful breadth of treatment for every imaginable subject. He is so universal in his choice of subjects that Lema?tre in his Impressions of the Theatre half-humorously and half-ironically puts these words in Bj?rnson's mouth, "I am king in the spiritual kingdom," and "there are two men in Europe who have genius, I and Ibsen, granting that Ibsen has it."
GENERAL REFERENCES
_Adventures in Criticism_, A.T.Q. Couch.
_Essays on Modern Novelists_, William Lyon Phelps.
"Bj?rnsoniana," _Dial_, January 16, 1903, pp. 37-38.
"Prophet-Poet of Norway," _Cosmopolitan_, April, 1903, pp. 621-631.
"Three Score and Ten," _Dial_, December, 1902, pp. 383-385.
COLLATERAL READINGS
_Lectures_, Volume I, John L. Stoddard.
_The Making of an American_,

Chapters
1, 7, and Jacob Riis.
Myths of Northern Lands. Guerber.
_Synnove Solbakken_, Bj?rnson.
_A Happy Boy_, Bj?rnson.
_The Fisher Maiden_, Bj?rnson.
_The Bridal March_, Bj?rnson.
_Magnhild_, Bj?rnson.
_A Dangerous Wooing_, Bj?rnson.
_The Eagle's Nest_, Bj?rnson.
_The Bear Hunter_, Bj?rnson.
_Master and Man_, Leo Tolstoi.
_The Doll's House_, Henrik Ibsen.
_The Minister's Black Veil_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Ambitious Guest_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Beeman of Orn_, Frank R. Stockton.
_A Branch Road_, Hamlin Garland.
_Mateo Falcone_, Prosper Mérimée.
_The Death of the Dauphin_, Alphonse Dadoed.
_The Birds' Christmas Carol_, Kate Douglas Wiggin.
_Tennessee's Partner_, Bret Harte.

THE GRIFFIN AND THE MINOR CANAAN[1]
_By Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902)_
Over the great door of an old, old church which stood in a quiet town of a far-away land there was carved in stone the figure of a large griffin. The old-time sculptor had done his work with great care, but the image he had made was not a pleasant one to look at. It had a large head, with enormous open mouth and savage teeth; from its back arose great wings, armed with sharp hooks and prongs; it had stout legs in front, with projecting claws; but there were no legs