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The Pillars of Society (Theatre)

 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
type
TVTItem
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
label
The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
page
ThePillarsOfSociety
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
comment
The Pillars of Society is the second of Henrik Ibsen's "political" plays (the first one being The League of Youth, and the last one An Enemy of the People), written in 1877, kickstarting his string of "realistic" plays.This play tells the story of businessman and societal founder Carsten Bernick, and his endeavour as a part of the "founding elite" at the time. Bernick owns a shipyard, and has interests in industrial developments, a possible railway built to his town (he lobbies on the line of it, seeing to it that it does not interfere with his steamboat lines), and several other investments. Bernick is, by far, the wealthiest man in his society - a "pillar" of the first order.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })Problem is, he did not get his wealth by honorable means. When he started out, his family was close to bankruptcy, and he had to marry a wealty girl, Betty Tønnesen, to get on his feet. At the same time, her brother John and her half sister Lona migrated to the United States, and Bernick blamed the lousy book-keeping on John, seeing to it that he got off the hook himself. Problems rise when John and Lona returns, planning to stay. Lona Hessel is a Blithe Spirit, a free and independent woman ahead of her time, to great chagrin for the more moralistic wives in her home town. John is eager to settle things with Bernick, to get rid of the slander on his reputation. Problems arise when Bernick, for the sake of honor, denies him this right. There is also the question of Dina, a young prodigy he has fostered, daughter of a Madam Dorf, the woman Bernick discarded for the sake of Betty. Whether she is his daughter is anyone`s guess.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Then, there is the shipyard. Shipwright Aune, working for Bernick, is also a union man, debating with his fellow workers whether the use of new equipment will render them unemployed. Bernick puts him under pressure to make two ships ready on short notice, although Aune is aware that one of them, the "Indian Girl", bound for America, will go down because of some weaknesses in the hull. Bernick will not admit this, and matters get worse when this actual ship is the one that may carry Lona, John and possibly Dina back to the States (and possibly sink on the way). Thus, Bernick is in a moral dilemma, considering whether he shall live on a lie, or flag the truth. Lona urges him to "do the right thing".It has received several screen adaptations, including a 1916 American film that was one of the first features by Raoul Walsh, and a 1935 film from Germany directed by Douglas Sirk.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); })
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
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2021-06-28T13:41:43Z
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
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2021-06-28T13:41:43Z
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Miles Gloriosus
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Miles Gloriosus: Hilmar.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_18d15922
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Title Drop
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: Played with. The discussion on who or what is the "pillars of society" persists to the very end of the play.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_26d1f65f
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Verbal Tic
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_26d1f65f
comment
Verbal Tic: Hilmar Tønnesen, cousin of John and Lona, regularly ends his lines with an "ouch" ("Uff").
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_31da1e24
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Shipper on Deck
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_31da1e24
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Shipper on Deck: Lona is this on behalf of John and Dina.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_3db71fa8
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Blithe Spirit
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_3db71fa8
comment
Blithe Spirit: Lona Hessel, carefree, independent, an outsider, and a true chagrin to the married women in town.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4523420b
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Love Dodecahedron
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4523420b
comment
Love Dodecahedron: Karsten Bernick seems to have been infatuated with Lona Hessel at an early stage, while actually marrying her half sister Betty, all the while Lona may or may not have had feelings for his sister Marta, who also loved John, who ended up proposing to Dina who was betrothed to Rørlund - and Dina may be the illegitimate daughter of Bernick with yet another woman, madam Dorf.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4523420b
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4b32995a
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Friend-or-Idol Decision
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4b32995a
comment
Friend or Idol Decision: Tell the truth or not. Bernick has to decide whether his lie shall persist. And he has to decide on the issue of the Indian Girl, to save the lives of his relatives. To make matters worse, revealing the truth may lead to financial loss for him.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4c6205c5
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New Technology Is Evil
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4c6205c5
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New Technology is Evil: Discussed, because this new technology will put a number of shipyard workers out of employment.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4eaa9b84
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Author Tract
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_4eaa9b84
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Author Tract: Lona Hessel states the issues Ibsen has on his mind. You can see those issues surfacing again in his next play, A Doll's House.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_565106b3
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Women Are Wiser
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_565106b3
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Women Are Wiser: Lona Hessel is this trope.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_56de963d
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Working-Class People Are Morons
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_56de963d
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Working-Class People Are Morons: Rørlund, and to some extent Bernick, seems to think so.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_590eb583
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Domestic Abuse
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_590eb583
comment
Domestic Abuse: Bernick shows up with a stick, justifiyng why he had to beat his teenage son Olaf to compliance.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_590eb583
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_6056f853
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Homoerotic Subtext
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_6056f853
comment
Homoerotic Subtext: If you read the scene with Lona Hessel and Marta Bernick a certain way, it may seem that the two "old aunts" have some of it.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_617f0563
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Heel–Face Turn
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_617f0563
comment
Heel–Face Turn: Bernick has one at the end of the play, guided by Lona.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_73f8d546
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Working-Class Hero
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_73f8d546
comment
Working-Class Hero: Shipwright Aune is a union man, and speaks on behalf of his crew. Divided Loyalty between the other workers and the employer is commented upon. It has been discussed whether Ibsen actually developed this plotline thoroghly.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_7a17d1ca
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Eagleland
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_7a17d1ca
comment
Eagle Land: America is discussed as the "land of the free". Lona Hessel comes straight from there with John, and both Dina and Olaf, Bernicks son, wishes to go there. Being 1877, this is subverted compared to later standards though. The discussion of Moral Ambiguity on behalf of the United States is there as well. Lampshaded on a couple of occasions. First, the American sailors arrive, and is seen as a wild and uncouth gang of brutes by the locals. Later, The US office which ordered the Indian Girl demands it to be put to sea before it is finished, effectively dooming it to sink. Bernick almost snarks something about the American way of doing business.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_8b60a09b
type
Capitalism Is Bad
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_8b60a09b
comment
Capitalism Is Bad: To a point where Ibsen sets the subject of truth up against the need for profit. This play is his clearest statement in that respect.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
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Maiden Aunt
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_958f1f57
comment
Maiden Aunt: Marta Bernick, unmarried, tending to children and the sick.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9a3b7208
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The Needs of the Many
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9a3b7208
comment
The Needs of the Many: Discussed by Aune and Bernick. Bernick effectively uses this against Aune to make him do his will. The result - a possible loss of a ship with all hands.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9a3b7208
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9dfd7154
type
Fridge Logic
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9dfd7154
comment
Note that Status Quo is preserved at the end of the play, at least regarding society at large (while Dina has eloped to a freer life, and the shipwright complies to the new machinery). The only one to gain some insight, is Bernick himself. Does this mean another ironic twist from Ibsen?
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_9dfd7154
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_a6e8221e
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Status Quo Is God
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_a6e8221e
comment
Status Quo Is God: Bernick lives after this trope, and god forbid if anything should change. Note that Status Quo is preserved at the end of the play, at least regarding society at large (while Dina has eloped to a freer life, and the shipwright complies to the new machinery). The only one to gain some insight, is Bernick himself. Does this mean another ironic twist from Ibsen?
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_a6e8221e
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: Bernick gets it when he understands his son Olaf is a stowaway on the Indian Girl, while knowing the ship is jinxed.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_ad1db87c
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_b7e0c5ff
type
Love Triangle
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_b7e0c5ff
comment
Love Triangle: Dina Dorf is betrothed to the teacher Rørlund, but is in love with John Tønnesen, and elopes with him.
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_b7e0c5ff
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_b7e0c5ff
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_bb18a227
type
It's All About Me
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_bb18a227
comment
It's All About Me: Bernick to a point where the needs of society and his personal needs seem to overlap. He gets better.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_bb18a227
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: A subtle one for the Norwegian Politics. Bernick is called "the lever" in passing, being eager to make investments in the railroads, development of infrastructure and so on. "The lever" was also the nickname of the prime minister of Norway at the time, Frederik Stang, who eagerly pursued the same things. But, as Ibsen points out, tensions brewed beneath the surface, both for Bernick and for Stang. The dialogue between Bernick and Aune reveals that Ibsen had read himself up on Karl Marx at this point. Das Kapital had been published ten years before this play.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c8d6d621
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I Will Wait for You
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c8d6d621
comment
I Will Wait for You: Marta waited unselfishly for John to return, only to find that he had "remained young" while she had gotten older. She gives him up to Dina, and is left with - Lona.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c9597a03
type
Self-Deprecation
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_c9597a03
comment
Self-Deprecation: Lona Hessel cannot help herself at times, mostly referring to her age.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_d0c13631
type
Mrs. Robinson
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_d0c13631
comment
Mrs. Robinson: Lona towards John in a non-erotic way, calling him "the boy" a number of times. When time is ripe, she gladly gives him away to Dina.
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_d0c13631
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_deecc9eb
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Awful Wedded Life
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_deecc9eb
comment
Awful Wedded Life: Karsten Bernick to Betty. They do have a son, though. It may be subverted, as Betty actually seems to love her husband (but Bernick may have loved madam Dorf even more). It turns out Bernick married Betty for her inherited money - dumping Lona.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_e303d198
type
Whole-Plot Reference
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_e303d198
comment
Whole Plot Reference: John Gabriel Borkman. Borkman is an expy of Bernick, only a lot older, living with a son who elopes. Erhart Borkman expies both Olaf and John, while Lona is expied in Fanny Wilton, who is willing to give Erhart away to a younger girl - Frida (expying Dina). Even Borkman`s wife Gunhild and her sister is parallelled by Betty and Lona respectively.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_eb81c601
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Big Damn Heroes
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_eb81c601
comment
Big Damn Heroes: Shipwright Aune intervened just in time to save Olaf Bernick from going down with the Indian Girl, and saw to it that the ship was kept in dock to be repaired.
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 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
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Happy Ending
 The Pillars of Society (Theatre) / int_fec2b522
comment
Happy Ending: The last play written by Ibsen to end on a lighter note.
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Pillars of Society (Theatre)
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Blithe Spirit / int_f7535530
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 John Gabriel Borkman (Theatre)
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The Pillars of Society (Theatre)