Peer Gynt
by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Kenneth McLeish

The title character, based on a legendary Norwegian folk hero, is a rogue who is saved by the love of a woman.

Peer Gynt is a charming but arrogant peasant youth who leaves his widowed mother in order to seek his fortune.

Confident of success, he has one disastrous adventure after another.

In one, he attends the wedding of the wealthy young woman he himself might have married.

There he meets Solveig, who falls in love with him.

He impulsively abducts the bride from her wedding celebration and subsequently abandons her.

Peer Gynt embarks on a series of fantastic voyages around the world, finding wealth and fame but never happiness.

Finally, as an old, disillusioned man, he returns to Norway, where Solveig, ever faithful, welcomes him lovingly, and he is redeemed.