Peer Gynt – Synopsis

Act I

Peer Gynt is a dreamer and lovable rogue, well-known in the village for his unbelievable stories.
Arriving at his mother's humble farm, he is berated for wasting his time. His response is to sit her on
the roof of their small house. The villagers are on their way to the wedding of Mads Moen and the
pretty Ingrid. Peer gatecrashes the wedding where he meets Solveig and they fall in love at first
sight. When the village youths tease Peer, he seizes the not-unwilling Ingrid and runs away to the
mountains.

Quickly losing interest in Ingrid, Peer is found by three trolls disguised as shepherdesses. The troll
Princess leads him to the troll King who proposes a marriage with his daughter. When Peer realises
the implications of this, he tries to flee. He is caught by the trolls but is saved by the church bells
which herald the approaching dawn. Peer believes he is alone, but he has to fight again - this time
against a monstrous, invisible troll known as the Great Boyg. He manages to escape and builds
himself a house in the woods. Solveig appears, having left everything to join Peer.

Just as it seems that Peer’s luck is improving, the troll Princess reappears, bringing a child which she
claims is his. Peer feels his mother calling and returns home to find her dying. His storytelling helps her
to die in peace.

Peer decides to flee from Norway.

Act II

After travelling the world for many years, making his fortune by slave-trading, Peer is received by a
rich Sultan in North Africa. The sultan has many wives but it is his favourite, Anitra, who fascinates
Peer. He flirts with her, is caught out, and must flee again. Anitra accompanies him but robs him of all
his money while he sleeps.

Peer finds himself in the desert where he meets Dr Begriffenfeldt and the inmates of an asylum who
want Peer to become their king.

He escapes and after surviving a wild storm at sea, returns to Norway where he meets a sinister figure
in black.

Returning to his village, Peer meets a funeral procession and again the strange figure in black. It is
the Button-Moulder, a collector of "wasted souls" in Norwegian legend. As Peer has achieved nothing
with his life, he is to be melted into a button – a nothing.

Peer finds Solveig, now old and almost blind but still waiting for him. He realises that he has wasted
his life in the search for superficial pleasures and has not recognised his chance for real happiness.
The Button-Moulder appears again, but Solveig's love saves Peer from his fate. His life has been
made worthy by the faith and love of another.