Solness says to Hilda, 'And both our little boys, they-- [Clenching his hands.]--they--oh!' Whereas Aline Solness remarks, 'Oh, yes, the boys. But, you see, that was a thing apart. That was a dispensation of Providence; and in such things one can only bow in submission--yes, and be thankful, too.' and then, 'We ought to feel nothing but joy in thinking of them'.
What exactly is it that has long alienated Aline from her husband, and how does his death set it right at the end?
As you know I do not agree completely with your view that is death set things right at the end.
But the thing which alienates him from his wife is the fact he feels that he had to sacrifice her chance to be a mother, and have a real home and family, for his art as a builder to soar.
He believes the death of the children is what enabled him to make houses for other people to live in, all the while knowing he will never have a home like that of his own, and knowing if he did, he would not be able to build them for others.
In his view, his wife's gift as that of being able to build lives in her children, but she had to give that up for him. Though it was not a conscious act.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. ~ Edgar Allan Poe
If I am right, foremost among those things death sets right at the end, must be the impasse between Solness and his wife.
You sum up Solness’ perspective on the twins correctly. He ‘feels that he had to sacrifice her chance to be a mother…for his art as a builder to soar’ and ‘the death of the children is what enabled him to make houses for other people to live in…his wife's gift as that of being able to build lives in her children, but [unconsciously] she had to give that up for him.’
For me there are blatant parallels between Aline Solness as wife and Nora in ‘The Dolls House’, Gina Ekdal in ‘The Wild Duck’, Mrs Elvsted in ‘Hedda Gabler’, and Ellida Wangel in ‘The Lady from the Sea’. Ibsen is profoundly sceptical of male rationalisations about the motives and feelings of his female characters. For twelve long, long years Aline Solness has not shared her husband’s interpretation of either the house fire or the death of the two infants.
Early in Act 3, she has a heart-to-heart with Hilda on this matter. What is your understanding of how Aline Solness views the death of the twins?
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