Henrik Ibsen

1828 - 1906 *

playwright; his works challenged the operation of his contemporary European society and revolutionised drama.

Ibsen's plays contained ideas ahead of their time. In A Doll's House, women's emancipation was championed; in Ghosts, peoples' inability to escape their past was explored and in Hedda Gabler the pressures of society on bourgeoisie women of the time are examined.

His plays were realistic, but made use of symbolism to convey their themes.

          Source: Classics Network Editorial Team

Norwegian playwright, one of "the four great ones" with Alexander Kielland, Jonas Lie and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson of the 19th-century Norwegian literature. Ibsen is generally acknowledged as the founder of modern prose drama. He moved away from the Romantic style, unmasking the romantic hero, and brought the problems and ideas of the day onto his stage.
"... And what does it mean, then to be a poet? It was a long time before I realized that to be a poet means essentially to see, but mark well, to see in such a way that whatever is seen is perceived by the audience just as the poet ... [read entire biography]

          Source: Petri Liukkonen

IBSEN, HENRIK (1828—1906), Norwegian dramatic and lyric poet, eldest son of Knud Henriksen Ibsen, a merchant, and of his wife Marichen Cornelia Altenburg, was born at Skien on the 20th of March 1828. For five generations the family had consisted on the father’s side of a blending of the Danish, German and Scottish races, with no intermixture of pure Norwegian. In 1836 Knud Ibsen became insolvent, and the family withdrew, in great poverty, to a cottage in the outskirts of the town. After brief sc... [read entire biography]

          Source: Public Domain

These essays offer analysis of the author's life and works. Many of them have been submitted by users, and are assigned an Editorial Rating on a scale from one to five stars to assist you in evaluating their worth. See also: Note on Essays, Editorial Policy.

     

Personal Versus Social/Political in Enemy of the People -- An analysis of the tension between the social and personal in Ibsen's 'Enemy of the People.'
By Mark Enston, Undergraduate Student	Editorial Rating:

Class can Cause or Complicate the Levels of Deceit. -- Year 12 Lit essay. Question: Class is a category of social organisation that often reflects a time and place. Often this issue gives a play it’s meaning. In Ghosts, by Ibsen, the levels of deceit are complicated or indeed initiated by this category.
By Zachary Whitely, High School Student	Editorial Rating:

The Significance of the Title in Ibsen's Ghosts -- The title of Ibsen's Ghosts is a signpost for the meaning of the text.
By Selchie, High School Student	Editorial Rating:

Significance of Mrs. Alving’s choices in Ghosts -- The choices made by Helena Alving, the central character of Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen define her as they reflect her personality and dispositions. She can be easily understood in terms of the choices that she makes as she abides by societal norms
By jessi bites, Student	Editorial Rating:

The effect society has on the characters in "Ghosts" -- In Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, the society portrayed enforces stereotypes to such a degree that all individuality is suppressed and characters are forced to conform to stereotypes or be shunned and deemed unacceptable
By jessi bites, Student	Editorial Rating:

Nora as a Doll -- Critically examines the character of Nora in A Doll's House, arguing she is more sinned against than sinning.
By tatiLennon,	Editorial Rating:

     

Miscellaneous

		Information you can find on the Ibsen Pages -- descriptive histroical piece on placesand writings http://www.ibsen.net/ Editorial Rating: Number of Visitors: 857 5 users have rated it an average of 2.6 stars     [rate it]

     

Only the spirit of rebellion craves for happiness in this life. What right have we human beings to happiness? -- Ghosts.

Henrik Ibsen

What we have inherited from our fathers and mothers is not all that ‘walks in us.' There are all sorts of dead ideas and lifeless old beliefs. They have no tangibility, but they haunt us all the same and we can not get rid of them. Whenever I take up a newspaper I seem to see Ghosts gliding between the lines. Ghosts must be all over the country, as thick as the sands of the sea. -- Ghosts.

Henrik Ibsen

One should never put on one's best trousers to go out in to fight for freedom. -- The Enemy of the People.

Henrik Ibsen

Additional searches

Ibsen at Encarta Encyclopedia

Ibsen at Britannica Encyclopedia

Ibsen at Xrefer.com