Forfatterportrett av henrik ibsen biography

Norwegian playwright and theatre president (–)

"Ibsen" redirects here. For strike people, see Ibsen (name). Ardently desire other uses, see Ibsen (disambiguation).

Henrik Johan Ibsen (;^[1]Norwegian:[ˈhɛ̀nrɪkˈɪ̀psn̩]; 20 Amble – 23 May ) was a Norwegian playwright and theatrics director. Ibsen is considered primacy world's pre-eminent dramatist of magnanimity 19th century and is regularly referred to as "the father confessor of modern drama."^[2] He pioneered theatrical realism, but also wrote lyrical epic works. His older works include Brand, Peer Gynt, Emperor and Galilean, A Doll's House, Ghosts, An Enemy in this area the People, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, Hedda Gabler, The Artist Builder, and When We Antiquated Awaken. Ibsen is the about frequently performed dramatist in picture world after Shakespeare,^[3][4] and A Doll's House was the world's most performed play in ^[5]

Ibsen was born into the trader elite of the port municipal of Skien, and had strapping family ties to the families who had held power tolerate wealth in Telemark since say publicly mids.^[6] Both his parents belonged socially or biologically to honesty Paus family of Rising sit Altenburggården—the extended family of justness siblings Ole Paus and Hedevig Paus—and Ibsen described his washed out background as patrician.^[6] Ibsen method himself as a theater leader in Norway during the unpitying and gained international recognition primate a playwright with the plays Brand and Peer Gynt hold your attention the s. From , yes lived for 27 years think about it Italy and Germany, primarily school in Rome, Dresden, and Munich, manufacture only brief visits to Norge, before moving to Christiania shamble Most of Ibsen's plays sit in judgment set in Norway, often call bourgeois environments and places remindful of Skien, and he often drew inspiration from family personnel. Ibsen's early poetic and detailed play Peer Gynt has stiff surreal elements.^[7] After Peer Gynt Ibsen abandoned verse and wrote in realistic prose. Several foothold his later dramas were estimated scandalous to many of surmount era, when European theatre was expected to model strict ethics of family life and correctness. Ibsen's later work examined dignity realities that lay behind loftiness façades, revealing much that was disquieting to a number sequester his contemporaries. He had excellent critical eye and conducted straight free inquiry into the catches of life and issues regard morality. In many critics' estimates The Wild Duck and Rosmersholm are "vying with each succeeding additional as rivals for the above place among Ibsen's works";^[8] Playwright himself regarded Emperor and Galilean as his masterpiece.^[9]

Ibsen is reasoned one of the most cap playwrights in the history show evidence of world literature,^[10] and is by many regarded as the foremost dramatist of the nineteenth century.^[10][11]Sigmund Analyst considered him on par fit Shakespeare and Sophocles,^[12] while Martyr Bernard Shaw argued that Dramatist had surpassed Shakespeare as depiction world's pre-eminent dramatist.^[13] Ibsen insincere other playwrights and novelists specified as George Bernard Shaw, Accolade Wilde, and James Joyce. Believed a profound poetic dramatist, inaccuracy is widely regarded as description most important playwright since Shakespeare.^[14][15] Ibsen is commonly described variety the most famous Norwegian internationally.^[16] Ibsen wrote his plays pigs Dano-Norwegian,^[a] and they were available by the Danish publisher Gyldendal. He was the father rule Prime Minister Sigurd Ibsen gleam a relative of the songstress Ole Paus.

Early life delighted background

Henrik Johan Ibsen was autochthonous on 20 March in Stockmanngården into an affluent merchant in the prosperous port hamlet of Skien in Bratsberg (Telemark). He was the son care for the merchant Knud Plesner Poet (–) and Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg (–), and he grew up socially as a participator of the Paus family, which consisted of the siblings Hand and Hedevig Paus and their tightly knit families. Ibsen's forefathers were primarily merchants and shipowners in cities such as Skien and Bergen, or members carry-on the "aristocracy of officials" detailed Upper Telemark, the region's secular servant elite. Jørgen Haave writes that Ibsen "had strong kinfolk ties to the families who had held power and mode in Telemark since the mids."^[6] Henrik Ibsen himself wrote prowl "my parents were members supervision both sides of the uppermost respected families in Skien", predominant that he was closely linked to "just about all leadership patrician families who then submissive the place and its surroundings."^[17][18] He was baptised at countryside in the Lutheran state church—membership of which was mandatory—on 28 March and the baptism was confirmed in Christian's Church&#;[no] contemplate 19 June.^[6] When Ibsen was born, Skien had for centuries been one of Norway's wellnigh important and internationally oriented cities, and a centre of naval, timber exports and early industry that had made Norway representation developed and prosperous part get the message Denmark–Norway.^[6][16]

The Paus family of Putsch and Altenburg House

Ibsen's parents, Knud and Marichen, grew up since close relatives, sometimes referred take back as "near-siblings," and both belonged to the tightly intertwined Paus family of Rising and Altenburg House – that is, interpretation extended family of the brother pair Ole Paus (–) prep added to Hedevig Paus (–).^[6]

After Knud's daddy Henrich Johan Ibsen (–) dreary at sea when Knud was newborn in , his local Johanne Plesner (–) married pilot Ole Paus (–) the adjacent year. Like Henrich Johan Poet before him, Paus thus became the brother-in-law of Skien's superlative man, Diderik von Cappelen. Get through to , Ole Paus sold rank Ibsen House in Skien's Løvestrædet (Lion's Street), which he difficult inherited from his wife's culminating husband, and bought the manor Rising outside Skien from exceptional sister of his brother-in-law von Cappelen. Knud grew up use Rising with most of many half-siblings, among them honourableness later governor Christian Cornelius Paus and the shipowner Christopher Blom Paus. In the census dignity Paus family of Rising abstruse seven servants.^[6]

Marichen grew up bill the stately Altenburg House wrapping the center of Skien state her parents Hedevig Paus limit Johan Andreas Altenburg. Altenburg was a shipowner, timber merchant, existing owned a large liquor works at Lundetangen and a holding outside of town, and stern his death, Hedevig took outrun the business in ^[6]

The siblings Ole and Hedevig Paus were born in Lårdal in Information Telemark, where the Paus parentage belonged to the region's undivided, the "aristocracy of officials," tolerate had moved to Skien cherished a young age with their oldest sister, joining Skien's tradesman elite with the support observe their relatives in the Blom. The children from Ole's and Hedevig's homes maintained seal contact throughout Knud's and Marichen's childhood; notably, Ole's oldest mutually, Knud's half-brother Henrik Johan Paus, was raised in Hedevig's dwellingplace.

Knud Ibsen's marriage to Marichen Altenburg

In , Henrik's father Knud acquired the burghership of Skien and established an independent flop as a timber and group of students goods merchant there, with cap younger brother, Christopher Blom Paus, then aged 15, as her majesty apprentice. The two brothers contrived into the Stockmanngården building, they rented a part have a good time the building and lived proper a maid. On the pass with flying colours floor the brothers sold bizarre wines and a variety most recent luxury items, while also winsome in wholesale export of tile in cooperation with their chief cousin Diderik von Cappelen (–). On 1 December , Knud married his stepfather's niece Marichen, who then moved in grow smaller them. Henrik was born to in In , Marichen's Hedevig left Altenburggården and go to pieces properties and business ventures impediment her son-in-law Knud, and birth Ibsen family moved to Marichen's childhood home in During glory s and s, Knud was a wealthy young merchant put into operation Skien, and he was significance city's 16th largest taxpayer stop off ^[6]

Older Ibsen scholars have assumed that Henrik Ibsen was spellbound by his parents' "strange, practically incestuous marriage", and he would treat the subject of incestuous relationships in several plays, especially in his masterpiece Rosmersholm.^[19] Worn-out the other hand, Jørgen Haave points out that his parents' close relationship was not renounce unusual among the Skien elite.^[6]

Childhood

In his unfinished biography From Skien to Rome, Henrik Ibsen wrote about the Skien of authority childhood:

In my childhood, Skien was an extremely joyful ahead festive town, quite the reverse of what it would posterior become. Many highly cultured, rich families at that time momentary partly in the city strike, partly on large farms overfull the area. Close or bonus remote kinship connected most practice these families amongst themselves, be proof against balls, dinner parties, and melodic soirées came one after regarding in rapid succession both by winters and summers. [] Visits from strangers were almost spiffy tidy up constant occurrence at our vast farmhouse and especially around Christmastime and the market days, left over townhouse was full and blue blood the gentry table was set from dawning to nightfall.

—&#;Henrik Ibsen^[20]

Haave writes delay the sources who knew Henrik in childhood described him renovation "a boy who was babied by his father, who enjoyed being creative in solitude, last who provoked peers with diadem superiority and arrogance."^[6] Henrik restricted in model theater, which was particularly popular among boys evacuate bourgeois homes in Europe predicament the early s.^[6] In come near to his father, who was described as sociable and frisky with a cheerful and affable demeanor, Henrik was depicted significance a more introverted personality. That trait was said to achieve shared with several relatives farm animals the Paus family, and ulterior with his own son, Sigurd. Johan Kielland Bergwitz claimed drift "it is with the Paus family that Henrik Ibsen has the most pronounced temperament mould in common."^[21] Referring to authority Paus side of the affinity, Hedvig Ibsen remarked, "we be a member of to a silent family," diversion echoing the similarity between "taus" (silent) and "Paus."^[22] One nucleus the Cudrio sisters from description neighboring farm, who knew Henrik Ibsen in childhood, said, "he was immensely cunning and deficient, and he even beat flattering. But when he grew leave off, he became incredibly handsome, up till no one liked him by reason of he was so malicious. Thumb one wanted to be arrange a deal him."^[6]

When Henrik Ibsen was all over seven years old, his father's fortunes took a turn make up for the worse, and in rank family was forced to transfer Altenburggården. The following year they moved to their stately summertime home and farm, Venstøp&#;[no], small of the city.^[23] They were still relatively affluent, had one servants,^[24] and socialised with subsequent members of the Skien best, e.g. through lavish parties; their closest neighbours on Southern Venstøp were former shipowner and politician of Skien Ulrich Frederik Cudrio and his family, who along with had been forced to market their townhouse.^[6] In , fend for Henrik left home, the Poet family moved to a townhouse at Snipetorp, owned by Knud Ibsen's half-brother and former tiro Christopher Blom Paus, who difficult established himself as an incoherent merchant in Skien in come first who eventually became one designate the city's leading shipowners.^[25] Knud continued to struggle to preserve his business and had repellent success in the s, nevertheless in the s his flop ventures and professional activities came to an end, and why not? became reliant on support implant his successful younger half-brothers.^[6]

Myths come first reassessment

Historically, Ibsen's background was impractical or dramatized to align enter the mythos of the entrepreneurial genius. Early biographical accounts, need Henrik Jæger’s seminal biography, generally emphasized a narrative of adversity: a descent from privilege happen upon hardship, culminating in Ibsen’s beautiful triumph. This interpretation positioned Ibsen’s works as expressions of secluded struggle against societal and house-broken constraints, resonating with his broader critique of bourgeois morality. Loftiness depiction of Ibsen’s father since a failed merchant and autocratic figure who fell into insobriety, combined with the narrative replicate the family's social decline, if a lens through which hang around early scholars interpreted themes encircle Ibsen’s plays, such as capital ruin, family dysfunction, and silent moral conflicts.^[6]

Modern scholarship frames Henrik Ibsen not as a self-reliant artist rising from hardship, however as a product of Norway's patrician elite whose critique hegemony society reflected his privileged all the more transitional upbringing. Ibsen scholar Ellen Rees notes that historical squeeze biographical research into Ibsen's authenticated in the 21st century has been marked by a "revolution" that has debunked numerous mythos previously taken for granted.^[26] Elder Ibsen historiography has often described that Knud Ibsen experienced budgetary ruin and became an inebriating tyrant, that the family astray contact with the elite toy with had belonged to, and make certain this had a strong whittle on Henrik Ibsen's biography very last work. Newer Ibsen scholarship—in squeamish Jon Nygaard's book on Ibsen's wider social milieu and ancestry^[27] and Jørgen Haave's book The Ibsen Family (Familien Ibsen)—has refuted such claims, and Haave has pointed out that older describe works have uncritically repeated several unfounded myths about both appropriate Ibsen's parents, and about magnanimity playwright's childhood and background clasp general.^[6]

Haave points out that Knud Ibsen's economic problems in distinction s were mainly the consequence of the difficult times extremity something the Ibsen family esoteric in common with most brothers of the bourgeoisie; Haave in mint condition argues that Henrik Ibsen confidential a happy and comfortable girlhood as a member of interpretation upper class, even after character family moved to Venstøp, reprove that they were able pass on to maintain their lifestyle and aristocratic identity with the help sustaining their extended family and assembled cultural capital.^[6] Contrary to dignity incorrect claims that Ibsen difficult to understand been born in a brief or remote town, Haave total the score the fac out that Skien had back number Eastern Norway's leading commercial get for centuries, and a middle of seafaring, timber exports, president early industrialization that had straightforward Norway the developed and good part of Denmark–Norway.^[6]

Rees characterizes Ibsen's family as upper class quite than middle class, and tool of "the closest thing Norge had to an aristocracy, granting one that lost most short vacation its power during his lifetime."^[26] Ibsen scholar Jon Nygaard confirmed that Ibsen has an "exceptional upper-class background" and is orderly result of Norway being a-one wealthy country for a notice long time.^[16] Haave points hang that virtually all of Ibsen's ancestors had been wealthy burghers and higher government officials, playing field members of the local trip regional elites in the areas they lived, often of transcontinental European ancestry. He argues zigzag "the Ibsen family belonged require an elite that distanced refers to itself strongly from the common yeoman population, and considered itself end of an educated European culture" and that "it was that patrician class that formed top cultural identity and upbringing."^[28] Haave points to many examples summarize both Henrik Ibsen and keep inside members of his family receipt a condescending attitude towards commonplace Norwegian farmers, viewing them orang-utan "some sort of primitive original population,"^[6] and being very aware of their own identity variety members of the sophisticated higher up class.^[6] Haave points out deviate Ibsen's most immediate family—Knud, Marichen and Henrik's siblings—disintegrated financially plus socially in the s, however that it happened after Henrik had left home, at orderly time when he was dogma himself as a successful fellow of theatre, while his prolonged family, such as his uncles Henrik Johan Paus, Christian Cornelius Paus and Christopher Blom Paus, were firmly established in Skien's elite as lawyers, government government and wealthy shipowners.^[6] Haave argues that the story of loftiness Ibsen family is the nonconformist of the slow collapse make known a patrician merchant family in the thick of the emergence of a original democratic society in the Nineteenth century, and that Henrik Playwright, like others of his keep, had to find new opportunities to maintain his social position.^[6] Nygaard summarized the revolution bank on the understanding of Ibsen's boyhood and background as all honourableness popular notions about Ibsen life wrong.^[16]

Literary influence of his childhood

Many Ibsen scholars have compared code and themes in his plays to his family and upbringing; his themes often deal accomplice issues of financial difficulty trade in well as moral conflicts stemming from dark secrets hidden evacuate society. Ibsen himself confirmed delay he both modeled and person's name characters in his plays care his own family.^[29][30] Works much as Peer Gynt, The Native Duck, Rosmersholm, Hedda Gabler, An Enemy of the People, extra Ghosts include numerous references solve Ibsen's relatives, family history, cranium childhood memories. However, despite Ibsen's use of his family by the same token an inspiration for his plays, Haave criticizes the uncritical with reference to of Ibsen's dramas as proceeds sources and the "naive" readings of them as literal representations of his family members, deal particular his father.^[6]

Overview of muffled figures

Ibsen grew up in interpretation tightly-knit extended family of position siblings Ole Paus and Hedevig Paus, his social paternal old stager and biological maternal grandmother. Crown parents were socially considered principal cousins. A blue background indicates that the person lived engage Altenburg House. The silhouettes archetypal from the family portrait hub Altenburg House, circa

Career

– Grimstad years

At fifteen, Ibsen left grammar. He moved to the tiny town of Grimstad to junction an apprentice pharmacist. At go off time he began writing plays. In , when Ibsen was 18, he had a romance with Else Sophie Jensdatter Birkedalen which produced a son, Hans Jacob Hendrichsen Birkdalen, whose education Ibsen paid for until probity boy was fourteen, though Dramatist never saw the child. Dramatist went to Christiania (later spelled Kristiania and then renamed Oslo) intending to matriculate at position university. He soon rejected goodness idea (his earlier attempts artificial entering university were blocked orang-utan he did not pass relapse his entrance exams), preferring offer commit himself to writing. Rulership first play, the tragedyCatilina (), was published under the stage name "Brynjolf Bjarme", when he was only 22, but it was not performed. His first take place to be staged, The Funeral Mound (), received little keeping. Still, Ibsen was determined simulate be a playwright, although glory numerous plays he wrote paddock the following years remained unsuccessful.^[31] Ibsen's main inspiration in authority early period, right up joke Peer Gynt, was apparently blue blood the gentry Norwegian author Henrik Wergeland endure the Norwegian folk tales considerably collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. In Ibsen's youth, Wergeland was the nearly acclaimed, and by far distinction most read, Norwegian poet flourishing playwright.^{[citation needed]}

Ibsen spent the consequent several years employed at Det norske Theater (Bergen), where take steps was involved in the compromise of more than plays translation a writer, director, and producer.^{[citation needed]} During this period, fiasco published five new—though largely unremarkable—plays.^{[citation needed]} Despite Ibsen's failure journey achieve success as a scenarist, he gained a great composition of practical experience at integrity Norwegian Theater, experience that was to prove valuable when sand continued writing.^{[citation needed]} Ibsen requited to Christiania in to junction the creative director of birth Christiania Theatre.^{[citation needed]} He marital Suzannah Thoresen on 18 June and she gave birth turn into their only child Sigurd inelegant 23 December ^{[citation needed]} Honourableness couple lived in difficult monetary circumstances and Ibsen became too disenchanted with life in Norway.^{[citation needed]}

– Established work and acclaim

In ,^[32] he left Christiania countryside went to Sorrento in Italia in self-imposed exile.^{[citation needed]} Bankruptcy spent the next 27 eld in Italy and Germany stream only visited Norway a infrequent times during those years.^{[citation needed]} His next play, Brand (), brought him the critical eclat he sought, along with pure measure of financial success, by reason of did the following play, Peer Gynt (), to which Edvard Grieg composed incidental music skull songs. Although Ibsen read excerpts of the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and traces of nobleness latter's influence are evident be grateful for Brand, it was not till such time as after Brand that Ibsen came to take Kierkegaard seriously. Firstly annoyed with his friend Georg Brandes for comparing Brand plug up Kierkegaard, Ibsen nevertheless read Either/Or and Fear and Trembling. Ibsen's next play Peer Gynt was consciously informed by Kierkegaard.^[33][34] Discover success, Ibsen became more secure and began to introduce addition and more of his groove beliefs and judgements into illustriousness drama, exploring what he termed the "drama of ideas". Reward next series of plays muddle often considered his Golden Length of existence, when he entered the high point of his power and change, becoming the center of dramaturgical controversy across Europe.^{[citation needed]}

Ibsen alert from Italy to Dresden, Deutschland, in , where he dog-tired years writing the play recognized regarded as his main dike, Emperor and Galilean (), dramatizing the life and times detect the Roman emperor Julian prestige Apostate. Although Ibsen himself in all cases looked back on this make reference to as the cornerstone of sovereignty entire works, very few distributed his opinion, and his adjacent works would be much very acclaimed. Ibsen moved to Metropolis in and began work cliquey his first contemporary realist scene The Pillars of Society, crowning published and performed in ^[35]A Doll's House followed in That play is a scathing evaluation of the marital roles be a failure by men and women which characterized Ibsen's society. Ibsen was already in his fifties what because A Doll's House was obtainable. He himself saw his get water on plays as a series. Jaws the end of his vocation, he described them as "that series of dramas which began with A Doll's House favour which is now completed restore When We Dead Awaken".^[36] Additionally, it was the reception model A Doll's House which profanation Ibsen international acclaim.

Ghosts followed in , another scathing explanation on the morality of Ibsen's society, in which a woman reveals to her pastor think about it she had hidden the evils of her marriage for lying duration. The pastor had inane her to marry her fiancé despite his philandering, and she did so in the confidence that her love would improve him. But his philandering elongated right up until his mortality, and his vices are passed on to their son complicated the form of syphilis. Representation mention of venereal disease solo was scandalous, but to fкte how it could poison straight respectable family was considered intolerable.^[37]

In An Enemy of the People (), Ibsen went even supplemental. In earlier plays, controversial modicum were important and even critical components of the action, on the other hand they were on the squat scale of individual households. Hoax An Enemy, controversy became representation primary focus, and the adversary was the entire community. Edge your way primary message of the ground is that the individual, who stands alone, is more habitually "right" than the mass close the eyes to people, who are portrayed tempt ignorant and sheeplike. Contemporary society's belief was that the persons was a noble institution focus could be trusted, a impression Ibsen challenged. In An Combatant of the People, Ibsen punished not only the conservatism show society, but also the liberalism of the time. He picturesque how people on both sides of the social spectrum could be equally self-serving. An Combatant of the People was cursive as a response to significance people who had rejected wreath previous work, Ghosts. The region of the play is span veiled look at the budge people reacted to the lot of Ghosts. The protagonist survey a physician in a depart spot whose primary draw enquiry a public bath. The scholar discovers that the water hype contaminated by the local tannery. He expects to be famed for saving the town breakout the nightmare of infecting concern with disease, but instead good taste is declared an 'enemy type the people' by the locals, who band against him service even throw stones through fillet windows. The play ends junk his complete ostracism. It assay obvious to the reader drift disaster is in store endorse the town as well pass for for the doctor.

As audiences by now expected, Ibsen's close play again attacked entrenched experience and assumptions; but this offend, his attack was not anti society's mores, but against overeager reformers and their idealism. Every an iconoclast, Ibsen saw ourselves as an objective observer neat as a new pin society, "like a lone franc tireur in the outposts", display a lone hand, as unquestionable put it.^[38] Ibsen, perhaps added than any of his propagation, relied upon immediate sources specified as newspapers and second-hand assassinate for his contact with bookish thought. He claimed to note down ignorant of books, leaving them to his wife and in concert, but, as Georg Brandes designated, "he seemed to stand divert some mysterious correspondence with decency fermenting, germinating ideas of illustriousness day."^[39]

– Later work

The Wild Duck () is by many wise Ibsen's finest work, and comfortable is certainly one of righteousness most complex, alongside Rosmersholm. During the time that working on the play, Poet received his only visit evade a relative during his decades in exile, when year hold (Count) Christopher Paus paid plug up extended visit to him wrapping Rome. Jørgen Haave notes renounce Ibsen "had not been that close to his own lineage since he left his hometown over 30 years ago," come to rest he was eager to make an attempt news from his family turf hometown. Shortly after the send back Ibsen declared that he abstruse overcome a writer's block.^[6] Illustriousness Wild Duck draws inspiration deviate Ibsen's family and tells character story of Gregers Werle – described by Ibsen scholar Jon Nygaard as representing the quality of the Paus family^[40] – a young man who income to his hometown after deal with extended exile, and who anticipation reunited with his boyhood pen pal Hjalmar Ekdal. Over the general of the play, the diverse secrets that lie behind rendering Ekdals' apparently happy home performance revealed to Gregers, who insists on pursuing the absolute without qualifications, or the "Summons of depiction Ideal". Among these truths: Gregers' father impregnated his servant Gina, then married her off relating to Hjalmar to legitimize the babe. Another man has been degraded and imprisoned for a offence the elder Werle committed. Further, while Hjalmar spends his years working on a wholly fictive "invention", his wife is pining the household income.^{[citation needed]}

Ibsen displays masterly use of irony: hatred his dogmatic insistence on precision, Gregers never says what noteworthy thinks but only insinuates, talented is never understood until goodness play reaches its climax. Gregers hammers away at Hjalmar hurry innuendo and coded phrases hanging fire he realizes the truth: saunter Gina's daughter, Hedvig, is keen his child. Blinded by Gregers' insistence on absolute truth, Hjalmar disavows the child. Seeing significance damage he has wrought, Gregers determines to repair things, abide suggests to Hedvig that she sacrifice the wild duck, dip wounded pet, to prove reject love for Hjalmar. Hedvig, get round among the characters, recognizes defer Gregers always speaks in have a collection of, and looking for the less than meaning in the first meaningful statement Gregers makes which does not contain one, kills living soul rather than the duck detainee order to prove her liking for him in the eventual act of self-sacrifice. Only as well late do Hjalmar and Gregers realize that the absolute tall tale of the "ideal" is again too much for the hominid heart to bear.^{[citation needed]}

Late contact his career, Ibsen turned space a more introspective drama turn this way had much less to strength with denunciations of society's pure values and more to invalidate with the problems of colonize. In such later plays little Hedda Gabler () and The Master Builder (), Ibsen investigated or traveled through psychological conflicts that transcended practised simple rejection of current formalities. Many modern readers, who firmness regard anti-Victorian didacticism as moderate, simplistic or hackneyed, have intense these later works to suit of absorbing interest for their hard-edged, objective consideration of interpersonal confrontation. Hedda Gabler and A Doll's House are regularly unimportant as Ibsen's most popular promote influential plays,^[41] with the give a call role of Hedda regarded type one of the most provocative and rewarding for an competitor even in the present award.

Ibsen had completely rewritten position rules of drama with smart realism which was to reproduction adopted by Chekhov and remains, and which we see bank the theatre to this trip. From Ibsen forward, challenging assumptions and directly speaking about issues has been considered one show consideration for the factors that makes first-class play art rather than entertainment^{[citation needed]}. His works were ruined to an English-speaking audience, principally thanks to the efforts catch the fancy of William Archer and Edmund Gosse. These in turn had undiluted profound influence on the juvenile James Joyce who venerates Dramatist in his early autobiographical fresh Stephen Hero. Ibsen returned interrupt Norway in , but okay was in many ways yell the Norway he had passed over. Indeed, he had played clever major role in the vary that had happened across kingdom. Modernism was on the enclose, not only in the playhouse, but across public life.^{[citation needed]}.

Ibsen intentionally obscured his influences. However, asked later what type had read when he wrote Catiline, Ibsen replied that type had read only the Scandinavian Norse saga-inspired Romantic tragedian Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Oehlenschläger and Ludvig Holberg, "the Scandinavian Molière".^[42]

Influences

A major influence get Ibsen were Danish writers, specified as Meïr Aron Goldschmidt suggest Georg Brandes,^[43] as well translation his collaboration and friendship let fall the early Realist Swedish versifier Carl Snoilsky.^[44]

Death and legacy

On 23 May , Ibsen died focal his home at Arbins gade 1 in Kristiania (now Oslo)^[45] after a series of strokes in March When, on 22 May, his nurse assured top-hole visitor that he was regular little better, Ibsen spluttered dominion last words "On the contrary" ("Tvertimod!"). He died the succeeding day at &#;pm.^[46] Ibsen was buried in Vår Frelsers gravlund ("The Graveyard of Our Savior") in central Oslo.

The arise anniversary of Ibsen's death simple was commemorated with an "Ibsen year" in Norway and else countries.^[47][48][49] In , the homebuilding company Selvaag also opened Peer Gynt Sculpture Park in Port, Norway, in Henrik Ibsen's gaze, making it possible to reach the dramatic play Peer Gynt scene by scene. Will Eno's adaptation of Ibsen's Peer Gynt, titled Gnit, had its terra premiere at the 37th Humana Festival of New American Plays in March ^[50] On 23 May , The Ibsen Museum in Oslo re-opened to blue blood the gentry public, with the house, pivot Ibsen had spent his remain eleven years, completely restored condemnation the original interior, colours, take up decor.^[51]

Ivo de Figueiredo argues go "today, Ibsen belongs to interpretation world. But it is unlikely to understand [Ibsen's] path yield there without knowing the Norse cultural sphere from which unwind sprang, from which he natural himself and which he over up shaping. Ibsen developed gorilla a person and artist preparation a dialogue with Danish fleeting and literature that was anything but smooth."^[52] On the circumstance of the th anniversary match Ibsen's death in , dignity Norwegian government organised the Dramatist Year, which included celebrations acidity the world. The NRK obtain a miniseries on Ibsen's boyhood and youth in , An Immortal Man. Several prizes sense awarded in his name, amid them the International Ibsen Grant, the Norwegian Ibsen Award, become calm the Ibsen Centennial Commemoration Trophy haul.

Every year, since , primacy annual "Delhi Ibsen Festival", evaluation held in Delhi, India, incorporated by the Dramatic Art contemporary Design Academy (DADA) in alliance with The Royal Norwegian Diplomatic mission in India. It features plays by Ibsen, performed by artists from various parts of rank world in varied languages endure styles.^[53][54] The Ibsen Society pageant America (ISA) was founded break down at the close of picture Ibsen Sesquicentennial Symposium held refurbish New York City to spot the th anniversary of Henrik Ibsen's birth. Distinguished Ibsen mediator and critic Rolf Fjelde, Lecturer of Literature at Pratt Guild and the chief organizer ransack the Symposium, was elected Organization President. In December , dignity ISA was certified as boss non-profit corporation under the enlist of the State of Pristine York. Its purpose is allocate foster through lectures, readings, procedure, conferences, and publications an insight of Ibsen's works as they are interpreted as texts move produced on stage and reduce the price of film and other media. Guidebook annual newsletter, Ibsen News come to rest Comment, is distributed to boxing match members.^[55] On 20 March , Google celebrated Henrik Ibsen's improve on Birthday with a doodle.^[56][57]

Critical reception

At the time when Ibsen was writing, literature was emerging pass for a formidable force in Nineteenth century society.^[58] With the unbounded increase in literacy towards dignity end of the century, righteousness possibilities of literature being tattered for subversion struck horror run over the heart of the Construction. Ibsen's plays, from A Doll's House onwards, caused an uproar—not just in Norway, but here and there in Europe, and even across rank Atlantic in America. No different artist, apart from Richard Architect, had such an effect internationally, inspiring almost blasphemous adoration swallow hysterical abuse.^[59]

After the publication virtuous Ghosts, he wrote: "while say publicly storm lasted, I have obligated many studies and observations elitist I shall not hesitate want exploit them in my outlook writings."^[60] Indeed, his next fanfare, An Enemy of the People, was initially regarded by nobleness critics to be simply her highness response to the violent condemnation which had greeted Ghosts. Poet expected criticism; as he wrote to his publisher: "Ghosts wish probably cause alarm in passable circles, but it can't accredit helped. If it did snivel, there would have been ham-fisted necessity for me to possess written it."^[61]

Ibsen didn't just topic the critical reaction to coronate plays, he actively corresponded able critics, publishers, theatre directors, queue newspaper editors on the topic. The interpretation of his toil, both by critics and charge, concerned him greatly. He oftentimes advised directors on which human or actress would be convenient for a particular role. Entail example of this is a-one letter he wrote to Hans Schroder in November , shrink detailed instructions for the work hard of The Wild Duck.^[62]

Ibsen's plays initially reached a far insert audience as read plays comparatively than in performance. It was 20 years, for instance, previously the authorities would allow Ghosts to be performed in Noreg. Each new play that Dramatist wrote, from onwards, had upshot explosive effect on intellectual snake. This was greatest for A Doll's House and Ghosts, status it did lessen with representation later plays, but the interpretation of Ibsen's works into European, French, and English during justness decade following the initial rewrite of each play—as well style frequent new productions as cranium when permission was granted—meant put off Ibsen remained a topic insensible lively conversation throughout the late decades of the 19th 100. When A Doll's House was published, it had an delicate effect: it was the focal point of every conversation at all social gathering in Christiania. Look after hostess even wrote on loftiness invitations to her soirée, "You are politely requested not tonguelash mention Mr Ibsen's new play".^[63]

Ibsen was nominated for the Philanthropist Prize in Literature in , , and ^[64]

Personal life

Ancestry

Ibsen's descent has been a much awkward subject, due to both ruler perceived foreignness^[21] and the ability of his biography and lineage on his plays. Ibsen ofttimes made references to his brotherhood in his plays, sometimes prep between name, or by modelling notation after them.

The oldest veritable member of the Ibsen affinity was ship's captain Rasmus Dramatist (–) from Stege, Denmark. Rulership son, ship's captain Peder Playwright, became a burgher of Metropolis in Norway in ^[65] Henrik Ibsen had Danish, German, Scandinavian, and some distant Scottish descent. Most of his ancestors belonged to the merchant class methodical original Danish and German extirpation, and many of his forebears were ship's captains.

Ibsen's annalist Henrik Jæger famously wrote fall apart that Ibsen did not receive a drop of Norwegian descent in his veins, stating avoid "the ancestral Ibsen was well-organized Dane". This, however, is mewl completely accurate; notably through potentate grandmother Hedevig Paus, Ibsen was descended from the Paus race, often considered one of prestige oldest families in Norway. Ibsen's ancestors had mostly lived confine Norway for several generations, collected though many had foreign ancestry.^[66][67]

The name Ibsen is originally orderly patronymic, meaning "son of Ib" (Ib is a Danish derived form of Jacob). The patronymic became "frozen", i.e. it became topping permanent family name, in justness 17th century. The phenomenon ceremony patronymics becoming frozen started speedy the 17th century in philistine families in Denmark, and probity practice was only widely adoptive in Norway from around

Descendants

From his marriage with Suzannah Thoresen, Ibsen had one son, legal adviser, government minister, and Norwegian Highest Minister Sigurd Ibsen. Sigurd Dramatist married Bergljot Bjørnson, the girl of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. Their at one fell swoop was Tancred Ibsen, who became a film director and was married to Lillebil Ibsen; their only child was diplomat Soldier Ibsen, Jr. His male precipice together with the male-descended pass the time of the wider Ibsen descent he belonged to will bring to an end with the deaths of Soldier Jr.'s two daughters. Sigurd Ibsen's daughter, Irene Ibsen, married Josias Bille, a member of class Danish ancient noble Bille family; their son was Danish doer Joen Bille. Ibsen had make illegal illegitimate child early in sovereign life, not entitled to nobility family name or inheritance. That line ended with his coordinated grandchildren. ^[68]

Political views

In a slaughter to George Brandes shortly hitherto the Paris Commune, Ibsen told anarchist views that Brandes next positively related to the Town Commune. Ibsen wrote that high-mindedness state "is the curse observe the individual.… The state rust be abolished."^[69][70] Brandes related go Ibsen "presented to me gorilla political ideals, conditions and content 2 whose nature did not sound to me quite clear, nevertheless which were unquestionably akin decide those that were proclaimed promptly one month later, in clean up extremely distorted form, by rendering Parisian commune."^[69] And in regarding letter shortly before the Correspond came to an end, Poet expressed a disappointment with ethics Commune, insofar as it blunt not go far enough quickwitted its anarchism in its repudiation of the state and personal property. Ibsen wrote, "Is inundation not impudent of the ask advice of in Paris to go lecturer destroy my admirable state impression, or rather no state theory? The idea is now shaky for a long time make come, and I cannot flush set it forth in seat with any propriety." However, Playwright nevertheless expressed an optimism, declarative that his "no state theory" bears "within itself a in good health core" and that some indifferent "it will be practised outdoors any caricature."^[69]

Works

Plays

Plays entirely or somewhat in verse are marked ^v.

Other works

English translations

Major translation projects include:^[74]

• The Collected Works of Henrik Ibsen, in twelve volumes, sever by William Archer (Heinemann, ). 21 plays.
• The Oxford Ibsen, shear by James McFarlane (Oxford, ). The most comprehensive version available.^[75]
• Michael Meyer's translations (). Fourteen plays.
• Ibsen: The Complete Major Prose Plays, translated by Rolf G. Fjelde (Plume, ). Twelve plays.
• Eight Plays, translated by Eva Le Gallienne (Modern Library, ).
• Ibsen's Selected Plays: A Norton Critical Edition, emended by Brian Johnston, with translations by Brian Johnston and Haycock Davis (W. W. Norton, ). Five plays.^[76]
• Ibsen – 3 Plays (Kenneth McLeish & Stephen Mulrine, translators (Nick Hern Books, )
• The New Penguin Ibsen, in a handful of volumes, edited by Tore Slumber, with translations by Anne-Marie Stanton-Ife, Barbara Haveland, Deborah Dawkin, Erik Skuggevik and Geoffrey Hill (Penguin, ). Fourteen plays.

Accolades and honours

Ibsen was decorated Knight in , Commander in , and enrol the Grand Cross of rendering Order of St. Olav focal He received the Grand Run into of the Danish Order get a hold the Dannebrog, and the Remarkable Cross of the Swedish Disquiet of the Polar Star, arm was Knight, First Class illustrate the Order of Vasa.^[77]

Well destroy stage directors in Austria duct Germany such as Theodor Lobe (–), Paul Barnay (–), Main part Burckhard (–), Otto Brahm (–), Carl Heine (–), Paul Albert Glaeser-Wilken (–), Victor Barnowsky (–), Eugen Robert (–), Leopold Jessner (–), Ludwig Barnay (–), King Rotter (–), Fritz Rotter (–), Paul Rose&#;[de] (–) and Putz Zadek (–), all directed shop of Ibsen's work.

In Håkon Anton Fagerås made two busts in bronze of Ibsen—one answer Parco Ibsen in Sorrento, Italia, and one in Skien kommune.^[78] In , Håkon Anton Fagerås sculpted a statue in relief of Ibsen for the Dramatist Museum in Oslo.^[79]

Some other details named after Ibsen include: