Dram a Gttosrs

-Henr ik Ibsen

❖ An Introduction to Henrik Ibsen :

Henrik Ibsen was born into into a wealthy family in Skien, Norway in 1828.
After failing his university entrance exams, he decided he'd rather focus on writing
than pursuin g higher education. When he first began to write, though, he was
quite unsuccessful, renderin g himself and his wife extremely poor. In 1864 he left
his wife and his five-year-old son, Sigurd (who grew up to become the Prime
Minister of Norway) and moved to Sorrento, Italy. He later moved to Dresden,
Germany, where he wrote his most famous play, A Doll's House. After his initial
unsuccessful years, Ibsen became more popular as a writer, althoug h his plays
were often thought of as scandalous and inappropriate. He returne d to Norway
in 1891 and died in Oslo in 1906 after suffering several strokes. He is now one of
the world's most famous playwrights, and his work is perform ed 1nore of ten than
that of any other playwri ght except Shakespeare. He is often conside red to be "the
father of realism" in drama, and is also thought of as a pioneer of Modern ism.

❖ An Introduction to Ghosts :
Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts (written in 1881 and first premie red in 1882) is one of
the most criticize d plays in the history of English Literatu re. Ibsen wants to
foster the gender discrim ination through depicting the male and female characte rs
in the light of the 19th century Norweg ian Bourge ois custom s and values. The
playwright, as a self-conscious critic- cum -social reforme r of his age, unveils
the grin1 image of the filthy atmosp here. In his play, he wants to expose the
hollown ess and falsity of convent ional morality, particul arly the hollown ess of
convent ional bourgeo is marriag e and family life. Ibsen shows the contem porary
social issues: the hypocri sy of family life, the subordi nate and subserv ient status
of women and corrupt ion in the familial, social, and commu nal affairs are
conside red unortho dox of his day. The main antagon ists who are faced with
conventions, hypocri sy, and sexual passion , and power, marriag e of expedie nce,
corrupt ed press, and vested interest are involve d with heredit ary guilt. In the
play, Ghosts, Ibsen focuses the great stress upon the norms of heredit ary guilt
between father and son. He seriousl y studies the disorde red human psychol ogy
and analyze s relentle ssly the commo n relation ship betwee n the two siblings
and husban d and wife.

❖ Historical Background of Ghosts

Syphilis, the disease that overcom es Oswald in Ghosts, first emerge d in Europe
the 15th century . For hundre ds of years, people argued about the disease and its