Ibsen was born to a wealthy Norwegian merchant family in 1828. He wrote in an 1882 letter to critic and scholar Georg Brandes, "my parents were members on both sides of the most respected families in Skien", and that he was closely related to "just about all the patrician families who then dominated the place and its surroundings". Unfortunately, when he was eight his family was thrust into poverty, leading him to leave school and seek employment at the age of fifteen. He gained a position as an apprentice in an apothecary in Grimstad. In 1850, Ibsen moved to present-day Oslo (then Christiania) to study at the University of Christiania. The following year, Ibsen met theater manager Ole Bull, who offered him a job as a writer and manager for the Norwegian Theatre in Bergen. In 1857, Ibsen returned to Christiania, where people claimed he mismanaged the theater and called for his ouster. In 1867, now in quasi-exile, Ibsen left Norway for Italy, where he wrote a tragedy by the name of Brand, which told the story of a clergyman whose religious fanaticism costs him his family and later, his life. In 1867, he wrote Peer Gynt, usually considered one of his best works. A year after that, in 1868, he moved to Germany. Continuing his writing, in 1891 he returned to Norway, but this time revered and considered a literary master. Nine years later, in 1900, Ibsen suffered a series of strokes which left him unable to write.
Ibsen has been called the “Father of Modern Drama” (Trumbull, 2007). The playwright’s personal and public life significantly influenced his dramatic plays, which contain various political, religious, and historical messages. All of his plays deal with psychological and social issues, and ethical debates. Most of the plot lines for his plays stem from his experiences as a child. The severe economic depression of his family during his early childhood led to the the plot of A Doll’s House (1879), in which a family experiences severe financial problems after Norah Helmer, a young wife, secretly borrows a copious amount of money to give to her ill husband. Ibsen has also written about illegitimate children (The Wild Duck), which is significant because of the rumors which circulated when he was a child that he was illegitimate. As a child, he was inspired by Norwegian author Henrik Wergeland and Norwegian folk tales.
Sometimes referred to as "the father of realism" (artistic realism being the practice of correctly portraying/representing the subject matter in the most truthful way possible), Henrik Ibsen is typically regarded as one of the founders of theatrical modernism (Dictionary.com, n.d.). (This is ironic, because modernism [in the theater] rejects the principles of realism, choosing rather to beak with traditional and classical forms. His style blends romanticism (inspiration, subjectivity, and nature) and symbolism (a rejection of naturalism and realism), and sets them across the backdrop of an ethical debate. As he was constantly pushing social boundaries, Ibsen's plays were murderously controversial. Despite this controversy, the subject matter of his plays was relatively mundane. It usually focused on political or social corruption, and social class stratification--unfortunately realistic topics.
"It is a curious thing that these farmers' sons [Hovstad] never seem to lose their want of tact." (1.54) The mayor insinuating that Hovstad is a redneck is a fine example of class betrayal here. Mayor Peter Stockmann: "The individual ought undoubtedly to acquiesce in subordinating himself to the community." (1.105) This particular quote basically sums up the entire theme of An Enemy of the People. The mayor is in favor of subordinating the people to the state. He's a major proponent of the status quo. Here the mayor states that "there is an excellent spirit of toleration in the town--an admirable municipal spirit. And it all springs from the fact of our having a great common interest to unite us […]" (1.29-1.30). To the mayor, the baths unite the people, therefore providing a status quo. This is everything Ibsen attacks in An Enemy of the People. Class struggle, the status quo, and political corruption; an ethical breach.
This dislike of ethical breaches is apparent in Rosmersholm, as well as An Enemy of the People. In Rosmersholm the two protagonists actually kill themselves as a solution to their own ethical dilemma. Rosmersholm focuses on ethical dilemmas and the war between the new and the old. Mrs. Helseth says to Rebecca early on in the play "If you ask me, miss, I should say it is the dead that cling to Rosmersholm a long time (1.29-30). She is most likely referring to both Beata, Rosmer's late wife, and the traditional roles--gender roles, social roles, political roles. An Enemy of the People's ethical breaches are in regards to politics. Mayor Peter Stockmann: "I am entitled to request most emphatically that all arrangements shall be […] dealt with by the legally constituted authorities. I can allow no going behind our backs by any roundabout means" (1.103). The Mayor grows increasingly angry when Stockmann challenges his authority. Billing: "A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. Horster: "Maybe that is all very well on shore; but on board ship it wouldn't work" (1.140-141). Here, Billing feels that it is unethical if everyone does not govern society. Hovstad: "what is the most crying need in the humbler ranks of life […] is
that they should be allowed some part in the direction of public affairs, Doctor." (2.104) Hovstad's solution to this ethical dilemma is to give the poor classes more of a voice in political and social affairs--much like Ibsen believed. Aslaksen: "No, no, no; there must be no discourtesy to the authorities, Mr. Hovstad. It is no use falling foul of those upon whom our welfare so closely
depends" (2.137). Aslaksen believes that the only way to solve political problems is through toleration. The lower classes feel almost betrayed by this sentiment.
Ibsen is no stranger to this feeling of betrayal from the government. In "A Brother in Need" he feels that the government has betrayed not only Ibsen, but other countries: "Betrayed in danger's hour, betrayed Before the stress of strife!" He goes on to state his feeling that any help from the Norwegian government was fraudulent. "They were but Judas kisses, lies In fatal wreaths
enwound,".
Henrik Ibsen was a prolific nineteenth-century playwright, poet, and theater director. As one can see why, he is typically regarded as one of the founders of theatrical modernism.
Ibsen has been called the “Father of Modern Drama” (Trumbull, 2007). The playwright’s personal and public life significantly influenced his dramatic plays, which contain various political, religious, and historical messages. All of his plays deal with psychological and social issues, and ethical debates. Most of the plot lines for his plays stem from his experiences as a child. The severe economic depression of his family during his early childhood led to the the plot of A Doll’s House (1879), in which a family experiences severe financial problems after Norah Helmer, a young wife, secretly borrows a copious amount of money to give to her ill husband. Ibsen has also written about illegitimate children (The Wild Duck), which is significant because of the rumors which circulated when he was a child that he was illegitimate. As a child, he was inspired by Norwegian author Henrik Wergeland and Norwegian folk tales.
Sometimes referred to as "the father of realism" (artistic realism being the practice of correctly portraying/representing the subject matter in the most truthful way possible), Henrik Ibsen is typically regarded as one of the founders of theatrical modernism (Dictionary.com, n.d.). (This is ironic, because modernism [in the theater] rejects the principles of realism, choosing rather to beak with traditional and classical forms. His style blends romanticism (inspiration, subjectivity, and nature) and symbolism (a rejection of naturalism and realism), and sets them across the backdrop of an ethical debate. As he was constantly pushing social boundaries, Ibsen's plays were murderously controversial. Despite this controversy, the subject matter of his plays was relatively mundane. It usually focused on political or social corruption, and social class stratification--unfortunately realistic topics.
"It is a curious thing that these farmers' sons [Hovstad] never seem to lose their want of tact." (1.54) The mayor insinuating that Hovstad is a redneck is a fine example of class betrayal here. Mayor Peter Stockmann: "The individual ought undoubtedly to acquiesce in subordinating himself to the community." (1.105) This particular quote basically sums up the entire theme of An Enemy of the People. The mayor is in favor of subordinating the people to the state. He's a major proponent of the status quo. Here the mayor states that "there is an excellent spirit of toleration in the town--an admirable municipal spirit. And it all springs from the fact of our having a great common interest to unite us […]" (1.29-1.30). To the mayor, the baths unite the people, therefore providing a status quo. This is everything Ibsen attacks in An Enemy of the People. Class struggle, the status quo, and political corruption; an ethical breach.
This dislike of ethical breaches is apparent in Rosmersholm, as well as An Enemy of the People. In Rosmersholm the two protagonists actually kill themselves as a solution to their own ethical dilemma. Rosmersholm focuses on ethical dilemmas and the war between the new and the old. Mrs. Helseth says to Rebecca early on in the play "If you ask me, miss, I should say it is the dead that cling to Rosmersholm a long time (1.29-30). She is most likely referring to both Beata, Rosmer's late wife, and the traditional roles--gender roles, social roles, political roles. An Enemy of the People's ethical breaches are in regards to politics. Mayor Peter Stockmann: "I am entitled to request most emphatically that all arrangements shall be […] dealt with by the legally constituted authorities. I can allow no going behind our backs by any roundabout means" (1.103). The Mayor grows increasingly angry when Stockmann challenges his authority. Billing: "A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. Horster: "Maybe that is all very well on shore; but on board ship it wouldn't work" (1.140-141). Here, Billing feels that it is unethical if everyone does not govern society. Hovstad: "what is the most crying need in the humbler ranks of life […] is
that they should be allowed some part in the direction of public affairs, Doctor." (2.104) Hovstad's solution to this ethical dilemma is to give the poor classes more of a voice in political and social affairs--much like Ibsen believed. Aslaksen: "No, no, no; there must be no discourtesy to the authorities, Mr. Hovstad. It is no use falling foul of those upon whom our welfare so closely
depends" (2.137). Aslaksen believes that the only way to solve political problems is through toleration. The lower classes feel almost betrayed by this sentiment.
Ibsen is no stranger to this feeling of betrayal from the government. In "A Brother in Need" he feels that the government has betrayed not only Ibsen, but other countries: "Betrayed in danger's hour, betrayed Before the stress of strife!" He goes on to state his feeling that any help from the Norwegian government was fraudulent. "They were but Judas kisses, lies In fatal wreaths
enwound,".
Henrik Ibsen was a prolific nineteenth-century playwright, poet, and theater director. As one can see why, he is typically regarded as one of the founders of theatrical modernism.