Showing results by author "Henrik Ibsen" in All Categories

The idealistic son of a wealthy businessman seeks to expose his father's duplicity and to free his childhood friend from the lies on which his happy home life is based. When skeletons are brought out of the closet, the foundations of the Ekdal family are torn apart - with drastic consequences.

Hedda and George Tesman have just returned from their six-month honeymoon tour of the Tyrol. George, a studious and somewhat dull academic has spent most of the time continuing his research. Hedda, the daughter of the celebrated, aristocratic General Gabler, recently deceased, has been accustomed to the finer things in life. She is already bored in her marriage and diverts herself with her father's pistols and the attentions of family friend, Judge Brack.

Dans cette maison où la femme est et n'est qu'une poupée, les hommes sont des pantins, veules et pleutres. Sans doute Nora incarne-t-elle une sorte de moment auroral du féminisme, alors qu'être, c'est sortir, partir. Et Ibsen, grâce à ce chef-d'œuvre, accède au panthéon de la littérature mondiale. Mais si sa poupée se met, sinon à vivre, du moins à le vouloir, au point de bousculer au passage l'alibi de l'instinct maternel, c'est qu'autour d'elle les hommes se meurent.

Un dramma sulle condizioni e contraddizioni delle donne.

Henrik Ibsen’s play The Master Builder was published in 1892 and performed the next year. The architect and builder Halvard Solness receives a visit from the young Hilda, who persuades him to employ her in the household. When Hilda learns of the completion of Halvard’s project - a tall building with a towering steeple - she makes a point of persuading him to climb the steeple at the public opening ceremony. Halvard of course, suffers from acrophobia, a morbid fear of extreme heights....

Hedda Gabler has just returned from her honeymoon, but the excitement of matrimony has quickly faded. Trapped in a mundane life with her dull, pedantic husband, Hedda finds herself suffocated by her new reality. Upon settling into her home in Christiania, she learns that Thea Elvsted, an old schoolmate she both envied and despised, has left her marriage to pursue a life with Eilert Lövborg—a former lover of Hedda’s who is striving to rise above a troubled past marked by debauchery and alcoholism through a groundbreaking philosophical work. Meanwhile, Judge Brack, another figure from Hedda...

Step into the world of Henrik Ibsens 1894 masterpiece, Little Eyolf, where the intricate dynamics of the Allmers family unfold. Alfred Allmers returns from a mountain trip with a newfound determination to prioritize his relationship with his crippled nine-year-old son, Eyolf, over his intellectual ambitions. Meanwhile, Alfreds sister Asta finds herself entangled in a romantic pursuit by Borgheim, an engineer, as the tensions in Alfred and Ritas marriage gradually surface. Their lives take a dramatic turn with the arrival of the enigmatic Rat-Wife, forever altering their family dynamics. Join ...

Dive into the haunting world of When We Dead Awaken, the final play by renowned Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, written in 1899. This dreamlike and richly symbolic drama explores the unraveling of sculptor Arnold Rubeks marriage to Maia, her entanglement with Ulfheim, and Rubeks connection to the enigmatic Irene, his former muse. As the characters ascend the breathtaking Norwegian mountains, tensions mount and hidden desires emerge, leading to profound revelations. Join us for a captivating journey through love, ambition, and self-discovery, narrated by Elizabeth Klett and featuring an ...

The Wild Duck (1884), originally titled Vildanden in Norwegian, is widely regarded as Henrik Ibsens masterpiece, showcasing his unparalleled complexity in storytelling. The play follows Gregers Werle, a young man who returns to his hometown after years away, reuniting with his childhood friend, Hjalmar Ekdal. As the narrative unfolds, Gregers uncovers the hidden truths lurking beneath the surface of the Ekdal familys seemingly happy life. He becomes obsessed with revealing these secrets—truths that include his fathers scandalous past, a wrongful conviction of another man due to his fathers ...

Halvard Solness is a master architect who has relentlessly climbed the ranks of his profession, often at the expense of those around him. Despite his ruthless pursuit of success, his conscience remains a heavy burden, haunted by guilt over his past decisions. Living in a state of torment, he grapples with fears of madness and the unsettling notion that he may have unwittingly allied himself with dark forces to achieve his status. His devoted wife and troubled mistress navigate their own struggles while trying to support him in his fragile condition. The arrival of the enigmatic Hilda Wangel, a...

Step into the world of A Dolls House, Henrik Ibsens groundbreaking play that ignited a firestorm of discussion in the late 19th century. Written shortly after The Pillars of Society, this remarkable work challenges conventional marriage norms and remains a staple in schools and universities today. With its innovative structure, the play defies expectations by closing with a thought-provoking conversation rather than a traditional climax. Often hailed as the first true feminist play, Ibsen himself resisted this label, making it all the more intriguing. Join us as we explore the complexities of ...

In Ibsens captivating drama, we meet Ellida Wangel, a woman trapped in the expectations of her roles as a wife and stepmother to her husbands two daughters, Hilde and Bolette. A decade ago, she made a promise to marry another man, and on a sultry summer day, he reappears, stirring her long-buried desires. Faced with the choice between the stability of her life with Dr. Wangel and the alluring call of the sea, Ellida must confront her deepest yearnings. Will she embrace the safety of her current life or surrender to the siren song of her past? (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) Cast Dr. Wangel Bruce ...

Delve into the intricate world of Henrik Ibsens John Gabriel Borkman, the penultimate play from the renowned Norwegian playwright, penned in 1896. The Borkman family has seen their fortunes crumble following John Gabriels imprisonment for misusing investor funds during his tenure as a bank manager. Set eight years after his release, the play unfolds a gripping drama as John Gabriel, his estranged wife Mrs. Borkman, and her sister Ella Rentheim engage in a fierce struggle for the future of young Erhart Borkman. While this work continues Ibsens exploration of naturalism and social critique, its ...

In one of Ibsen’s most profound late-period plays, alongside classics like “The Master Builder” and “John Gabriel Borkman,” “Little Eyolf” delves into the life of Albert Allmers, a writer torn between his desire for literary immortality and the love for his handicapped son, Eyolf. Rita Allmers, his devoted wife, is consumed by an obsessive love for Albert, resenting any rival, be it Eyolf, Alberts literary aspirations, or his devoted sister Asta. The tragic death of Little Eyolf, possibly at the hands of the enigmatic Rat-Wife, sets off a psychological storm among the three ...

Hedda Gabler is a gripping four-act play penned by the renowned Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, first brought to life on stage in Munich in 1891. This powerful drama delves into the tumultuous life of its title character, Hedda, the daughter of a general, who finds herself ensnared in an unwanted marriage and a stifling home. (summary adapted from Wikipedia)

In Pillars of Society, Ibsens groundbreaking realist drama first performed in 1877, we delve into the life of Karsten Bernick, the powerful businessman who controls a small coastal town in Norway. With plans to launch an ambitious railway project that promises to transform the region, Karstens carefully constructed world is shattered by the unexpected return of Lona Hessel, the woman he once abandoned, and Johan Tonnesen, who left town in disgrace fifteen years prior. As the past collides with the present, secrets unravel and the foundations of society are put to the test. - Summary by ...

Step into a poignant family drama that unfolds in three acts. Ghosts, much like Ibsens renowned works, offers a sharp critique of 19th-century morality and societal norms. Join Mrs. Helen Alving, a widow grappling with her past, as she navigates the complexities of family and obligation. With a talented cast bringing vivid characters to life, this adaptation promises to captivate and provoke thought. (Summary by Kristingj) Cast Mrs. Helen Alving, widow of Captain Alving Rhonda Federman; Oswald Alving, her son, a painter Chris Marcellus; Pastor Manders Algy Pug; Jacob Engstrand, a carpenter ...

Hedda Gabler is a classic play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Set in the late nineteenth century, the play follows the life of Hedda, a young socialite whose life is filled with endless boredom and longing. As she struggles to find her place in society, Hedda’s inner turmoil is reflected in her desperate attempts to break free of the societal norms that bind her. This emotional journey is filled with suspense and drama, as Hedda’s choices have the power to shape her own destiny.

A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by Henrik Ibsen. The play is significant for its critical attitude toward 19th-century marriage norms. It aroused great controversy at the time, as it concludes with the protagonist, Nora, leaving her husband and children because she wants to discover herself. Ibsen was inspired by the belief that "a woman cannot be herself in modern society", since it is "an exclusively male society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who assess feminine conduct from a masculine standpoint".

In A Doll's House, a happily married Nora decides to borrow money to finance a trip to Italy, where her husband needs to go for treatment. At the time, a woman couldn't do anything, let alone borrow money, without her husband's consent. So, Nora forged her father's signature.