Henrik Ibsen

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Henrik Ibsen
Ibsen in 1895 Ibsen in 1895
Born	Henrik Johan Ibsen 20 March 1828 Skien, Norway
Died	23 May 1906 (aged 78) Christiania, Norway
Occupation	Playwright, theatre director, poet
Language	Norwegian
Nationality	Norwegian
Period	19th century
Genre	Drama, poetry
Notable works	A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck
Spouse	Suzannah Thoresen (m. 1858)
Children	Sigurd Ibsen
Signature	File:Henrik Ibsen signature.svg

Henrik Johan Ibsen (20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. He is often referred to as "the father of realism" and is one of the founders of modernism in theatre. His major works include A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, and The Wild Duck. Ibsen is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after William Shakespeare.

Early life

Ibsen was born in Skien, a small port town in Telemark, Norway. His parents were Knud Ibsen and Marichen Altenburg. The family faced financial difficulties when Ibsen was young, which influenced his later works.

Career

Ibsen moved to Christiania (now Oslo) in 1850, where he worked at the Det Norske Theater in Bergen and later at the Christiania Theatre. His early plays were not successful, but he gained recognition with Brand (1865) and Peer Gynt (1867).

Major works

• A Doll's House (1879) – A critical look at the traditional roles of men and women in 19th-century marriage.
• Ghosts (1881) – A controversial play that dealt with issues such as venereal disease and incest.
• An Enemy of the People (1882) – A play about the conflict between the individual and society.
• The Wild Duck (1884) – A play that explores the consequences of idealism.
• Hedda Gabler (1890) – A play about a woman trapped in a loveless marriage.

Personal life

Ibsen married Suzannah Thoresen in 1858, and they had one child, Sigurd Ibsen, who became a Norwegian Prime Minister. Ibsen spent much of his life living abroad in places like Italy and Germany, returning to Norway in 1891.

Legacy

Ibsen's works have had a profound influence on theatre and literature. His plays are still widely performed and studied. He is considered a pioneer in the development of modernist and realist drama.

Related pages

• A Doll's House
• Hedda Gabler
• Peer Gynt
• An Enemy of the People
• The Wild Duck
• Norwegian literature
• Modernism
• Realism (theatre)