Six Plays by Henrik Ibsen

Widely regarded as one of the foremost dramatists of the nineteenth century, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) brought the social problems and ideas of his day to center stage. Creating realistic plays of psychological conflict that emphasized character over cunning plots, he frequently inspired critical objections because his dramas deemed the individual more important than the group.

This volume collects six of Ibsen’s most famous plays:

A Doll’s House
A Doll’s House centres on an ordinary family—Torvald Helmer, a bank lawyer, and his wife, Nora, and their three little children. Torvald supposes himself the ethical member of the family, while his wife assumes the role of the pretty and irresponsible little woman in order to flatter him. Into this arrangement intrude several hard-minded outsiders, one of whom threatens to expose a fraud that Nora had once committed without her husband’s knowledge in order to obtain a loan needed to save his life. When Nora’s act is revealed, Torvald reacts with outrage and repudiates her out of concern for his own social reputation.

Ghosts
Ghosts follows the story of Mrs. Alving, a widow who is preparing to open an orphanage in memory of her late husband, as she is visited by her son Oswald, who has returned home after many years abroad. It soon becomes clear that Oswald has inherited syphilis from his father and that Mrs. Alving has been covering up her husband’s immoral behavior for decades. Through their conversation, the play explores the delicate but flawed relationship between public opinion, appearances, and morality.

An Enemy of the People
An Enemy of the People centers on Dr. Thomas Stockmann, who discovers a serious contamination issue in his town’s new spas, endangering public health. His courageous decision to expose this truth brings severe backlash from local leaders, including his brother Peter Stockmann, who is a powerful political figure in the town.

Set against the backdrop of a community grappling with economic and environmental concerns, An Enemy of the People highlights the often harsh consequences faced by those who challenge established systems.

Rosmersholm
Rosmersholm revolves around ex-parson Johannes Rosmer, a representative of high ethical standards, and his housekeeper, the adventuress Rebecca West. Both are haunted by the spirit of Rosmer’s late wife, who committed suicide under the subtle influence, the reader learns, of Rebecca West and because of her husband’s high-minded indifference to sex. At issue for the future is a choice between bold, unrestricted freedom and the ancient, conservative traditions of Rosmer’s house. Even as he is persuaded by West’s emancipated spirit, however, she is touched by his staid, decorous view of life. Each is contaminated by the other, and, for differing but complementary reasons, they tempt one another toward the fatal millpond in which the wife drowned herself.

Hedda Gabler

Hedda, the daughter of a general, has just returned to her villa in Kristiania (now Oslo) from her honeymoon. Her husband is George Tesman, a young, aspiring, and reliable academic who continued his research during their honeymoon. It becomes clear in the course of the play that she never loved him, but married him because she thinks her years of youthful abandon are over.

The reappearance of George’s academic rival, Eilert Løvborg, throws their lives into disarray…

The Master Builder
The Master Builder follows the story of Halvard Solness, a successful master builder whose ambition and pride have led him to the top of his profession. The play explores the moral, emotional and physical consequences of unchecked ambition, and the power of a younger generation to challenge the status quo. A timeless classic, The Master Builder is a must-see for anyone interested in the works of Ibsen and the themes of ambition, morality, and generational conflict.