Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen

"Over the whole country there must be ghosts, as numerous as the sands of the sea. And here we are, all of us, abysmally afraid of the light."

Mrs Alving

GHOSTS

THE PLAY

"It's incredible how nicely worked out they had it all, showing how it would be sheer madness to turn down an offer like that. If only Mother could look in now and see what had become of all the glory." (Mrs Alving)

Ghosts was written in 1881 . It caused a public uproar through it's searing commentary of society's hypocrisy and depiction of infidelity, venereal disease and euthanasia.

The central character is Mrs Alving, a widow who stayed with her late husband, despite his numerous affairs.

Ghosts was rejected by the Scandinavian Establishment and was barred from being staged at the national theatres for many years. However, it was supported by private and independent theatres.

THE WRITER

“the exploration in dramatic form of the fate of contemporary woman to whom society denied any reasonable opportunity for self-fulfilment in a male world" James McFarlane, Introduction to Four Major Plays, 1981

Norwegian playwright, poet and actor Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) is considered the father of modern drama, as his works helped fuel the development of Realism within European theatre.

His themes and characters also interrogate the roles that women are forced into by society that shut down their true talents and abilities beyond being daughters, wives and mothers.