Week 6 - Henrik Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People"

Question 1

What did Ibsen show

Answer 1

Ibsen showed that theatre could make change about society

Question 2

Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)

Answer 2

Norwegian-born “father of modern drama”

Greatest literary playwright since Shakespeare

A revolutionary: scathingly critical of outmoded social values

A moralist: systematically shocks and attacks social properties

Author of many masterpieces

Question 3

What is Ibsen’s first Scandel

Answer 3

Henrik is 8 his father goes bankrupt:
On both sides of the family the Ibsens come from a patrician background

Now, the family experiences not merely poverty and misery but public shame

Henrik is forced to leave school at age 15

Question 4

What is Ibsen’s 2nd scandel

Answer 4

At 17, Henrik impregnates woman, Else Sophie who is ten years older, and a illiterate maid:

At the time Henrik Ibsen is an apprentice pharmacist in another small town, Grimstad

When the pregnancy is revealed, Ibsen acknowledges, probable paternity and agrees to pay for the child’s upbringing

His family is scandalized

Ibsen leaves Grimstad and moves to Christiana (now Oslo)

Question 5

How many professional productions did he involve himself in

Answer 5

he is involved in more than 200 professional productions as producer, director, etc., and eventually becomes artistic director of Christiana Teater

Question 6

Selected Great Works by Ibsen (late 30’s)

Answer 6

Two closet dramas:

- Brand (1866)
- Peer Gynt (1867)

Question 7

Selected Great Works by Ibsen (late 50’s)

Answer 7

• Pillars of Society (1877)
• A Doll’s House (1879)
• Ghosts (1881)
• An Enemy of the People (1882)
• The Wild Duck (1884)

Question 8

Selected great works by Ibsen (60’s)

Answer 8

• Ramershalm (1886)
• Heddo Gabler (1890)
• The Master Builder (1892)
• Little Evolf (1894)
• John Gabriel Borkman (1896)
• When We Dead Awaken (1899)

Question 9

Emperor and Galilean 1868-73

Answer 9

Ibsen spent 5 years writing what he considered his master work

About the Emperor Julian and his failed attempt to reject Christianity and return to Paganism

The play is enormous, actually comprising 2 5-act plays

Seldom read, easily misinterpreted, very rarely produced

Question 10

Ibsen’s Reputation

Answer 10

Melodrama (villains and hero’s, good vs evil) was popular during his time

Gibson disliked melodrama due to the good vs evil concept being too broad and not complex

Question 11

Greek Tragedy and the “polls”

Answer 11

Citizens of Athens had to go to theatre it was important

The theatre was large enough to go to theatre

Visiting theatre was seen as working through social problems

Question 12

Attacks on Ibsen as a result of Ghosts

Answer 12

Is An Enemy of the People a rebuttal to those attacks?

“To write is to sit in judgement on oneself”