Doll's House And Other Plays

With an Introduction by Ellen Rees, Centre for Ibsen Studies, University of Oslo. The plays of Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) are critically acclaimed throughout the world. The father of modern drama, Ibsen broke with theatrical conventions and created a more realistic form of drama that used the stage as a forum for debating social problems, notably the rights of the individual, and the damaging effects of orthodoxy. This collection of four plays contains, in A Doll's House (1879) and Hedda Gabler (1890), his most striking depictions of the struggle by individuals - especially women - to realise their full potential; it also presents Peer Gynt (1867), an early verse tour de force, not originally intended for the stage, on the nature of the self, and The Master Builder (1892), a play that explores the clash between the old and the new in richly metaphorical language. This collection returns to the acclaimed translations of William Archer (1856-1924), who through these renditions played a major role in promoting Ibsen's reputation outside Norway. Archer was also a critic, who with actress Elizabeth Robbins and dramatist George Bernard Shaw was central in the modernisation of English theatre. AUTHOR: Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright and poet widely regarded as one of the founders of modern drama. Born in 1828 in the town of Skien, he grew up in a family that experienced financial hardship after his father's business failed. As a young man, he worked as an apprentice pharmacist while writing poetry and plays. Ibsen gained international fame for his realistic dramas, which challenged social conventions and explored themes such as individual freedom, morality, and gender roles. His most celebrated works include A Doll's House, Ghosts, An Enemy of the People, and Hedda Gabler. These plays sparked debate for their criticism of social hypocrisy and their strong, complex characters. Often called the father of modern drama, Henrik Ibsen transformed theatre by moving away from romantic traditions and focusing on realistic situations and psychological depth. He died in 1906 in Oslo, leaving a lasting influence on playwrights and literature around the world.