A comprehensive analysis of all Ibsen's plays from his first play Catiline to his last play When We Dead Awaken. Included are chapters on every play, not just the better-known ones such as A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler and Ghosts, but also the little-known plays like Emperor and Galilean (which was Ibsen's favourite) and Little Eyolf (the author's favourite play.)
Ibsen in his plays is exploring the difficulties for each of us of finding our own authentic voice both politically and (especially) within marriage - although he disclaimed the label of a feminist, believing himself to be on the side of everyone who seeks self-understanding and honesty in relationships, he was hailed in the nineteenth century as an advocate for women's rights and freedom. In addition to this we today see him as having a pre-Freudian profound understanding of people and relationships. From the romantic plays like Peer Gynt through the political plays such as An Enemy of the People and the exploration of relationships in plays like Rosmersholm, Ibsen - who is fundamentally a tragedian - writes with a wonderful sense of humour.
This book, written in a clear non-academic prose, not only takes us through the plays in a scholarly fashion but also links the plays to Ibsen's life. It includes a timeline of his life and a bibliography. A must for those who want to know more about - after Shakespeare - the world's greatest playwright.
