Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian playwright, director, and producer. He left home as an adolescent to find work, and by the age of 22 had fathered an illegitimate child, which led him to sever all relations with his family. He made a decisive contribution to the development of realism and modernism in the theatre, influencing all later dramatists. His plays touch on subjects that were considered taboo for his time, such as strict standards of morality and decency, modesty, the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie, declining values, and the institution of the family.

He lived for many years outside Norway, writing most of his works in Italy and Germany. Ibsen’s protagonists vacillate between their obsessions, their social concerns, and their consciences, while their behaviour is attributed either to nature or to nurture. He pointed out the disadvantaged position of women, creating heroines who resisted the fate that society had in store for them. In Ibsen’s world, everyday objects acquire symbolic importance and haunt his characters. His influence is such that the term Ibsenesque is often used to describe a play that criticises the prevailing morality.

 

A short list of his plays: 
Peer Gynt,The pillars of the society, A doll's house, Ghosts, An enemy of the people, The wild duck, The lady from the sea, Hedda Gabler, The master builder, John Gabriel Borkman

 

A community is like a ship: everyone should be prepared to take the helm. (An enemy of the people)

 

You have never been yourself.
So what difference does it make if you die? (Peer Gynt)

 

The great, unforgiveable sin is when you kill the love inside a person. (John Gabriel Borkman)