Background & Thesis Development
The author Henrik Ibsen is an internationally acclaimed playwright whose literal works, i.e., plays, have dominated the theatrical spheres. His plays are of heightened dramatic feel as he is considered the founder of realism as his literature is adaptable to real-life experiences as poetic stylings are minimized. The theatrical performances embody actual human behavior. More so, the historical and literary positions of the works by Henrik Ibsen are both controversial and progressive, especially because he highlights the historical position of women during his era. The literary orientation is dominantly based on colloquial conversations between or among characters to expose the plots of the respective plays and give a realistic feel to the audience. Therefore, the central preoccupation in the plays; Ghosts and The Master Builder is that the literal aspect of realism has been examined in a manner that the concept of human morality and the conditions of life affect human interaction significantly.
Thesis Statement- The narratives are based on behavioral and psychological aspects that affect individuals’ daily lives and are indeed normal, as examined through the play, A Doll’s House. Hence, the texts have current humanistic relevance and can be adapted to the contemporary world. Adaptation is realized essentially because human behavior is consistent with the external influences of the conditions of life, which affect psychology, subsequently influencing human behavior, which is judged through the moral scale.
Introduction Edition for Ghosts & the Master Builder
First, the atmosphere is realized when one is in a Henrik Ibsen play due to the thematic characterization, which is dominant in both Ghosts and The Master Builder. Ideally, the audience feels as if the play is surreal and adaptable to the daily experiences that are dominant in an individual’s life. For instance, through characterization, it is realized that in the play The Master Builder, there is Halvard, who has a Wife, Mrs. Aline. There is Dr. Herdal, the family doctor, and Ragnar, who is Halvard, and Mrs. Aline Solness’s son. Other women and people on the streets are included in the characterization. It gives the feel of a relatable environment reflected within the social sphere of typical individuals, whether rich or poor.
Similarly, the atmosphere is actualized through Henrik Ibsen’s play, Ghosts; three acts are solely based on a domestic setting, with Mrs. Helene being the widow of Captain Alcing and Oswald Alving being her son. Hence, it is realized that the respective plays came about through Henrik Ibsen’s understanding of the realistic occurrences which are dominant within the social structure of the nucleic family and the immediate surrounding society. Therefore, human morality and conditions of life are evident elements.
The texture of the plays is integrated with the play’s concerns, as the plot and the language used in both plays have thematic content based on realism. For instance, in the play Ghosts, the quotation, “Regine: You didn’t think of giving me any of it? Engstrand: No, I’m damned if I did. Regine: Don’t even think of sending me a bit of stuff for a dress? Engstrand: Come back to town with me, and you can have plenty of dresses.” (GHOSTS. Ibsen., pg 95). It is examinable that the colloquial dialogue ensures that the domestic plot as a thematic content is progressive through the use of language with an informal orientation as the setting is casual. The characterization is similarly examined through the quotation, “Kaja [fearfully]: Oh no, Uncle! Please let that wait! Ragnar: Yes, better wait, Father! Brovik [struggling for breath]: Ah. Ah! I doubt if I’ve got much time for waiting.” (THE MASTER BUILDER. Ibsen., pg. 268). The texture of the plays is heightened as the settings are primarily domestic, with the props and the costumes utilized to make the respective come alive primarily realized to be that which emphasize a realistic and homely setting to heighten the feel of the storyline with tensions and spectacle to maintain the orientation of the stories and have a dramatic feel.
The artistic literature employed by Henrik Ibsen is primarily based on the concepts of realism and specifically being surreal to enhance dramatism. Through the daily life experiences of the characters, there is the realization of objectivity in all of his storylines with the integrated humane comprehension that highlights the moral decisions which are important to all humans. Additionally, the artistic means employed ensure that the audience’s observations are accurate, humanistic, and completely detached from fictional drama. As fictional drama is not adaptable, he had interconnected his imagination with reality through the concept of surrealism because there are dream-like acts and scenes which must be humanized (Peterson., pg 12 & 13) in a manner that the literature puns are not nullified. In doing so, it is realized that the artistic means employed do not contradict the aspect of realism, which appeals to all readers’ conscious and unconscious perspectives.
Work Cited:
Four Major Plays; A Doll’s House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, and The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen. Primary Sources Used: The Plays, Ghosts, and The Master Builder.
Peterson, Amanda Astrid. Henrik Ibsen’s When We Dead Awaken and Surrealism. MS thesis. 2021.
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