En Norvège, dans 'une maison confortable et de bon goût', une famille se prépare à fêter Noël. Mais le douillet et rassurant cocon se fissure quand le secret de Nora, la jeune et joyeuse épouse, menace soudain d'être dévoilé à son mari. Dès lors, toute allégresse recule, et les enfants aux joues rouges s'effacent devant des personnages qui surgissent tour à tour amie de jeunesse, médecin, créancier , semant le doute et l'inquiétude. En ébranlant ainsi la certitude lisse de son héroïne qui pensait avoir toujours agi comme elle le devait, Ibsen crée l'une des grandes figures du théâtre nordique, dont on continue d'interroger la volte-face et la destinée.
Hedda Gabler est une des cinq dernières pièces d'Ibsen. Écrite à Munich en 1890, peu de temps avant le retour définitif de l'auteur en Norvège, elle fut aussitôt traduite et publiée en plusieurs langues et montée, d'abord à Munich au début de 1891, puis à Londres et à Paris à la fin de l'année. Ibsen y a rompu avec les aspects symboliques ou mystiques de pièces comme Rosmersholm : "J'ai essayé de décrire des êtres humains aussi exactement que possible, de façon aussi détaillée que possible, rien d'autre [...] ; on trouvera peut-être quelque chose de révolutionnaire dans ce drame mais c'est une chose qui demeure à l'arrière-plan."
La pièce a séduit bien des metteurs en scène ; il suffit de citer ici Lugné-Poe, Georges Pitoëff et Raymond Rouleau.
Altier et énigmatique, le personnage de Hedda a aussi tenté bon nombre de comédiennes, comme Marguerite Jamois, Ingrid Bergman et Delphine Seyrig (à la télévision) ; il reste un des grands rôles et une des grandes et sombres destinées du théâtre d'Ibsen.
Dans une société polie ou? règnent l'ordre et la morale religieuse, les secrets d'une famille, en apparence bien sous tous rapports, e?clatent et re?ve?lent la cause des non-dits et des absences.
3 hommes, 2 femmes / 1 h 30
Gregers Werle, homme idéaliste, revient dans sa ville natale après un long exil, et se trouve mêlé aux affaires d'une étrange famille, causant des résultats désastreux. Les secrets qui se cachent derrière la façade du foyer apparemment heureux des Ekdal se dévoilent peu à peu à lui...
Dans une mise en scène de Jean-François Sivadier : du 7 au 15 mars à la MC2 Grenoble, du 10 mai au 15 juin au théâtre de l'Odéon (Paris).
Les frères Tomas et Peter Stockmann se ressemblent comme le jour à la nuit. Ensemble, ils ont pourtant fondé l'"établissement des bains" d'une petite ville portuaire du sud de la Norvège. Tomas, médecin intègre, mesure la qualité des eaux. En tant que maire, Peter compte sur la prospérité de la station thermale pour asseoir son pouvoir. Quand les eaux s'avèrent contaminées par la tannerie locale, les masques tombent. Le médecin croit devoir la vérité au peuple quand le politicien ne songe qu'à défendre ses intérêts. Le socle d'une pure tragédie ? Henrik Ibsen maintient sa fable sur une crête plus ambigüe. Autour de la fratrie déchirée, les citoyens papillonnent, hésitent et bifurquent jusqu'à la bouffonnerie. Quant à nous, c'est entre la consternation et le rire franc que nous balançons.
Après l'incendie de sa maison et la mort de ses enfants, le constructeur Solness va-t-il être capable de revivre grâce à la jeunesse qui frappe à sa porte, comme un rêve? ...
4 hommes, 3 femmes / durée : 3 h
It is a play with a gentle, evocative name. But 'A Doll's House' is a story with a kick that continues to be felt today.
Henrik Ibsen's play tells the story of Nora, who feels hemmed in by a male-dominated society and its expectations.
When she illegally takes out a loan to pay for Christmas presents, she is blackmailed by one of her husband's colleagues.
She is desperate for Torvald not to find out, so finds herself in the power of the sinister and dishonest colleague.
When the truth gets out, Torvald confronts Nora, insults her and says she is "unfit to raise our children". He swiftly takes back his words, but it is too late.
Nora has decided to do something truly shocking...
Fans of Bertolt Brecht and August Strindberg will love this play, which challenges our acceptance of cultural and societal norms.
Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian-Danish playwright and theatre director. He was one of the founders of modernism in theatre and is regarded as "the father of realism".
He influenced many giants of the playwright world, including George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, and George Bernard Shaw. His work has endured: only William Shakespeare's plays are performed more often than Ibsen's.
His best-known works include 'Peer Gynt', 'A Doll's House', 'An Enemy of the People', and 'The Wild Duck'.
Ibsen was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1902, 1903, and 1904.
This carefully crafted ebook: "The Best of Henrik Ibsen: A Doll's House + Hedda Gabler + Ghosts + An Enemy of the People + The Wild Duck + Peer Gynt (Illustrated)" contains 6 books in one volume and is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.
1. A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1879. The play is significant for its critical attitude toward 19th century marriage norms. It aroused great controversy at the time, as it concludes with the protagonist, Nora, leaving her husband and children because she wants to discover herself.
2. Hedda Gabler is a play published in 1890. It premiered in 1891 in Germany and gained recognition as a classic of realism, nineteenth century theatre, and world drama. Hedda may be portrayed as an idealistic heroine fighting society, a victim of circumstance, a prototypical feminist, or a manipulative villain.
3. Ghosts is a play written in 1881 and first staged in 1882. Like many of Ibsen's better-known plays, Ghosts is a scathing commentary on 19th-century morality. Ghosts had challenged the hypocrisy of Victorian morality and was deemed indecent for its veiled references to syphilis.
4. An Enemy of the people is an 1882 play originally written in Danish in response to the public outcry against his play Ghosts, which at that time was considered scandalous.
5. The Wild Duck (1884), in a sense, solved Ibsen's own moral dilemma as he struggled between a militant idealism (as in Enemy of the People) and his own worldly temperament. With a pragmatic, anti-romantic viewpoint, this drama presents a continuum between the opposing values of the Ideal and the Real.
6. Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse, based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. Written in the Dano-Norwegian language, it was first published in 1867. In Peer Gynt, Ibsen satirized the weaknesses of the Norwegian people, incorporating them into the character of Peer.
Henrik Johan Ibsen (1828 - 1906) was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of realism" and is one of the founders of Modernism in theatre. His major works include Brand, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, Emperor and Galilean, A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, and The Master Builder.
Please note: This audiobook has been created using AI voice.
Hedda, the proud and willful daughter of General Gabler, newly married to George Tesman, returns from her honeymoon to Norway. She chafes at the prospect of a dull life in a loveless marriage until a former lover, Eilert Løvborg, returns and throws their financial future into disarray. The appearance of Hedda's old schoolmate Thea, who wants to reform Løvborg, and Judge Brack, who wants Hedda in his power, leave her struggling to build the life she wants.
Hedda Gabler was first performed in Munich in 1891, and within months there were productions in Berlin, Copenhagen, London, and New York. It was Ibsen's first play to be translated from proofs before performance or publication. Productions of the play have won two Olivier Awards and been broadcast in multiple countries; since 1917, it has been adapted into more than a dozen feature films in almost as many languages.
Please note: This audiobook has been created using AI voice.
Written in 1881, when melodrama and farce were still at their peak of popularity, Ibsen's Ghosts is a threeact tragedy that explores uncomfortable, even forbidden themes. It is also a highly critical commentary on the morality of the day. The play centers around the widow of a prominent Norwegian sea captain whose son returns home and, with tragic consequences, revives the ghosts of the past that she has long labored to put to rest.
Ghosts immediately became a source of controversy for its inclusion of topics like venereal disease, incest, and euthanasia, and it was banned from being performed in England for many years. Its arrival signals a shift in the nature of theatre and, despite negative criticism, it was translated into other languages and performed in Sweden, Germany, and New York within a few years of its debut. It stands now as one of the works considered to have ushered in the era of modern drama.
Please note: This audiobook has been created using AI voice.
In 1870s Norway, Nora Helmer struggles to be her own person within her marriage and a society that limits the opportunities of women. When decisions made to protect her husband come back to haunt her, Nora must fight for her family and for her own place in the world.
Since its first theatrical run, in which every performance was sold out, A Doll's House has inspired admiration, controversy, and discussion. First published by Ibsen in 1879 in Danish, the official language of Danishruled Norway, A Doll's House sold out its first two printings within months. It first premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen within a month of publication, and the play was performed in Germany in 1880 and London in 1884.
Initial translations changed the play, particularly the ending, to be more sympathetic and acceptable. Ibsen considered these changes to be a "barbaric outrage." It wouldn't be until 1889 that the play was performed as written in London and Broadway.
Ibsen's work pioneered realistic depictions of middle class families and social themes. He claimed that he didn't have feminist intentions in the writing of A Doll's House, instead aiming for "the description of humanity," but the play is widely considered an essential feminist work and has had a real lasting impact: as recently as 2006, it was the most performed play in the world.
In the haunting and enigmatic "Little Eyolf," Henrik Ibsen weaves a tale of love, loss, and the complexities of human nature. As the Allmers family grapples with the tragic death of their young son, Eyolf, they are forced to confront their own shortcomings and the fragility of their relationships. Through a series of poignant and thought-provoking scenes, Ibsen explores themes of guilt, responsibility, and the search for meaning in the face of adversity. With its evocative language and psychological depth, "Little Eyolf" remains a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate and challenge readers to this day.
Henrik Ibsen, l'un des dramaturges les plus importants du 19e siècle, aborde ici le thème de la passion amoureuse et nous rappelle que le mariage par amour est une pratique récente qui fait opposition aux mariages arrangés selon des conventions à la fois sociales et financières. À sa sortie, cet ouvrage au contenu fort critique sur la société de son époque fut jugé immoral, suscitant un scandale qui poussa l'auteur à s'exiler.
Master Builder Halvard Solness is an ageing architect who has not achieved what he wanted, neither in art nor in love. He fears and bullies his juniors, and thinks he is going mad. His wife and mistress try to care for him as best they can, without themselves getting hurt in return. The situation is further fraught by the arrival of young and seductive Hilda Wangel, who also plays a part in Ibsen's previous drama "The Lady from the Sea."
In Henrik Ibsen's play "Little Eyolf" we meet Alfred Allmer and his wife Rita, whose marriage and relationship has been strained ever since their son, Eyolf, fell from a table as an infant and became lame. Alfred has been burying himself in work, writing his philosophical thesis on 'human responsibility'. Meanwhile, Rita still feels a lot of desire towards Alfred and is jealous of everyone who comes near him. But when little Eyolf is lured away by the Rat-Wife and drowns in a lake, the couple must learn how to be husband and wife all over again.
Rosmer, ancien pasteur, est éprouvé par le suicide de sa femme. Son beau-frère lui fait rencontrer Rebekka, dont Rosmer tombe amoureux. Il découvre pourtant qu'elle est à l'origine de ce décès tragique afin de pouvoir vivre au manoir de Rosmersholm.
Personnages : 2 femmes, 4 hommes / durée : 2 h.
Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 2 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 3 minutes
"The Lady from the Sea" is a play written by Henrik Ibsen in 1888, inspired by the ballad Agnete og Havmanden. The play revolves around Ellida Wangel, a woman who is married to a physician in a small fjord town in northern Norway. Ellida is restless and troubled by a former romantic attachment, and her husband invites Arnholm, Bolette's former tutor and a former suitor to Ellida, to help her. Ellida was deeply in love and engaged to a sailor, but he had to escape after murdering his captain. The sailor returns years later to claim her, and Ellida has to choose between her former lover or her husband. The play ends with the sailor leaving and Ellida and her husband deciding to take up their lives again together. The play has been performed in various theaters around the world, and there have been several adaptations, including a ballet, an opera, and a radio adaptation.
Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 3 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 3 minutes
"An Enemy of the People" is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1882. The play follows Dr. Thomas Stockmann, the medical officer of a recently opened spa in a small town, who exposes the truth that the spa water is contaminated with bacteria. The play explores themes such as environmental issues, professional responsibilities, and the moral dilemmas involved in whistle-blowing. The play was adapted by Arthur Miller in the 1950s and has been adapted for film and television several times. The play has also been adapted for modern audiences, including a 2021 adaptation by the National Theatre of Scotland. The play has been censored in mainland China due to its themes.
Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 2 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 2 minutes
"Ghosts" is a play written by Henrik Ibsen in 1881. It explores controversial topics such as religion, venereal disease, incest, and euthanasia, making it highly controversial at the time. The play revolves around Mrs. Helen Alving, a widow, who discovers that her son Oswald has inherited syphilis from his father. She also learns that Oswald is in love with Regina Engstrand, who is actually his half-sister. The play delves into the consequences of not breaking societal moral codes. "Ghosts" received negative criticism initially but is now considered an important and influential play. It has been performed worldwide and adapted for film and television multiple times. The play's frank treatment of taboo subjects shocked audiences and was met with strong criticism. However, it has since gained recognition for its bold exploration of societal norms and moral codes.
