The New Student's Reference Work/Ibsen, Henrik

HENRIK IBSEN

Ib′sen, (ĭp′sen), Henrik, a Norwegian lyric poet and dramatist, was born at Skien in southern Norway, March 20, 1828. He was a student at Christiania University, but did not graduate. He engaged in journalism for two years, and was then made director of Ole Bull's theater at Bergen. His first play, Catalina, was produced in Christiania in 1850. At Bergen he wrote The Banquet at Solhaug and Lady Inger at Ostraat. In 1858 he wrote The Warriors of Helgeland; in 1862 Love's Comedy; in 1864 The Rival Kings. These works gave him high rank among modern Scandinavian dramatists. In 1864 he left his native country and lived abroad for the most part until 1892. In 1866 the parliament of Norway granted him a pension. His dramas are partly in prose, partly in verse, and include historical plays and satirical comedies of modern life. His later works include Brand, The Pillars of Society, A Doll's House, Ghosts, An Enemy of the People, Little Eyolf, Hedda Gabler and The Master-Builder. Most of these have been published in English. He died on May 23, 1906.