Henrik Johan Ibsen and Greek connection

 ΙΨΕΝ & ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΕΣ ΕΠΙΡΡΟΕΣ - Henrik Johan Ibsen and Greek connection

Henrik Ibsen, the Norwegian playwright, had significant connections to Greek culture, not through a direct personal visit but through his exposure to classical Greek themes and literature via German Romanticism and Scandinavian culture. Several of his plays feature parallels with ancient Greek tragedy and philosophy; for example, A Doll's House has echoes of Sophocles' Antigone, and his portrayal of Dr. Stockmann in An Enemy of the People mirrors aspects of Socrates in Plato's Apology. Ibsen's work also provided a foundation for the development of modernist theatre in Greece, a significant aspect of his lasting legacy in the country, as seen in the critical reception and stagings of his plays there, such as Ghosts.

Ibsen's Connection to Classical Greece

Influence of Greek Culture:

Ibsen's plays are encoded with veiled references to ancient Greek culture, though this influence was likely mediated through German Romanticism and Scandinavian culture rather than direct exposure, notes Norman Rhodes.

A Doll's House and Sophocles' Antigone:

The play demonstrates important parallels with Sophocles' classical tragedy Antigone, highlighting themes of self-understanding and belated knowledge.

An Enemy of the People and Socrates/Oedipus Tyrannos:

Dr. Stockmann in this play can be correlated with the image of Socrates in Plato's Apology and with Sophocles' Oedipus in Oedipus Tyrannos.

Epic Parallels:

Works like Brand and Peer Gynt are considered dialectic pairs that suggest Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

Ibsen's Legacy in Greece

Modernist Theatre:

Ibsen's contribution to theatrical art is viewed as a key part of the tradition of tragic plays that gave European drama renewed vitality, similar to the ancient Greek tragedies.

Enduring Influence:

The lasting influence of Ibsen's works in Greece has been a significant topic of study, with various Greek directors and actors interpreting his plays from the late 19th century to the present day.

Reception and Performances:

The reception of Ibsen's plays in Greece reflects developments in the Greek theatre scene, with significant phases capturing socio-cultural contexts and transformations.

An Unexpected Greek Connection: Failed University Exams

Personal Connection: In an unexpected personal connection, Ibsen failed his entrance examinations for the university in Christiania (now Oslo), specifically failing in Greek and mathematics. This failure, however, decisively set him on the path to becoming a playwright rather than a doctor.

Rhodes 1995.

"Was Ibsen influenced by Greek culture? Were allusions to the Greeks configured in the Norwegian playwright's works? According to author Norman Rhodes, whether consciously or unconsciously, many of Ibsen's plays are encoded with veiled references to ancient Greek culture. Rhodes also postulates that Ibsen's perception of the importance of the Greeks was most likely mediated to him through German Romanticism and Scandinavian culture." "According to Rhodes, numerous echoes of Greek literature resonate in such early Ibsen plays as Catiline, The Warrior's Barrow, Olaf Liljerkrans, and Love's Comedy. Ibsen's Brand and Peer Gynt are a dialectic pair which in key ways are suggestive of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, A Doll House has important parallels with Sophocles' Antigone, and An Enemy of the People correlates with both Plato's Apology and Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannos. Moreover, a Euripidean sense of fatal irrationality seems inscribed in Ibsen's final plays: the protagonists John Rosmer, Hedda Gabler, Master Builder Solness, John Gabriel Borkman, and the sculptor Rubek all destroy themselves."

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ

https://www.academia.edu/6273995/tragedy_and_tradition_ibsen_and_nietzsche_on_the_ghosts_of_the_greeks?fbclid=IwY2xjawMvNKxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBKa25vZzRidWR2Zzg3emxlAR680DIj8TpDwk-oF43VyGw3J8a_oWgOQdEkOEVn64040EUriHi6u5LCEejKBQ_aem_aMSdh0A3h2KNIPqJTgnH7Q

Kristin Gjesdal. 2013. "Tragedy and tradition: Ibsen and Nietzsche on the ghosts of the greeks," The Graduate Faculty Philosophy Journal 34 (2), pp. 391-413.

https://books.google.gr/books?id=gtR1JaxWUW0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0&fbclid=IwY2xjawMvM3lleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBKa25vZzRidWR2Zzg3emxlAR4Wo7rEAPgpp9fvPGrdM7Kdw7CBAmBlqFj504EP4d1_KaAqAIspbNLRD5-7bQ_aem_wiP7RCLNVJTD5M68ShoMQA#v=onepage&q&f=true

Rhodes, N. 1995. Ibsen and the Greeks, Bucknell University Press.

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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Henrik_Ibsen_portrait.jpg/250px-Henrik_Ibsen_portrait.jpg
Henrik Ibsen, the Norwegian "father of modern drama," had a deep, often veiled, connection to ancient Greek tragedy, with his plays echoing themes, structures, and fatalistic elements from figures like Sophocles, Euripides, and Homer, particularly seen in works like Brand, Peer Gynt, and A Doll's House, reflecting a return to classical naturalism and deterministic views of human life.
Key Aspects of the Greek Connection:
Themes & Fatalism: Ibsen's exploration of inescapable fate and societal constraints in plays like Ghosts drew comparisons to Greek tragedy's focus on destiny and necessity, notes {Link: Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies}.
Specific Play Parallels:
Brand & Peer Gynt: Often seen as dialectic pairs, reminiscent of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
A Doll's House: Has parallels with Sophocles' Antigone, focusing on moral choices against societal law, as per {Link: Google Books}.
An Enemy of the People: Correlates with Plato's Apology and Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, dealing with truth and public duty.
Classical Allusions: Early works like Catiline and Love's Comedy contain subtle references to Greek culture, filtered through German Romanticism and Scandinavian thought.
Modern Naturalism: Ibsen's deterministic view of human life and inevitable outcomes mirrored the naturalistic approach found in classical antiquity, notes {Link: Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies}.
In essence, Ibsen revitalized ancient dramatic principles for the modern era, using Greek tragedy as a framework to explore contemporary societal issues, human psychology, and the conflict between individual will and fate, writes {Link: Google Books}.

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Ghosts of Ibsen and Greek connection

Ibsen's Ghosts connects to Greek tragedy through its focus on inherited curses, inescapable pasts, familial doom, and fatalistic determinism, mirroring plays like Sophocles' Oedipus the King, but Ibsen updates it with 19th-century realism, social issues (syphilis, morality), and psychological depth, making the "ghosts" societal secrets and internalized guilt rather than divine curses, leading to devastating modern fates for characters trapped by their predecessors' sins. 

Key Connections

Inherited Doom: Like Greek tragedies where ancestral curses doom families (e.g., the House of Laius), Ghosts shows Captain Alving's sins (infidelity, syphilis) directly destroying his son, Oswald, through congenital disease.

Past Haunting Present: The central theme is the past's power to destroy the present, just as fate dictates in ancient plays, but here it's psychological and social, not purely mythological.

Fatalism & Necessity: Critics noted Ibsen's deterministic worldview in Ghosts, comparing it to the ancient world's belief in fatum, but Ibsen grounds it in naturalism and inherited traits, a modern equivalent to destiny.

Tragic Structure: The play mirrors classical tragedy's unity of time, place, and action, creating a sense of inescapable catastrophe, with Mrs. Alving facing an impossible choice (mercy killing) at the end.

Modernizing the Myth: Ibsen uses the framework of classical tragedy to explore contemporary issues (hypocrisy, venereal disease, societal repression), making the "ghosts" the unutterable truths and empty ideals haunting modern life, notes Taylor & Francis Online and PhilArchive. 

Greek Reception & Interpretation

Early Comparisons: The play immediately drew comparisons to Greek tragedy upon its release, recognized for its intense focus on inherited tragedy and family destruction.

Modern Greek Theatre: Greek directors and scholars have deeply engaged with Ghosts, seeing it as a continuation of tragic traditions, influencing major figures in 20th-century Greek theatre.

Philosophical Links: The play also connects to later Greek philosophical thought, exploring existential themes and the "absurdity of human existence" through figures like Nietzsche, says Εθνικόν και Καποδιστριακόν Πανεπιστήμιον Αθηνών. 

https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/en/item/uoadl:1518899

Tente Christina. 2017. "'Οι Βρικόλακες' του Henrik Ibsen. Φιλοσοφικές και Ψυχαναλυτικές Προσεγγίσεις," Διπλ. εργ.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15021860701717910

Ellen Mortensen. 2007. "Ibsen and the Scandalous: Ghosts and Hedda Gabler," pp.169-187 | Published online: 03 Dec 2007

Cite this article https://doi.org/10.1080/15021860701717910