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The Quintessence of Ibsenism: Now Completed to the Death of Ibsen
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025939643
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 244
Weight: 0.76
Height: 0.51 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
In The Quintessence of Ibsenism, Nobel laureate George Bernard Shaw provides a definitive critical exploration of the works and philosophy of the pioneering Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. This influential piece of literary criticism played a pivotal role in introducing Ibsen's revolutionary social realism to the English-speaking world, forever changing the landscape of modern theater. Shaw meticulously analyzes Ibsen's major plays, arguing that they represent a radical departure from the artificiality of the nineteenth-century stage by addressing the complex moral and social dilemmas of contemporary life.
The text delves into the concept of Ibsenism, which Shaw interprets as the systematic destruction of outmoded ideals and the pursuit of individual will. From the domestic rebellion in A Doll's House to the haunting symbolism of When We Dead Awaken, Shaw examines the thematic continuity across the playwright's entire body of work. This expanded version includes insights into Ibsen's final plays, offering a comprehensive overview of his career. More than just a study of another writer, this work serves as a manifesto for Shaw's own theories on the purpose of drama as a vehicle for intellectual and social provocation. The Quintessence of Ibsenism remains an essential text for students of modern drama and literary history.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
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