 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
Table of Contents LITERARY INFORMATION Ibsen's work can be divided into three phases: the early phase was dominated by historical plays, which are written wholly or partly in verse; the middle phase was marked by two dramatic poems, "Brand" and "Peer Gynt;" and the final phase is devoted to his great prose dramas, which revolve around contemporary social and moral issues. In all three phases of his career, Ibsen's central preoccupation was to present "the contradiction between word and deed, between will and duty, between life and theory in general." He also tried to depict men as egoistically and selfishly sufficient unto themselves. The content of Ibsen's plays was sometimes shocking, for he gave insights into the human condition, which were quite rare for his time. The plays often stirred up debates, which were usually heated, protracted, and widespread. "A Doll's House" was greatly debated and criticized because it portrayed a woman, named Nora, who walked out on her husband and three young children. His next play "Ghosts" investigates what would have happened to Nora had she remained at home. In "The Wild Duck" Ibsen tries to show how it is better to cling on to "life illusions" rather than to have the idealistic viewpoint of a Gregers Werle imposed on the individual.
In all his plays, Ibsen explores the relationship between human beings, presenting them with such sensitivity that the overall effect is as powerful and satisfying as that of a perfect poem. He also portrays that personal tragedy comes from a denial of love. Hedvig kills herself because she is denied love by the father whom she adores. In his plays, Ibsen is also able to masterfully handle dramatic effect on the stage through his use of language, powerful symbols (such as the wild duck), and the interaction of characters. "The Wild Duck" was written in 1884 and falls in the middle of Ibsen's career. As the key symbol and image in the play, the wild duck came from two probable sources. Ibsen borrowed the idea from a poem, "The Sea-Bird," written by Welhaven, a Norwegian poet. It is about a wounded duck that is shot by a careless hunter and dives down to the bottom of the sea to die. Another source for Ibsen was Darwin's account of how wild ducks degenerate in captivity. The play marks a fine balance between the poetic and the realistic elements. Table of Contents | |
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