Henrik Johan Ibsen (1828–1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theater director who became one of the most influential figures in modern literature. Born into a wealthy merchant family in Skien, Norway, he began his career as a theater director in the 1850s. He achieved international recognition in the 1860s with his verse plays Brand and Peer Gynt. Shortly after, he left Norway to live in Italy and Germany for twenty-seven years, returning to Christiania (now Oslo) in 1891.\n\nOften referred to as the "father of modern drama," Ibsen pioneered theatrical realism, transitioning from early surreal verse plays to realistic prose dramas. His works frequently challenged Victorian-era social norms and strict moral codes, examining the uncomfortable realities hidden behind bourgeois façades. Plays like A Doll's House, Ghosts, and Hedda Gabler caused significant scandal in their time for their critical inquiry into morality, family life, and individual freedom.\n\nIbsen's extensive body of work also includes The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, and Emperor and Galilean, which the author himself considered his masterpiece. His plays, written in Dano-Norwegian, profoundly influenced major literary figures such as George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, and James Joyce. Today, he remains one of the most frequently performed dramatists in the world, second only to William Shakespeare.
