Ghosts is Ibsen's formidably realistic play about the effects of previous generations on the young, a stinging satire on contemporary Norwegian society and morality, and a haunting tragedy that, more than a century since it premiered, still retains its power to shock. In Ibsen's study of the lingering poison in a marriage based on a lie, Osvald Alving returns from Paris to his mother's home, carrying with him a dreadful secret. His mother's delight at having him home soon turns to horror and grief. The corruption that she had hoped to spare him from when sending him away from the influence of his depraved father has in fact infected his whole body in the form of syphillis. In Mrs Alving and her son's distrust of conventional religion and mores and Oswald's anguish with life, Ibsen created a thoroughly modern and provocative work that created widespread outrage and shock when first produced in 1881. 'Meyer's translations of Ibsen are a major fact in one's general sense of post-war drama. Their vital pace, their unforced insistence on the poetic centre of Ibsen's genius, have beaten academic versions from the field' George Steiner, The New Statesman

Classic translation by Michael Meyer, acclaimed for it's faithfulness and vitality. The play is combined with a full commentary on the plot, context, themes, characters, language and critical reception, together with a bibliography and questions for study making this the perfect edition for students. Ibsen's Hedda Gabler and The Wild Duck are set texts for AQA and WJEC A level Drama respectively. Ibsen is regarded as the father of modern drama and his work is perenially revived. The play was most recently revived at the Gate Theatre, London, in early 2007. Ghosts is an established classic of modern drama courses and modules studying tragedy.

About the Author
Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian playwright and poet whose realistic, symbolic and often controversial plays revolutionised European theatre. He is widely regarded as the father of modern drama. His acclaimed plays include A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, An Enemy of the People and The Pillars of the Community.

Reviews
'Ghosts is a forboding litany of sins past which unravel to lay bare a series of creeping consequences that damn everyone involved, unwittingly or not.' Neil Cooper, Herald, 18.5.09 'Ibsen has the extraordinary capacity for building up tension like the force of water gathering behind a fracturing dyke. When the walls finally break, the ensuing flood is irresistible.' Mark Brown, Sunday Herald, 24.5.09 'Ibsen's most notable foray into the nature/nurture debate' Steve Cramer, Financial Times, 26.5.09 'When Ibsen's 1881 drama was first staged, the play didn't just tread on one taboo, it bravely waded through a messy bog of them.' Maxie Szalwinska, Sunday Times, 2.8.09



Book Information
ISBN 9780713686753
Author Henrik Ibsen
Format Paperback
Page Count 128
Imprint Methuen Drama
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 156g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 8mm