Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen — free Norwegian accent audiobook cover

Ghosts

by Henrik Ibsen

1881  ·  Norwegian accent

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About Ghosts

Ghosts is Ibsen's most controversial play — so shocking when first published in 1881 that it was initially banned across Scandinavia and most of Europe. Mrs Alving has spent her life maintaining the respectable image of her late husband, despite knowing his true dissolute nature. When the sins of the father begin to appear in the son, the carefully constructed lies collapse.

Ibsen tackles syphilis, incest, euthanasia, and the destruction caused by living a lie — all within the confines of a single Norwegian drawing room. The play was condemned as obscene, nihilistic and an attack on morality. Today it is recognised as one of the supreme masterpieces of world drama: a work of devastating moral clarity that changed the course of theatre history.

Listen free to Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen — the most controversial play of the nineteenth century, read with a Norwegian accent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Ghosts banned?
Ghosts deals openly with syphilis, inherited sin, and euthanasia — subjects that were completely taboo in 1881. Critics called it 'a dirty act done in public'. Today it's a masterpiece.
What are the ghosts in the title?
The ghosts are the unspoken sins and lies of the past — the way the dead continue to haunt and control the living through inherited attitudes, secrets and diseases.
Is Ghosts connected to A Doll's House?
Yes — Ibsen wrote Ghosts as a deliberate response to the outcry over A Doll's House. Mrs Alving is what Nora might have become if she had stayed.

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