The Social Dimension In Ibsenite Drama Three Representative Plays:

Fatma Ramadan Ragab

Henrik Ibsen was born in Skien, Norway on the 20th of March,1828. He influenced the development of modern drama, in which thecentre of dramatic interest has shifted from violent action to what ishappening in people’s mind. Ibsen depicted the life of his time and hemade use of the ideas of his time.This thesis is a study of the social dimension in Ibsenite drama.The study focuses on three of Ibsen’s social plays. These plays are ThePillars of Society (1877), A Doll’s House (1879), and An Enemy of thePeople (1882). The study includes four chapters, in addition to theintroduction and the conclusion. In the introduction, the reasons ofchoosing this topic and its importance are looked at, and in theconclusion, the results are indicated.Chapter one: Ibsen As A Social Dramatist. In Ibsen’s social plays,he is concerned with the moral responsibility of a man to the societyaround him. Ibsen exposes in his social plays the effect of lies, shames,and evasions.Chapter two: Illusion Vs. Reality in The Pillars of Society. In thisplay, Ibsen examines the lie in public life, the struggle of the individual tohide his sin and preserve his reputation at the expense of another man’s good name. Ibsen made the hero of the play become aware of the falseconsciousness in which he and his society exist and decide to confess thewhole truth even at he cost of his reputation. The play concludes with thehero’s admission that the spirits of truth and freedom are the true pillars ofsociety.Chapter three: Woman’s liberation in A Doll’s House. One of theserious issues of Ibsen’s day has been the position of women. The heroineis much more than a revolting wife, she stands for the oppressed womanof her time. Ibsen believed that women were not inferior to men in anyfield. Through this play, Ibsen stressed the importance of women’sindividuality.Chapter four: Exposure of Corruption in An Enemy of the People.Ibsen’s main reason for writing this play was to illustrate the importanceof ethical choice and the freedom to make that choice without fear ofreprisal. Here freedom which represents truth clashes with democracywhich represents corruption and lies.