Henrik Ibsen

Biography

Henrik Ibsen entered the world on March 20th at Stockmannsgerden in Skien, Norway, born to the merchant Knud and his wife Marichen. In 1835, a business failure prompted the family to relocate to the Venstop farm in Gjerpen. Following his 1843 confirmation at Gjerpen church, Henrik departed his home to begin an apprenticeship with the chemist Jens Aarup Reinmann. It was during this time, in 1846, that his first son was born to Else Sophie Jesdatter. His literary career took flight in 1849 when he wrote 'Catiline,' published a year later. His stage debut arrived on September 26, 1850, with the performance of his one-act play 'The Burial Mound' at the Cristiania Theater. By 1852, he was directing productions at Bergen’s Det norske Theater. The years 1853 to 1877 marked a prolific era in which he penned 'St. John's night,' 'Lady Inger,' 'The feast at Solhoug,' 'Olaf Liliekrans,' 'The Vikings at Helgeland,' 'Love's comedy,' 'The pretenders,' 'Brand,' 'Peer Gynt,' 'The League of Youth,' 'Emperor and Galilean,' and 'Pillars of Society.' During this period, he also wrote the poems 'Life on the Upland,' 'Terje Vigen,' and 'Balloon letter to a Swedish lady.' His personal life flourished as well; he wed Suzannah Thoresen in 1858, and their son Sigurg was born the following year. In 1878, Ibsen moved to Rome for a seven-year residency, where he began the cycle of eleven plays that secured his status as a master of the craft: 'A Doll's House' (1879), 'Ghosts' (1881), 'An Enemy of the people' (1882), 'The Wild Duck' (1884), 'Rosmersholm' (1886), 'The Lady from the Sea' (1888), 'Hedda Gabler' (1890), 'The Master Builder' (1892), 'Little Ejolf' (1894), 'John Gabriel Borkman' (1896), and his final work, 'When We Dead Awaken' (1898). His 70th birthday in 1898 was met with grand festivities across Christiania, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. Two years later, he suffered his first stroke, and on May 23rd, 1906, the great playwright passed away.