Henrik Ibsen: the father of Naturalism

Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian playwright, and is widely considered to be the father of Naturalism. As a literary movement, Naturalism is often used interchangeably with Realism, however there is a distinction between the two.

Much like Realism, Naturalism aims to depict social affairs and relations as they are, in contrast to the previously fashionable Romantic movement. However, Naturalism distinguishes itself from Realism in that Naturalism also aims to show that people are ultimately unable to escape the confines of their social condition. There is a large element of determinism to the naturalist movement. Ibsen uses these ideas throughout his work, showcasing both attempts for characters to transcend their origins and also how they often fail to do so. It is this thematic concern that earned him the title of the ‘father of Naturalism’, due to his careful portrayal of everyday life for middle-class nineteenth century Norwegians.

Nineteenth-century Norway

Due to the time period, it can be tempting for an IB student to refer to Ibsen’s work as ‘Victorian’, but students should avoid this as far as possible. Ibsen was Norwegian, and although many students in Hong Kong might not be familiar with Norway and its culture, it certainly affects Ibsen’s writing. In the nineteenth century, Norway was keen to establish a sense of national identity after years of Swedish occupation. What’s more, Scandinavian cultures more generally emphasise a strong sense of community within their society. While this leads to substantial benefits, there are also significant drawbacks. Any ‘failures’ to adhere to society’s norms is met with strong recrimination and even total alienation. Social monitoring, gossip and judgement directed at those who deem themselves to be ‘superior’ to the community are all strongly present thematic concerns in Norwegian literature.

These ideas are at the centre of Ibsen’s work, particularly in A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler. Both plays concern women who, in various ways, fail to conform to society’s image of what a middle class woman should be. Balancing individual needs with societal pressures is just as much at the centre of Ibsen’s work as questions around gender and marriage. A strong IB candidate would refer to these contextual factors in their analysis of Ibsen’s plays as it will help them articulate the stakes faced by characters such as Nora and Hedda, as well as analysing Ibsen’s purpose in depicting these seemingly petty disputes.

Towards stronger Paper 2 responses

Ibsen’s plays are a popular choice for IB students when it comes to the Paper 2, as their versatility allows students to make astute comparisons to their other chosen text. However, it is important that students be able to deploy well-selected comparisons, and ones that add insight, in order to access the higher bands of the Paper 2.

Consider the following comparison between Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire in response to the question ‘In what ways do writers use “non-conformist” views or people as material for their writing?’

Both Hedda and Blanche can be read as non-conformist characters in the context of these plays. Hedda obsesses over achievement, and views other women (as well as her husband) with scorn. This suggests that she refuses to conform to society’s standards of what a middle-class woman should be. Instead, she clearly desires to be like a man, as shown through the repeated reference to her father’s pistols as props throughout the play. Ibsen uses Hedda to thus suggest that non-conformity is self-destructive.

While this is a decent start to an analytical paragraph, a discussion of how Ibsen is engaged with his cultural and literary context would greatly improve the response. For example:

Both Hedda and Blanche can be read as non-conformist characters in the context of these plays. Hedda obsesses over achievement, and views other women (as well as her husband) with scorn. This suggests that she refuses to conform to society’s standards of what a middle-class woman should be. This uncaring defiance of social norms positions her firmly against her community, and leads her to greater isolation. Yet Ibsen’s positioning of Hedda as the protagonist of the play suggests that the audience are to have some sympathy towards her. In turn, this implies that audiences should be critical of the overly conforming and limiting roles available for women in nineteenth-century Norway as Ibsen critiques his society through the dangerous, self-destructive non-conformity of his protagonist.

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