Henrik Ibsen Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Henrik Ibsen Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
About Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen was a well-known Norwegian theater director, author, and playwright.Henrik Ibsen is often referred to as ’the father of realism’, due to his contribution to bringing modernism to theaters. Ibsen is still one of the most-recognized dramatists and playwrights.Some of the most notable works by Henrik Ibsen include ‘Peer Gynt’, ‘The Wild Duck’, ‘Hedda Gabler’, ‘Emperor And Galilean’, and one of the world’s most famous plays, ‘A Doll’s House’. Henrik Ibsen was also known for his other works, including ‘Rosmersholm’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘The Master Builder’, ‘An Enemy Of The People’, and ‘Brand’.Henrik Ibsen wrote almost all of his plays in Danish. His work has influenced several playwrights including Eugene O’Neill, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, and Arthur Miller. In addition, Henrik Ibsen was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature for three consecutive years.Henrik Ibsen was born on March 20, 1828, and died on May 23, 1906, at the age of 78, in Oslo, Norway.Keep reading to know more about the pioneering playwright from Norway, Henrik Ibsen, including details about his legendary work and his personal life.Childhood And EducationThe famous ‘Peer Gynt’ playwright, Henrik Ibsen, was born on March 20, 1828, in Stockmanngarden, Skien, Norway, into a wealthy merchant family, and raised in Bratsberg. At the time of Ibsen’s birth, Skien was one of the most important and prosperous cities in Norway. Ibsen was born to Knud Plesner Ibsen and Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg. His father was a merchant and his mother was a homemaker.According to Ibsen’s writings, his father and mother both belonged to upper-class families in Skien, Norway. Henrik Ibsen’s baptism took place at the Lutheran State Church.Henrik Ibsen moved to Grimstad at the age of 15, to become a pharmacist. He began writing plays during this time. At the age of 18, Ibsen moved to Christiania to continue his education at the university. However, the playwright later insisted on committing his career to poetry.Family, Romance And RelationshipsHenrik Ibsen’s Family Life And BackgroundHenrik Ibsen was born into an influential merchant family in Skien. He was born to Knud Plesner Ibsen and Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg. His father was a merchant and his ancestors were also merchants or ship owners. Both of his parents came from elite and affluent families of the city. During that period, Skien was one of the most prosperous cities in the country and was one of the main centers for exports.Henrik Ibsen’s grandfather, Henrich Johan Ibsen, was a ship captain and merchant. He died while working as a sea captain when Knud Plesner Ibsen was seven years old. Knud Plesner Ibsen’s mother, Johanne Plesner, then married Ole Paus, a ship captain. Ole Paus, after selling the house he inherited from Henrich Ibsen, moved with his entire family to Rising, which is where Ibsen’s father, Knud Plesner Ibsen, grew up.Ibsen’s mother, Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg, was raised by a respected family in Altenburggarden. She was born to Johan Andreas Altenburg and Hedevig Christine Paus. Altenburg owned a liquor distillery. Hedevig Paus was the sister of Ole Paus, the stepfather of Knud Plesner Ibsen.In 1825, Knud Plesner Ibsen and his step brother, Christopher Blom Paus, started a business together as merchants, exporting timber and other luxury goods. Knud Plesner Ibsen was one of the highest taxpayers of Skien. However, in 1835, due to financial concerns, the entire family was forced to move to Venstop, which lies on the outskirts of Skien. Though Knud Plesner Ibsen overcame his failures in the 1840s, his fortunes came to an end in the 1850s, and he had to depend on his step-brother.Henrik Ibsen’s parents were siblings by marriage, which he reflects on in a number of his plays, in particular, ‘Rosmersholm’.Who was Henrik Ibsen’s partner?Popular playwright, Henrik Ibsen, married Suzannah Thoresen, also a playwright, in 1858. Suzannah Thoresen and Ibsen got engaged in January 1858, and married in July 1858. Suzannah was also the inspiration for a number of her husband’s writings. Some characters that are reportedly based on her include Mother Ase from ‘Peer Gynt’ and Mrs. Alving from ‘Ghosts’.Who were Henrik Ibsen’s children?The couple became parents to their only child, named Sigurd Ibsen, on December 23, 1859. Sigurd Ibsen went on to serve as the Norwegian Prime Minister, from 1903 to 1905.Henrik Ibsen also reportedly had an illegitimate child with a maid, Else Sophie Birkedalen, in 1846, named Hans Jacob Henriksen.Henrik Ibsen had three grandchildren, Eleonora Ibsen, Irene Ibsen Bille, and Tancred Ibsen, the children of his son, Sigurd Ibsen.Career And Professional HighlightsBest Known For…Henrik Ibsen was best known as a Norwegian theater director and playwright. Known as ’the father of realism, Ibsen was known for adding surreal elements and realism to his literature.Oslo-based playwright, Henrik Ibsen, published his first play at the age of 22. However, this play did not get much attention. However, his second play, ‘The Burial Mound’, began to gain recognition. Ibsen reportedly took inspiration from some of the most acclaimed Norwegian authors, including Peter Christen, Jorgen Moe, and Henrik Wergeland.Later, Henrik Ibsen worked at the Det Norske Theater for a few years. While being employed as a playwright, Ibsen was instrumental in producing over 145 plays. After gaining ore experience as a playwright, Henrik Ibsen committed to writing again. In 1858, Ibsen served at the Christiania Theater as a creative director. After his marriage in the same year, the couple began to face certain financial concerns.In 1862, Henrik Ibsen moved to Sorrento, Italy, where he remained for the next 27 years. In 1865, Ibsen published his play, ‘Brand’. The play resulted in both criticism and recognition from several peers. The play was first staged in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1867. It portrays a priest named Brand, who accepts his fate and the consequences of his deeds. He deeply believes that the purpose of his life is to save the world.In 1867, Ibsen published one of his most notable plays, ‘Peer Gynt’, which was very successful. ‘Peer Gynt’ is a romantic drama, that was based on his own family, especially on the relationship of his parents. It included compositions from Edvard Grieg, a Norwegian composer and pianist. Eventually, Ibsen became one of the most recognized names in European theater.In 1868, Henrik Ibsen moved to Dresden, Germany, where he worked on his next play, ‘Emperor And Galilean’, for a few years. The play was first performed in 1873, and was based on the life of the Roman Emperor, Julian the Apostate. In 1975, Ibsen moved to Munich, where he started working on ‘The Pillars Of Society’, a contemporary realist drama.In 1879, Henrik Ibsen published one of the most successful plays of his life, ‘A Doll’s House’. This play is considered one of the most famous plays in the world and portrayed society during that time. This play was inscribed in the Memory of the World Register by UNESCO in 2001.This major success was followed by his next play, ‘Ghosts’, which premiered in 1881 during the tour of a Danish Company in Chicago, Illinois. It characterized the morality of society during that time. Because the play dealt with taboo subjects such as religion and euthanasia, it attracted strong criticism. The next year, Ibsen released ‘An Enemy Of The People’, which also discussed controversial issues, and was reportedly written as a response to the criticism he received for ‘Ghosts’.‘The Wild Duck’, in 1884, is another of Henrik Ibsen’s most recognizable plays. This tragi-comedy first premiered at Den Nationale Scene, Bergen, Norway, on January 9, 1885. Following this, Ibsen premiered ‘Rosmersholm’ in 1886. This complex play deals with the tension between two concepts, servitude and liberation, following the ideas of an aristocrat who then converts to liberalism.Henrik Ibsen then published one of his most famous plays, ‘Hedda Gabler’, a realist world drama, in 1890. The play premiered at the Konigliches Residenz Theatre in Munich, Germany. ‘Hedda Gabler’ is considered a masterpiece by many, showing the life of the titular character, Hedda Gabler, who, after returning from her honeymoon, realizes that she does not want to be in this marriage. The title character was reportedly based on Ibsen’s wife, Suzannah Thoresen. ‘Hedda Gabler’ was also considered to be a female version of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. It received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Revival in 1992, and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival in 2005.In 1892, Henrik Ibsen published ‘The Master Builder’, which premiered on January 19, 1893, in Lessing Theater, in a small district of Berlin, Germany.Henrik Ibsen’s writing influenced many writers, such as George Bernard Shaw, Eugene O’Neilll, James Joyce, Arthur Miller, Marguerite Yourcenar, and Oscar Wilde. Ibsen excelled in various genres, especially naturalism and realism.Some of his other notable works include ‘Catiline’, ‘St. John’s Eve’, ‘Lady Inger Of Oestraat’, ‘The Feat At Soulhag’, ‘Olaf Liljekrans’, and ‘The Vikings At Helgeland’.Henrik Ibsen also wrote ‘Love’s Comedy’ (1862), ‘The Pretenders’ (1863), ‘The League Of Youth’ (1869), and ‘Pillars Of Society’ (1877). The play, ‘The League Of Youth’, which was first staged in 1869, reportedly changed Ibsen’s attitude towards realism. It was one of the most popular plays during that period and was known for its humor and dialogues. On the other hand, ‘Pillars Of Society’ is a contemporary drama that illustrates the selfishness of the rich. It was first staged at Odense Theater in Denmark.In 1888, Ibsen published one of his lesser-known plays, named ‘The Lady From The Sea’, which was a drama inspired by the ballad, ‘Agnete og Havmanden’. Henrik Ibsen’s later plays included ‘Little Eyolf’, ‘John Gabriel Borkman’, and ‘When We Dead Awaken’, which was first performed at the Haymarket Theater, London, in 1899. ‘Little Eyolf’ also premiered at the same theater, on December 3, 1894.In 1851, Henrik Ibsen released a political parody, named ‘Norma Or A Politician’s Love’. In addition, he published a collection of poetry in 1871, called ‘Digte’ (‘Poems’), which includes the poems, ‘Markblomster og poteplanter’, ‘Fra mit Husliv’, and ‘Til de Genlevende’.After having left the country as a struggling playwright, Henrik Ibsen returned to Norway in 1891, as a world renowned writer. He lived in Oslo, where he remained until his death in 1906.What honors and awards did Henrik Ibsen receive?In 1893, the famed ‘Hedda Gabler’ and ‘Peer Gynt’ playwright, Henrik Ibsen, received the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav. He also received the Grand Cross of the Swedish Order of the Polar Star and the Grand Cross of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog. In addition, Henrik Ibsen was nominated for three years consecutively for the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1902, 1903, and 1904.Other Interesting Henrik Ibsen Facts And TriviaHis first work was written under the pseudonym, Brynjolf Bjarme, but his second play, ‘The Burial Mound’, was published under his own name in 1850.Henrik Wergeland, a Norwegian poet, was reportedly the main inspiration for Henrik Ibsen.Hakon Anton Fageras, a Norwegian sculptor, made two bronze sculptures of Henrik Ibsen in 2011. One is kept in Sorrento, Italy, while the other is in Skien, Norway.An asteroid, discovered in 1960, was named after Henrik Ibsen, as 5696 Ibsen.Henrik Ibsen died on May 23, 1906, in Oslo (then known as Kristiania), Norway, at the age of 78, due to a series of heart attacks.Henrik Ibsen was cremated at Var Freslers Gravlund, in Oslo, Norway.Ibsen Year was declared to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Henrik Ibsen in 2006.Furthermore, in his remembrance, the Peer Gynt Sculpture Park was opened by a company named Selvaag. On this day, The Ibsen Museum was opened in Oslo, Norway.A research center, The Ibsen Research Center, has been named in his honor and is situated at the University of Oslo in Norway. The research center is instrumental in promoting research of 19th century literature.An award, The Norwegian Ibsen Prize, has also been named in his honor and is awarded to playwrights. The aim of this award is to promote Norwegian theater.Henrik Ibsen is the father of the former Norwegian Prime Minister, Sigurd Ibsen.Some of Henrik Ibsen’s plays were translated to English by William Archer and Edmund Goose.Henrik Ibsen’s most popular plays include ‘Hedda Gabler’, ‘Peer Gynt’, ‘A Doll’s House’, and ‘Ghosts’.Henrik Ibsen’s parents were named Knud Plesner Ibsen and Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg.We would love your help! If you have a photo of Henrik Ibsen, either of them alone or a selfie that you would be happy to share, please send it to [email protected].If you have knowledge or information that you think would help us improve this article, please contact us.
Henrik Ibsen Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Henrik Ibsen Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
Henrik Ibsen was a well-known Norwegian theater director, author, and playwright.
Henrik Ibsen Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Henrik Ibsen Birthday Highlights
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Birth Name Henrik Ibsen
Place Of Birth Skien, Norway Age 195 years old
Birth Date March 20 1828
Henrik Ibsen Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
Henrik Ibsen Facts
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
Child Star? no Occupation Playwright Education & Qualifications
Current Partner Suzannah Thoresen Children Sigurd Ibsen Parents Marichen Altenburg, Knud Plesner
