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Why did Ghosts cause controversy when it was published?
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Henrik Ibsen
Norwegian dramatist and poet Henrik Ibsen.
When Ghosts (Gengangere) was published in 1881, it provoked significant controversy and public outcry because it challenged the conventional morality and social hypocrisy of the time.12
The play was considered scandalous for several reasons:
- Taboo Subject Matter: It addressed the reality of congenital venereal disease, specifically syphilis, which was a highly sensitive and avoided topic in 19th-century society.12
- Attack on Social Institutions: The drama exposed the destructive consequences of covering up "ugly truths" to maintain a respectable social facade. By depicting a family suffering from the "ingrained moral contamination" of a deceased, lecherous father, Ibsen directly criticized the timid, conventional views held by the widow, Mrs. Alving.12
- Moral Provocation: Critics of the era denounced Ibsen as if he had "desecrated all that was sacred and holy," cementing his reputation among traditionalists as a "Bad Old Man" for his refusal to uphold traditional values or provide a comforting, moralistic resolution.2
Ultimately, the play was viewed as an aggressive assault on the established social institutions that Ibsen believed were built upon hollow pretenses.12