Henrik Ibsen and Nordic Myth

Henrik Ibsen advised his readers that if they were fully to understand his work, they should read all of his dramas, from first to last, and live them in their personal experience. But little has been published regarding his early plays or his relationship to the myths he collected from the Norwegian countryside as a young man. This book covers his early plays, from Catiline to Peer Gynt, and also demonstrates how The Master Builder, Hedda Gabler and The Lady from the Sea are related to the archetypal themes of his youthful work. The thesis of the book is that Ibsen was a creator of myths. Using the psychology of Carl Jung, it emphasizes Ibsen's awareness of the bipolar, archetypal nature of masculinity and femininity in all humans; of the difference between falling in love and true love; and of the importance of following one's calling. The evidence used comes from the author's own translation from the original texts, since many of the metaphorical overtones of Ibsen's words are lost in translation. The book is written for a general audience, presupposes no knowledge of Ibsen, and could therefore be of literary interest to anyone.