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A review by wuthrinheights
Four Major Plays, Vol. II: Ghosts / An Enemy of the People / The Lady from the Sea / John Gabriel Borkman by Rolf Fjelde, Henrik Ibsen
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I've never heard of Ibsen before but when I found a copy, my interest was piqued. I'm currently in a play phase lately so I picked it off the stack on my floor.
GHOSTS (3.75 stars)
The stage directions were so fascinating to read and I loved how it made it more vivid in my head. I could almost feel the crisp air of the Fjord. The characters were alive and I was captivated by how blunt and raw the script was. The hypocrisy within the male characters felt like a slap to the face and it had me sitting up straight. I was quickly rooting for the female characters.
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (2 stars)
I couldn't really connect with this one. I liked Ibsen's writings but the characters and plot in this one was a bit dull to me. I read through it quickly cause I just wanted to know what it's about, but not really because of how much I enjoyed it. The environmental concerns and the war between the locals and the higher ups reminded me of the show Ragnarok, though.
THE LADY FROM THE SEA (4.25 stars)
This one was better for me. It intrigued me. It had gossip and speculation and secrets. It was like putting puzzle pieces together. The family secrets and different dynamics, the different men going in and out of the houses. I was invested. And the more I read, the more interesting it got. It reminded me heavily of The Phantom of the Opera. How she had a dark past of an inexplicable attachment to this strange, possessive man that she can't get rid of. And there were so many great lines in here! I love it.
JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN (4.5 stars)
This was also a great play. I had really low expectations because the previous play was so good, I didn't think this one could top it, and the beginning was a bit slow, but boy was I wrong. Once the drama started, I immediately started sitting up straighter with my brows shooting into my bangs. Oh, how the plot thickens. An old, failed love being reminisced? A woman with a broken heart, never loving again? Sister rivalry? A son with a mysterious lover? I needed to know more. The writing was lovely in this one, and it ended on a spectacular scene that was so vivid, it felt like watching a film.
As an introduction to Ibsen, I am stoked. This compilation of his plays felt so rewarding by the time I finished it. I am so glad I picked this up, and staying up till 2am to get to the end was worth it.
GHOSTS (3.75 stars)
The stage directions were so fascinating to read and I loved how it made it more vivid in my head. I could almost feel the crisp air of the Fjord. The characters were alive and I was captivated by how blunt and raw the script was. The hypocrisy within the male characters felt like a slap to the face and it had me sitting up straight. I was quickly rooting for the female characters.
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (2 stars)
I couldn't really connect with this one. I liked Ibsen's writings but the characters and plot in this one was a bit dull to me. I read through it quickly cause I just wanted to know what it's about, but not really because of how much I enjoyed it. The environmental concerns and the war between the locals and the higher ups reminded me of the show Ragnarok, though.
THE LADY FROM THE SEA (4.25 stars)
This one was better for me. It intrigued me. It had gossip and speculation and secrets. It was like putting puzzle pieces together. The family secrets and different dynamics, the different men going in and out of the houses. I was invested. And the more I read, the more interesting it got. It reminded me heavily of The Phantom of the Opera. How she had a dark past of an inexplicable attachment to this strange, possessive man that she can't get rid of. And there were so many great lines in here! I love it.
JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN (4.5 stars)
This was also a great play. I had really low expectations because the previous play was so good, I didn't think this one could top it, and the beginning was a bit slow, but boy was I wrong. Once the drama started, I immediately started sitting up straighter with my brows shooting into my bangs. Oh, how the plot thickens. An old, failed love being reminisced? A woman with a broken heart, never loving again? Sister rivalry? A son with a mysterious lover? I needed to know more. The writing was lovely in this one, and it ended on a spectacular scene that was so vivid, it felt like watching a film.
As an introduction to Ibsen, I am stoked. This compilation of his plays felt so rewarding by the time I finished it. I am so glad I picked this up, and staying up till 2am to get to the end was worth it.