Betrayal; Deceit; debauchery, and hypocrisy; these are the themes that the Victorian age will forever be identified with, if the work of Norway’s famous playwright, Henrik Isben, is anything to go by. “Ghosts” was one of the most important plays ever written, and established Henrik Isben as one of the fathers of modern theatre. For this portrayal, the play initially received a very hostile reception from the public and publishers. It was seen as being too critical of social and religious values of the time period (Isben, 8). The intended audience of the book were furious at the attack they perceived as being overlooked by the book. The book was banned as it wanted to highlight the realities of the 19th century society, which was filled with
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It was meant to discredit the play, and make sure it was not shown. The ban was carried out by the government, in response to what they saw as an insult to their rule, or their values. In places where the government of the day did not do anything to ban the play, theatres nonetheless took up the issue, and proceeded to ban its screening in their premises (Sova, 36). “Ghosts” was banned in some cases by theatres, in other cases by municipal authorities, and in extreme cases by governments. In Russia, St Petersburg’s authorities banned the play. In Scandinavia, the play was banned by theatres which were not comfortable in showing such a gross representation of society. In yet other cases, the government took the lead, as with Franco and the Lord Chamberlain in Spain and the UK . The people or parties who banned the book may help show the level of freedom which was granted by the population in this era(Sova, 105). In the UK, the fact that the ban did not stop screening of the play help to show that there was disconnect between what the government attempted to enforce, and the views of the people. This disconnect was shared by critics, who felt that the play had no place in their society, while the population used other means to see it (Hossain 212). Such a scenario was played out across Europe as
It was meant to discredit the play, and make sure it was not shown. The ban was carried out by the government, in response to what they saw as an insult to their rule, or their values. In places where the government of the day did not do anything to ban the play, theatres nonetheless took up the issue, and proceeded to ban its screening in their premises (Sova, 36). “Ghosts” was banned in some cases by theatres, in other cases by municipal authorities, and in extreme cases by governments. In Russia, St Petersburg’s authorities banned the play. In Scandinavia, the play was banned by theatres which were not comfortable in showing such a gross representation of society. In yet other cases, the government took the lead, as with Franco and the Lord Chamberlain in Spain and the UK . The people or parties who banned the book may help show the level of freedom which was granted by the population in this era(Sova, 105). In the UK, the fact that the ban did not stop screening of the play help to show that there was disconnect between what the government attempted to enforce, and the views of the people. This disconnect was shared by critics, who felt that the play had no place in their society, while the population used other means to see it (Hossain 212). Such a scenario was played out across Europe as