The Quintessence of Ibsenism (Version 2)
George Bernard Shaw
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
This is an essay providing an extended analysis of the works of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and of Ibsen's critical reception in England. Shaw uses this "exposition of Ibsenism" to illustrate the imperfections of British society, using the idea of an imaginary "community of a thousand persons," divided into three categories: Philistines, Idealists, and the lone Realist.
The main discussion revolves around Ibsen's recurring topic of the strong character holding out against social hypocrisy, while stating in his essay's final sentence that the quintessence of Ibsenism is that "there is no formula." ( Michele Eaton) (4 hr 17 min)
Chapters
Preface | 4:08 | Read by Gesine |
The Two Pioneers | 26:48 | Read by Helen Taylor |
Ideals and Idealists | 19:11 | Read by Soumen Barua |
The Womanly Woman | 24:23 | Read by Soumen Barua |
The Plays-Brand | 5:09 | Read by asterix |
The Plays - Peer Gynt | 13:59 | Read by asterix |
The Plays - Emperor and Galilean | 22:57 | Read by KHand |
The Plays - The League of Youth | 3:42 | Read by KHand |
The Plays - Pillars of Society | 5:28 | Read by wolfstevent |
The Plays - A Dolls House | 6:05 | Read by inflected |
The Plays - Ghosts | 16:08 | Read by Jack Daniel |
The Plays - An Enemy of the People | 7:14 | Read by asterix |
The Plays - The Wild Duck | 8:12 | Read by asterix |
The Plays - Rosmersholm | 14:28 | Read by Wendy Almeida |
The Plays - The Lady From the Sea | 4:58 | Read by KHand |
The Plays - Hedda Gabler | 13:35 | Read by inflected |
The Plays - The Moral of the Plays | 22:10 | Read by asterix |
Appendix Part 1 | 25:51 | Read by Philip Panos |
Appendix Part 2 | 13:31 | Read by Philip Panos |