The Quintessence of Ibsenism (Version 2)

Author(s): George Bernard Shaw

Genre(s): Essays & Short Works, Literary Criticism

Narrators: Gesine, Helen Taylor, Soumen Barua, Asterix, KHand, Wolfstevent, Inflected, Jack Daniel, Wendy Almeida, Philip Panos

Number of Chapters: 19

Length: 04 hours and 17 minutes

Language: English

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)