"Ghosts" by Henrik Ibsen: Unveiling Morality, Family Secrets, and Societal Stigmas - Essay Example

"Ghosts" is a play written by Henrik Ibsen. It was staged first in 1882 in Chicago. The story talked about morality in the 19th century because it included incest, religion, venereal disease, and euthanasia (Ibsen). Oswald comes back from Paris after a long time, and he has to leave his work as a painter and stay at home. According to the story, Oswald contaminates syphilis. A disease that is said to be inheritable, and Oswald inherited it from his father. The primary issue revolves around Oswald and Regine.

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The story's exposition starts when they play open with their Carpenter pain his daughter Regine a visit. Regine is working at Alving's home as a maid (Ibsen). The playwright introduces the audience to the characters in The Story and what they are. The carpenter hints at what he will do when he gets the money. If the carpenter builds a hotel, he would like Regine, his daughter, to accompany him and the hotel's work.

In the opening, the playwright introduces the audience to the play's set, the Alving family where Regine lives and works as a maid. Engstrand is a father to Regine; he is a carpenter and also a heavy drinker. We also learn that Oswald is the son of Mrs. Alving, Pastor Manders is very close to the Alving family, and you also advise them on marital things. This play foreshadows Regine leaving the family to work at Engstrand's Hotel. Engstrand had finally built the hotel. It becomes clear that Engstrand and Oswald are the protagonists in this play.

In this play, the point of attack is when Engstrand tells Manders that he should come to the building opening ceremony and a blessed (Ibsen). Manders agrees to go to the ceremony, but he learns that the whole orphanage had been set in flames after the event. Engstrand blames Manders and claims to have seen him light the candle near the grass. Engstrand agrees to take the blame if only Manders gives him the money he gets from selling the orphanage land. Later Manders agrees with the deal to save his reputation.

There is a complication when Mrs. Alving learns that his son Oswald is suffering from syphilis. Oswald explains to his mother how the doctor told him and asks his mother if you can take care of him. Mrs. Alvin wants to tell Regine and Oswald that they are siblings, but Manders stops her by saying that Oswald should have his father's right image.

The climax of the story is when Regine leaves the house claiming that she cannot take care of her half-brother while he should be working at Engtrands' hotel, the hotel which was named after Mrs. Alving's late husband (Ibsen). After Regine had left, Oswald told his mother to take action and give him some medicine. Mrs. Alving refused to say that she would only do so if it became necessary.

The resolution is when Oswald asks his mother to give him some sun, and he later falls and goes numb. Mrs. Alving holds the pills in her hand and is unable to decide to give them to her son and kill him.

The script was entertaining, and I felt like I was the one acting it. If I could have taken the role of Regine, then I could not have changed anything. The same way she acted was the same way I would have acted. I tend to pay people back following the way they treat me.

The main message in this playwright is that no matter the disease somebody has, we should never stigmatize them. We should show them love and support, and by doing so, they will not feel less of human beings.

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. Ghosts and other plays. Vol. 135. Penguin, 1964. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3760

Mortensen, Ellen. "Ibsen and the Scandalous: Ghosts and Hedda Gabler." Ibsen Studies 7.2 (2007): 169-187.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3760/is_200610/ai_n19198002

Sprinchorn, Evert. "Syphilis in Ibsen's ghosts." Ibsen Studies 4.2 (2004): 191-204. http://www.litcharts.com/lit/ghosts/plot/