Ghosts

Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts is a landmark of modern drama, a play that shocked its first audiences and still unsettles readers today. Set in a country house beside a fjord in western Norway, it follows Mrs. Alving as she prepares to open an orphanage in memory of her late husband. But the arrival of her son Oswald, home from Paris, and the visit of Pastor Manders, an old friend, begin to expose the secrets and lies on which the family's respectable life has been built. Over a single day and night, the past returns with devastating force.

This edition presents the complete text in a classic English translation, with the translator's introduction on the play's first reception. It also includes a new introduction that sets the play in its historical context and explains why it remains powerful, a character guide to the principal figures, a summary of the plot, an exploration of the play's major themes, a glossary of old and unusual words, and twelve discussion questions for readers, students, and book clubs. Whether you are discovering Ibsen for the first time or returning to this masterpiece, this companion edition offers everything you need to understand and enjoy Ghosts.