“Ghosts” Drama by Henrik Ibsen

STORY

The ghosts in Ibsen's great play are the recurring patterns of behaviour, the dead ideas, customs and orthodoxies (inherit). In “Ghosts”, there was a family consisted of three people among others Mr. Captain Alving, Mrs. Helene Alving, and Oswald Alving. It began from Mrs. Helene Alving lived with her maidservant, Regina in Norwegia’s countryside. She married her late husband, Mr. Captain Alving. Before, Mrs. Helene Alving married with Mr. Alving, she ever had a relationship with Pastor Manders and eventually she returned to Mr. Alving. At the age of seven, Oswald was sent by his mother to Paris, Prancis hopefully that he will never find the morality of his late father. Beside, his father was very famous man with a good reputation and ever appointed as treasurer, but he was also ever lived over like drunks.

After Mr. Alving died, Mrs. Helene Alving has established an orphan asylum (an orphanage) to memorialize her husband. At the time, Jakob Engstrand came to Mrs. Alving’s house to claim that Regina was his daughter from his relationship with Johanna. Jakob Engstrand was a carpenter with a deformed leg. He married Johanna. Beside, Johanna was cheating with Mr. Alving and Regina was the illegitimate daughter of Johanna and Mr. Alving. Otherwise, Regina resisted her father’s dubious affection, Jakob Engstrand and she was proud to work as maidservant in Mrs. Alving’s house.

Next day, Pastor Manders came in Mrs. Alving’s house. Pastor Manders was a local priest from the nearby town. He often lectures about morality and religion. He advised Mrs. Alving that she shouldn’t leave her husband and didn’t sent Oswald to abroad (Paris) an early age (At the age of seven). At the time, Oswald came. He had just returned from Paris. For several years, he didn’t go home. Mrs. Alving and Pastor Manders still spoken Oswald and his father. Pastor Manders reminded to Mr.Alving that why she let her son grew as his father and he blamed Mr. Alving because she left her husband. Mr. Alving said that her husband has made her and her son miserable so she transmit her son to go to Paris to rescue him from her husband’s hijinks. At the time, she also admitted Pastor Manders that Regina was love - the child of her husband and their former maid, Johanna. Like the dinner will begin, she heard screaming from the kitchen. Apparently, Oswald was made the progress of Regina.

After dinner, Pastor Manders and Mrs. Alving discussed this strange development. He realized that Oswald was furious to Engstrand to do not tell the truth about Regina. Engstrand came in and showed to Pastor Manders that he hold the prayer meeting in the orphanage. Pastor Manders asked him and Engstrand convinced him that it was only to save the reputation of Johanna. Engstrand and the Pastor went, then, Mrs. Alving went to talk with his son. Oswald was drinking. Mrs. Alving wanted to tell the truth about his father. She told her about the illness which he suffered. A doctor in Paris said that the sins of the father flow on the children. She continued to complain about the bleak misery and hypocrisy of Norway, in contrast with the joy of life. Mrs. Alving told the truth to Oswald Alving and Regina, but then they saw that the orphanage had been burned.

Engstrand and Pastor returned home, announced that the orphanage burned. Engstrand convinced Pastor that there would be a public scandal and he blamed the Pastor to let the prayer candles fire. Finally, Mrs. Alving told Oswald and Regina about the truth of their father. Regina was cheated and went to claim the part of her inheritance. Oswald relieved to his mother that he was ill beyond expectations. He showed some morphine pills and asked her to take care him. When the sun came up, he melted into his seat and started mumble nonsense. Mrs. Alving desperately looked for the pill, after seemingly lost all hope to her son or anyone else.