The Master Builder and Other Plays: Rosmerholm, Little Eyolf, and John Gabriel Borkman Book

I surely must be living under a rock to have discovered Ibsen so late. And now that I have, I am eager to sample more and eventually all of his works. It was only after I had picked this up as my next read that I realized, that I had actually picked up at the tail end of Ibsen's career. Contained within are the last four plays he wrote towards the end of his life. And I must say, they aren't very straightforward to suffice a single read. They dwell on human preoccupation with impending death and what this means for the unfulfilled ambitions and legacy. Through his protagonists, Ibsen has explored many facets of human behavior when faced with mortal or societal end. For some the borders between fantasy and reality dissolve entirely, leading them to perilous end. Quite often the protagonists revolt against the notion of human mortality, wrecking their lives and of those they hold dear. By presenting us with the characters that embrace the ordinary without illusions, Ibsen sets their deranged reaction to death and end in sharp contrast.

The introduction to this collection comes in handy as an afterthought and discussion on the possible interpretations of each play. It seems probable that Ibsen was exploring these contradictory reactions to human mortality because he himself was nearing his end. The fear of being replaced by a younger generation, the fear of change that inevitably comes into all human relationships, the egoistic disregard of time and the preference of idealism over human emotions..are explored in subtle yet emphatic prose. Ibsen wields irony and repetition to great effect. And in my opinion is extremely masterful in execution. For the benefit of my memory I will now list the plays and my personal ratings for them (for now) :

3.5★ The Master Builder
4★ Little Eyolf
4.5★ John Gabriel Borkman
4★ When We Dead Awaken

I wholeheartedly recommend not just the book but Ibsen himself to all the readers. I have already started with his other works and am hooked. I hope more and more people would add him to their lists :) Happy Reading!