The Lady from the Sea

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For the painting "Lady from the sea", see Edvard Munch

The Lady from the Sea (original Norwegian title: Fruen fra havet) is an 1888 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.

[edit] Plot

Ellida Wangel is married to the much older Doctor Wangel, a widower who already has two daughters not much younger than Ellida. After some years, Doctor Wangel finds his wife increasingly strange and anxious. Fearing for her mental health, he asks his former headmaster, Arnholm, to come and visit them, hoping that he may be able to help Ellida.

Ellida has a secret. She was once engaged to a sailor, known only as the Stranger in the play, and she cannot forget him. That day, the Stranger returns to find her, and Ellida is forced to choose between him and Wangel. Wangel recognizes his powerlessness in the situation and gives Ellida the freedom to choose. This act turns her towards him. Ellida responds by choosing life with Wangel, leaving the Stranger with no power over her or the marriage.

[edit] List of characters

Doctor Wangel
Ellida Wangel
Bolette
Hilde
Headmaster Arnholm
Lyngstrand
Ballested
The Stranger

[edit] External links

The Lady from the Sea, available at Project Gutenberg.

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Works by Henrik Ibsen

(1850) Catiline (Catilina) · (1850) The Burial Mound (Kjæmpehøjen) · (1851) Norma (Norma) · (1852) St. John's Eve (Sancthansnatten) · (1854) Lady Inger of Oestraat (Fru Inger til Østeraad) · (1855) The Feast at Solhaug (Gildet paa Solhoug) · (1856) Olaf Liljekrans (Olaf Liljekrans) · (1857) The Vikings at Helgeland (Hærmændene paa Helgeland) · (1862) Love's Comedy (Kjærlighedens Komedie) · (1863) The Pretenders (Kongs-Emnerne) · (1865) Brand (Brand) · (1867) Peer Gynt (Peer Gynt) · (1869) The League of Youth (De unges Forbund) · (1873) Emperor and Galilean (Kejser og Galilæer) · (1877) Pillars of Society (Samfundets støtter) · (1879) A Doll's House (Et dukkehjem) · (1881) Ghosts (Gengangere) · (1882) An Enemy of the People (En Folkefiende) · (1884) The Wild Duck (Vildanden) · (1886) Rosmersholm (Rosmersholm) · (1888) The Lady from the Sea (Fruen fra havet) · (1890) Hedda Gabler (Hedda Gabler) · (1892) The Master Builder (Bygmester Solness) · (1894) Little Eyolf (Lille Eyolf) · (1896) John Gabriel Borkman (John Gabriel Borkman) · (1899) When We Dead Awaken (Når vi døde vågner)