John Gabriel Borkman - Enriched edition

Henrik Ibsen

Publisher: DigiCat

Summary

Henrik Ibsen's "John Gabriel Borkman" presents a stark exploration of ambition, despair, and the consequences of personal failure. Written in 1896, this late work encapsulates Ibsen's departure from naturalism toward a more symbolic and expressive style. The play revolves around Borkman, a man imprisoned for financial crimes who becomes obsessed with reclaiming his lost ideals and status, reflecting the turbulent socio-economic landscape of late 19th-century Europe. With its richly layered characters and sharp dialogue, Ibsen critiques the hollowness of societal aspirations while probing the deeply personal realms of guilt and longing. Henrik Ibsen, often hailed as the father of modern drama, was influenced by the political and familial upheavals of his own life, as well as the growing tensions within European society. His experiences in a suffocating society that values material success over individuality are palpable throughout his works. "John Gabriel Borkman" can be seen as an extension of Ibsen's enduring themes of social criticism and psychological complexity, showcasing his continued evolution as a playwright dedicated to exposing human flaws. This profound play is recommended for readers seeking to understand the intricacies of human ambition and morality. Ibsen's masterful narrative offers not only a vivid character study but also a timeless examination of the lengths to which individuals will go to achieve their dreams, making it essential reading for anyone interested in modernist literature and the evolution of theatrical expression.

In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience:
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Available since: 09/16/2022.

Print length: 68 pages.

Poetry & Theatre

Other books that might interest you

Porn Play

Sophia Chetin-Leuner

'I'm actually thinking about giving into temptation. The original sin.'
Ani is a dazzling young academic with a secret addiction to violent pornography. As her career and relationships unravel in between lectures on Paradise Lost, can she confront her uncontrollable desires? 
Funny, unsettling and honest, Sophia Chetin-Leuner's Porn Play was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award in 2022, and premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2025, directed by Josie Rourke and starring Ambika Mod.

Show book

Rhyme A Dozen A - World War I -...

Rupert Brooke, Wilfred Owen, E W...

‘A dime a dozen’ as known in America, is perhaps equal to the English ‘cheap as chips’ but whatever the lingua franca of your choice in this series we hereby submit ‘A Rhyme a Dozen’ as 12 poems on many given subjects that are a well-rounded gathering, maybe even an essential guide, from the knowing pens of classic poets and their beautifully spoken verse to the comfort of your ears. 
 
01 - A Rhyme A Dozen - 12 Poems, 12 Poets, 1 Topic - World War I - An Introduction 
02 - The Volunteer by Herbert Asquith 
03 - The Dying Patriot by James Elroy Flecker 
04 - 1914 by Rupert Brooke 
05 - Strange Hells by Ivor Gurney 
06 - Antwerp by Ford Maddox Ford 
07 - Men of Verdun by Lawrence Binyon 
08 - Wooden Crosses by E W Hornung 
09 - Hardness of Heart by Edward Shillito 
10 - In War by Isaac Rosenberg 
11 - Anthem For Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen 
12 - The Illusion of War by Richard Le Gallienne 
13 - A Soldier's Grave by Francis Ledwidge

Show book

Magyarazni

Helen Hajnoczky

The word "magyarázni" (pronounced MUG-yar-az-knee) means "to explain" in Hungarian, but translates literally as "make it Hungarian." This faux-Hungarian language primer, written in direct address, invites readers to experience what it's like to be "made Hungarian" by growing up with a parent who immigrated to North America as a refugee. In forty-five folk-art visual poems each paired with a written poem, Hajnoczky reveals the beauty and tension of first-generation cultural identity.
   
‘Because translation between cultures is always fraught – and yet somehow translate we must – Magyarázni explores language and cultural identity in the permeable space fomenting between family and society, word and image initiating us into a new alphabet of lived meaning. In reading we wonder along with Magyarázni’s wandering “you,” we care and get entangled in the “brambles of your cursive,” we too are “made Hungarian.”’ —Oana Avasilichioaei
   
‘Familiar but out of reach, Magyarázni reforms the language of home on the tip of your tongue, a language of knotted cursive and bubbled syntax; folksong and stovetop. Each letter blossoms as a hand-drawn flower and a sputtering drone of spits and pith. Magyarázni punctuates every I with a poppy seed, every C with the splintered foil of a solemn treat. Mournful and personal, Magyarázni calls out for the language of family.’ —Derek Beaulieu

Show book

The Climbers (NHB Modern Plays)

Carmen Nasr

When Yasmin and her guide, Tshering, return from a perilous expedition to Everest without a member of their party, they have a lot of questions to answer. Where is Yasmin's husband Charlie? What happened on the mountain? Why do Yasmin and Tshering's accounts differ so drastically?
As private investigator Connie tries to distinguish hallucination from reality, and fact from delusion, it's clear that someone, somewhere, is not telling the truth.
Set at an altitude where life hangs by a thread, Carmen Nasr's play The Climbers is a thrilling exploration of the lure of the mountains, the drive to conquer and the price of staying alive. It was first performed in June 2022 at Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, directed by Guy Jones.

Show book

Rhyme A Dozen A - Marriage - 12...

Kahlil Gibran, Laurence Hope aka...

‘A dime a dozen’ as known in America, is perhaps equal to the English ‘cheap as chips’ but whatever the lingua franca of your choice in this series we hereby submit ‘A Rhyme a Dozen’ as 12 poems on many given subjects that are a well-rounded gathering, maybe even an essential guide, from the knowing pens of classic poets and their beautifully spoken verse to the comfort of your ears. 
 
1 - A Rhyme a Dozen - 12 Poets, 12 Poems, 1 Topic.  Marriage - An Introduction 
2 - On Marriage by Khalil Gibran 
3 - The Bride by Laurence Hope aka Violet Nicholson 
4 - Nuptial Sleep by Dante Gabriel Rossetti 
5 - Wedding Song by Jehudah Halevi 
6 - To a Husband by Anne Kingsmill Finch 
7 - Sonnet to My Wife by Thomas Hood 
8 - To My Dear and Loving Husband by Anne Bradstreet 
9 - On His Deceased Wife by John Milton 
10 - Fidelity by D H Lawrence 
11 - Mutual Forebearance. Necessary to the Married State by William Cowper 
12 - Vice Vearsa by Ambrose Bierce 
13 - The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

Show book

Book of Longing

Anonymous

“Book of Longing has exceptional range. It is clear yet steamy, cosmic yet private, both playful and profound.”—New York Times 
Leonard Cohen wrote the poems in Book of Longing—his first book of poetry in more than twenty years after 1984's Book of Mercy—during his five-year stay at a Zen monastery on Southern California's Mount Baldy, and in Los Angeles, Montreal, and Mumbai. This dazzling collection is enhanced by the author's playful and provocative drawings, which interact in exciting, unexpected ways on the page with poetry that is timeless, meditative, and often darkly humorous. 
An international sensation, Book of Longing contains all the elements that have brought Cohen's artistry with language worldwide recognition.

Show book