Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all over the country, as thick as grains of sand. And we are so pitifully afraid of the light.
Overview and Directions: Please read Ghosts, ACT II by Henrik Ibsen. Next compose a 300-400 word blog response, using at least 2-3 direct quotations from the text. Think about the symbolic representation of the characters, as well as the concept of ghosts. Also, make connections to the seemingly unimportant information that Ibsen shared in ACT I to make a maximum impact on the audience in ACT II. For example, the insurance and the orphanage. Further, what commentary is being made with regard to A Doll House, given the events in this play so far? I look forward to your responses.
Quotations
1. Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country
over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.
2. Yes--when you forced me under the yoke of what you called duty and obligation; when you lauded as right and proper what my whole soul rebelled against as something loathsome. It was then that I began to look into the seams of your doctrines. I wanted only to pick at a single knot; but when I had got that undone, the whole thing ravelled out. And then I understood that it was all machine-sewn.
3. Oh, wait a minute!--now I recollect. Johanna did have a trifle of money. But I would have nothing to do with that. "No," says I, "that's mammon; that's the wages of sin. This dirty gold--or notes, or whatever it was--we'll just flint, that back in the American's face," says I. But he was off and away, over the stormy sea, your Reverence.
4. It only shows how excessively careful one ought to be in judging one's fellow creatures. But what a heartfelt joy it is to ascertain that one has been mistaken! Don't you think so?
5. At last he said: "There has been something worm-eaten in you from your birth." He used that very word… He said, "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children." No other explanation was possible, he said. That's the awful part of it. Incurably ruined for life--by my own heedlessness! All that I meant to have done in the world--I never dare think of it again--I'm not able to think of it. Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done! [He buries his face in the sofa.]
6. I only mean that here people are brought up to believe that work is a curse and a punishment for sin, and that life is something miserable, something; it would be best to have done with, the sooner the better…But in the great world people won't hear of such things. There, nobody really believes such doctrines any longer. There, you feel it a positive bliss and ecstasy merely to draw the breath of life. Mother, have you noticed that everything I have painted has turned upon the joy of life?--always, always upon the joy of life?--light and sunshine and glorious air-and faces radiant with happiness. That is why I'm afraid of remaining at home with you.
In this Second Act of “Ghosts” by Henrik Ibsen it is evident that the turmoil and drama is piling on every second and the drama never seems to stop as the plot seems to thicken in Ibsen's controversial play that crossed many social boundaries during his time period. One of the most evident social norms that Ibsen mocks in this act is the belief that people should honor their spouses and parents. In one scene it is stated, “MRS. ALVING. But what about the truth?
ReplyDeleteMANDERS. But what about the ideals? MRS. ALVING. Oh—ideals, ideals! If only I were not such a coward!”. Manders is a pastor and therefore is stuck to a belief that one has to love and respect their parents no matter what and so he is completely baffled when Mrs. Alving challenges him by saying that he is completely wrong and that Oslwald had a terrible father that he never could have loved or respected and her own cowardice got in the way of exposing him to that truth and it would have brought him peace and closure to know the truth instead of lies and confusion about why he has always felt so alone and unloved when he really just had to be sent away because his father was promiscuous and a drunk. I can also connect this to how in “A Doll House” the truth about Nora’s loan would have set her free from Torvald’s foolish social norm’s and hold on her so much earlier and she could have realized that she needed to leave him a lot earlier in the play if she had let go any feeling of cowardice and so I feel like there are a lot of parallels between Mrs. Alving and Nora.
Another interesting fact is that at the end of act II it seems as though the orphanage has caught on fire. In act one it was said by Mrs. Alving that Engrstand, “Yes. They say he's often very careless with matches.” Since Pastor Manders refused to get the Orphanage ensured because it would look bad for his reputation that he would not have enough faith in God. Obviously sick and tired of his huge male ego she decided to prove him wrong and in great defiance burned down the orphanage and planted this seed of absence earlier in the play. I wonder if Engstrand will end up going to jail for this or will be slaughtered for this crime for his indirect involvement of burning down the orphanage. Either way it will be very interesting to see what happens next and there will obviously be many twists and turns along the way.
The ghosts are the firm old ideals and out-dated law and order that are nailed into the society deeply. These rules are so hackneyed and inappropriate that they have no actual significance. However, they still exist and come back constantly like ghosts. Just like how Mrs. Alving has felt, these traditions and social expectations “have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off.” Mrs. Alving, as a wife and a mother, is expected to take on the duty of managing a loving family. Thus, she has to stay with her unfaithful husband despite his infidelity and corrupt personality. Suffering constantly, she wastes her life on a mirage for the others. At the same time, other’s eyes and societal judgments are omnipresent and even “gliding between the lines” in newspapers. Social expectations and other’s views of them are like binding ghosts to Mrs. Alving and her life as she lives her life in fear.
ReplyDeleteIn ACT I, Ibsen depicts Manders convincing Mrs. Alving of not purchasing insurance. Manders compares insurance by not having enough faith and goodwill. This allows Ibsen to achieve maximum effect in ACT II when the orphanage burns down and the priest regrets. The orphanage built in honor of Captain Alving which is an irony. Manders adds another meaning to it by stating it represents Mrs. Alving’s faith in tradition and duty which she thinks she wasted her life on. Mrs. Helene Alving builds the orphanage with Captain Alving's money to burnish his reputation, as well as to keep Osvald Alving from inheriting anything from his corrupt father. The orphanage creates a false memory within the family and within the community of Captain Alvin as a loving husband and devoted father. The orphanage is based on lies and mirage as it easily burns down when putting into a test of faith.
The problems Ibsen addresses in A Doll's House are the same as those of Ghosts. Ghosts functions as a sequel to the alternate ending he has to write in which the wife stays with the husband unhappily. To Ibsen, women are being harmed as she follows the traditional values that society perpetuates. From one generation to another, a set of ancient beliefs and customs are enforced and more victims appear. Ibsen believes that outdated beliefs must be reexamined and modified. Otherwise, even the brightest children and the strongest women would fall victim.
The contrast between Mrs. Alving and Pastor Manders is the most interesting in Act II because Pastor Manders represents the older generation who abide by rules and traditions, while Mrs. Alving represents those who would like to step away from traditions, but cannot. In general, whenever Mrs. Alving says or suggests something that goes against social norms, Manders immediately shuts her down by expressing how absurd her thoughts are. For example, when Mrs. Alving says, “If I weren't such a pitiful coward, I should say to him [Oswald], ‘Marry her, or make what arrangement you please,’” Pastor Manders responds by saying, “Merciful heavens, would you let them marry! Anything so dreadful—! so unheard of—.” But in reality, it’s not unheard of; he just chooses to ignore the evidence that goes against his firm beliefs. Mrs. Alving calls herself a coward several times in Act II, a coward for not being as bold or courageous as she wishes she was. She feels the most regret about how she returned to her husband after running away to Manders. Her emotions here show that Ibsen uses Mrs. Alving to represent himself, and Pastor Manders to represent the public. Mrs. Alving actually chose to run away from Captain Alving, but Manders told her that a woman should not leave her family, so she went back. When Mrs. Alving calls herself a coward for following tradition, Ibsen is calling himself a coward for giving in to the public’s demand to change the ending of “A Doll House.” Yet another time when we see the contrast between Mrs. Alving and Manders is when Mrs. Alving expresses her desire to tell Oswald the truth about his father. However, Pastor Manders does not agree with her because “a son ought to love and honour his father and mother” and the truth might change Oswald’s respect for his parents. In response, she says, “Do not let us talk in such general terms. Let us ask: Ought Oswald to love and honour Chamberlain Alving?” which is exactly Ibsen’s response to the public. He is saying that people deem situations right or wrong based on such general laws without even considering the actual circumstances. This is the power of ghosts in society: they cause us to make premature judgements and blind us to the truth.
ReplyDeleteAt one point in the play, Mrs. Alving says “Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.” This contains one of the more important messages in the play. Her own husband is the perfect example of having the qualities inherited from your parents. Ibsen using the terms “dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs” might be a reference to his other play “A Doll House”, as the values of society at the time forced him into rewriting the play to make it acceptable.
ReplyDeleteAnother quote is “At last he said: "There has been something worm-eaten in you from your birth." He used that very word… He said, "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children." No other explanation was possible, he said. That's the awful part of it. Incurably ruined for life--by my own heedlessness! All that I meant to have done in the world--I never dare think of it again--I'm not able to think of it. Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done! [He buries his face in the sofa.]” This is when Oswald is talking to his wife about the diagnosis given to him from his doctor. The doctor believes that the misdoings of Oswald’s father have led to his son having to suffer. Oswald, on the other hand, doesn’t believe this; he thinks his father was a good man.
The fact that the orphanage is without insurance in mentioned in Act I. While Pastor Manders gives a reasonable explanation as to why he made this decision, it still foreshadows something bad happening at a later point in the play. In Act II, this comes to pass. The Act ends with the orphanage in flames.
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ReplyDeleteThe Second Act of “Ghosts” by Henrik Ibsen it is evident that the turmoil and drama is piling on every second and the drama never seems to stop. One of the most evident social norms that Ibsen mocks in this act is the belief that people should honor their spouses and parents. In one scene it is stated, “MRS. ALVING. But what about the truth? MANDERS. But what about the ideals? MRS. ALVING. Oh—ideals, ideals! If only I were not such a coward!”. Manders is a pastor and therefore is stuck to a belief that one has to love and respect their parents no matter what and so he is completely baffled when Mrs. Alving challenges him by saying that he is completely wrong and that Oslwald had a terrible father that he never could have loved or respected and her own cowardice got in the way of exposing him to that truth and it would have brought him peace and closure to know the truth instead of lies and confusion about why he has always felt so alone and unloved when he really just had to be sent away because his father was promiscuous and a drunk. I can also connect this to how in “A Doll House” the truth about Nora’s loan would have set her free from Torvald’s foolish social norm’s and hold on her so much earlier and she could have realized that she needed to leave him a lot earlier in the play if she had let go any feeling of cowardice and so I feel like there are a lot of parallels between Mrs. Alving and Nora. Another interesting fact is that at the end of act II it seems as though the orphanage has caught on fire. In act one it was said by Mrs. Alving that Engrstand, “Yes. They say he's often very careless with matches.” Since Pastor Manders refused to get the Orphanage ensured because it would look bad for his reputation that he would not have enough faith in God. Obviously sick and tired of his huge male ego she decided to prove him wrong and in great defiance burned down the orphanage and planted this seed of absence earlier in the play. I wonder if Engstrand will end up going to jail for this or will be slaughtered for this crime for his indirect involvement of burning down the orphanage
ReplyDeleteNowadays ghosts have become something that someone either believes in or does not, and no amount of convincing will change their mind. This is because if you believe in ghosts, there is no logical reason, just as one can be afraid of the dark. If you don’t believe in ghosts, there is nothing that will convince you otherwise because you would need to see proof. The concept of a ghost can be representative of how a person thinks overall. For instance, someone who is more logical would need proof of ghosts, while someone who is more governed by emotion does not need this proof. In the play Ghosts Pastor Manders seems to deny the existence of the ghosts that Mrs Alving sees. He, for his part, believes that Mr Alving was a good person, and as such Oswald’s personality is a product of his artistic lifestyle, not his father. However, Mrs Alving can see the whole picture, and therefore she knows that Oswald is acting out his father’s lifestyle. When she says “Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light” she is describing an abstract idea to Pastor Manders that has no definite truth. To a man such as Pastor Manders who requires proof, the examples that Mrs Alving gives can be attributed to other aspects of Oswald’s life. This conflict between thinking with logic versus thinking with emotion is the basis for all conflicts, and is the primary reason that the pastor and mrs Alving clash in the manner that they do.
ReplyDeleteFor this blog post I’d like to focus on the conversation between Mrs. Alving and Manders, who represent opposing values. Their squabbling in this section of play reminded me of how my mother and her mother argue about politics, with my grandmother representing traditional beliefs that insult my very progressive and reform-minded mother. Mrs. Alving, however uncomfortable the thought of Oswald marrying his half-sister makes her, loves her dear boy very much and therefore is able to force herself into accepting their relationship regardless of its incestual nature. She can only focus on what makes him happy since she is so used to giving him whatever he wants, and through her love for him, which is a great and powerful thing, Mrs. Alving grows to become more progressive in nature. I believe the “ghosts” she refers to when bickering with Manders are all of the people who will undoubtedly criticize her for allowing Regina and Oswald’s marriage to happen. They, who, like Manders, represent conservative and traditional values, are always looming over her head like spooky anxiety spirits.
ReplyDeleteI want to note, while discussing how Manders and Mrs. Alving have opposite values, their opinions on the term “coward”. Both of them use it quite frequently in their conversation about Oswald’s relationship. When Manders uses the word “coward” it is to refer to those who go against the law of God and succumb to their inner desires. I say this because he mentions that he had to be brave when denying Mrs. Alving’s profession of love for him, as it would have been unholy and morally wrong of him to help a woman cheat on her husband. Mrs. Alving believes otherwise, seeing herself as a coward for never being strong enough to leave her unhealthy marriage in search of something better for herself. She doesn’t take religion or God into consideration when thinking about the term “coward” since being a coward, to her, means not listening to the voice inside your head that urges you to dream. She never did anything for herself for fear of the risks and potential implications it could have on her future, and because of this she sees herself as cowardly.
The most obvious example of connections from the first act was in the very last scene of Act 2 when the orphanage is on fire. In the beginning, Mrs. Alving and Pastor Manders (mostly Manders, though) refused to insure the building, while Mrs. Alving talked about another fire, implying the ending we saw here. It’s interesting, though, that Oswald refers to the orphanage as “Father’s Orphanage”, not simply “the orphanage” like everyone else. The emergency followed a tense scene where Mrs. Alving was going to tell her son about his relation to his fiance, where the ‘ghost’ of Chamberlain Alving was very much present. The relationship Oswald had with his deceased father had not yet crumbled, but the physical ties he had with him had died––all of Mrs. Alving’s dowry went into the orphanage, and it was in Chamberlain Alving’s name, so all public remnants of him were gone. Now, Oswald’s father only inhibits him. When discussing his diagnosis, the doctor told Oswald that “‘The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children’”, meaning that his syphilis was inherited. Oswald, justly so, thinks of his father as an honest and true man, and is upset and confused by this outcome, blaming himself. Again, his metaphorical ghost haunts his son and basically sets him up for failure. If Oswald hadn’t gotten the disease, he wouldn’t have doubted his skill and fallen into a depression, nor would he have fallen so in love with Regina. She’s another interesting case, since Engstrand had known that she was not his daughter the whole time. In the beginning of the first act, Engstrand wants his daughter to dance for sailors in his pub; something very unorthodox and disrespectful in the relationship of father and daughter. It scares the audience.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of everything being drawn back to the past is present throughout the entirety of Act 2. The history of the Alving family is mixed and intertwined into every single conversation and action of the family. These “ghosts” are omnipresent and no matter how hard Mrs. Alving or Pastor Manders try to hide from them, there is no escape, resulting in the inevitable haunting of their memories. Everything Mrs. Alving does stems from her attempts to break free of the ghosts of her past who continue to bring up the horrors of her past. Mrs. Alving admits to the fact that ghosts exist and that they “cling to us all” and “cannot [be] shake[n] off” and still she attempts to rid herself and her family of them.The building of the orphanage creates the facade of Mrs. Alving’s love of her dear husband so that anyone looking into their relationship wouldn’t see the reality of the relationship. It serves two purposes, the one being to keep up the appearances of the happy family dynamic and the other so that Oswald does not inherit any of his father’s money. Mrs. Alving spends all of her husband’s savings as a way to diminish all remnants of his father and his poor behaviors, instead, creating a falsified remnant that represents solely the fake good behaviors associated with the glory of helping others, hence why an orphanage was built. However, like all other experiences, it is impossible for Mrs. Alving to shelter her son from her father’s ghost, and instead Oswald becomes a spitting image of his father with his drinks and cigars. The play Ghosts is in itself a ghost of Ibsen’s previous play A Doll’s House, with the eerie resemblances.The actions that occurred in A Doll’s House are representative of the past actions of Mrs. Alving. In a sense, it is as if Nora’s ghost was haunting Mrs. Alving, begging her to follow through with the plan of leaving her husband and her unhappy marriage. Nora could have been whispering in Mrs. Alving’s ear, describing the steps to reaching her own happiness however those whispers were overpowered by the screams and yells of the ghosts of Torvald, Dr. Rank, but most importantly, the entire society as a whole, explaining why she eventually returned to her husband.
ReplyDeleteIn Act ll Pastor Manders is representative of the ghosts that pollute not only Isben’s society, but also our own. Pastor Manders is unable to make decisions based on logic and his only sense of morality is of teachings of the church. Mrs. Alving is realistic and aks Pastor Manders, “But what about the truth?” to which he responds, But what about the ideals?” (Isben) When he is given a situation in which the church has no outline for or does not make sense he is left lost, because he is unable to think for himself. These ghosts are values that people follow as a tradition so closely that they are blinded by new ideas, problems, and solutions. People cling to their ghosts, because they are afraid and against a changing world.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Alving is the voice of Ibsen who is trying to reason with those that look down on progressive ideas. Mrs. Alving calls herself a coward, because she didn’t want others judging herself and her family for her husband's scandals and mistakes and as a result she. By calling herself a coward we are able to see that Mrs. Alving is able to see clearly and accept her mistakes, unlike those who aren’t willing to face their ghosts. “Let me tell you what I mean. I am timid and faint-hearted because of the ghosts that hang about me, and that I can never quite shake off.” She knows she has these dead ideas that linger but is choosing to nor be ignorant about them and knows her ghosts will hold her back. Mrs. Alving addressing herself as a coward represents Ibsen also calling himself a coward for giving into the ghosts and making Nora go back to her family.
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ReplyDeleteThe ‘bombshell moment’ of Act Two is certainly the fact that the orphanage is burning down. This event is irritating for the reader, for it delays Mrs. Alving’s big reveal, that Oswald and Regina share the same father. However, the burning of the orphanage is an oversight, for a small fire had already broken out during construction and Paster Manders convinced Mrs. Alving to avoid taking out insurance. Mrs. Alving’s feelings will probably be mixed, for the burning of this edifice represents the removal of the tangible ghosts of Captain Alving that will not leave her. Try as Mrs. Alving might, she has no control over the ghosts that haunt her. Paster Manders inquires of Mrs. Alving “Is there no voice in your mother's heart that forbids you to destroy your son's ideals?” Constructing a false image of Captain Alving seems to be what Mrs. Alving lives for, destroying that man that her son knew. However, Mrs. Alving continuously fails to completely remove the influence of her departed spouse. Indeed, there are aspects about Mr. Alving’s personality that are so small that it seems ridiculous that Mrs. Alving should even attempt to smother, like a smoking habit. This is the epitome of Mrs. Alving’s masquerade, for she later reveals that her son may smoke. Since the intimate details of Mrs. Alving’s relationship with the Captain was known by Paster Manders, she may have felt that she had to take extra steps to suppress the memories of the Captain, particularly when in the presence of the Pastor. Proving that their marriage was broken, and that she was not upset that the Captain had passes could have been Mrs. Alving’s top priority.
ReplyDeleteWhen Oswald tells his mother that an old cynic “said, ‘the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children’” (Ibsen). The very manner in which Regina and Oswald conduct their relationship is very much like that of the escapes between Captain Alving and Johanna, an unlawful passion. Since it is Oswald that mentions this idea, and it is Oswald to which Paster Manders sees such a strong resemblance to his father, his unescapable past is highlighted.
Jacob Engstrand is one for theatrics. Posing as a downtrodden, earnest man, his charade is unrealized by Paster Manders. Whilst trying to convince the Paster for his blessing in order to open up a brothel, Engstand says “and when I do come to see your Reverence, I find a mortal deal that's wicked and weak to talk about. For I said it before, and I says it again—a man's conscience isn't always as clean as it might be.” Naturally this applies to Engstrand’s underhanded, scheming ways, but this also connects back to the sins of the Captain, who although dead, will appear as a local benefactor with the construction of an orphanage under his name.
There is a strong parallel between “A Doll’s House” and “Ghosts.” “Ghosts” is based on what would have occurred had Nora and Helmer remained together. Mrs. Alving tried to escape her marriage, but Paster Manders convinced her to stay. Even so, Mrs. Alving told that the Pastor that “‘I must have done with all this constraint and insincerity. I can endure it no longer. I must work my way out to freedom.’” Although the marriage wasn’t broken by law, in actuality it was gone. Therefore, Mrs. Alving “‘began to look into the seams of [Paster Manders’] doctrines. [She] wanted only to pick at a single knot; but when [she] had got that undone, the whole thing ravelled out. And then [Mrs. Alving] understood that it was all machine-sewn.’” Paster Manders is only concerned about public perception, and it would be false to state that Mrs. Alving didn’t care about what others saw her as, but the Paster was much too worried about following Scripture than actually doing what is right. His belief that husband and wife should remain together regardless of the weather was a symbol of all that was wrong with that ghost. There was no evolution of thought, no consideration of taking nuanced factors into account.
In Act I, Pastor Manders and Mrs. Alving discuss the fate of the "orphanage" which lends itself to some explicit foreshadowing.
ReplyDelete"MANDERS. Then you do not wish the Orphanage to be insured?
MRS. ALVING. No. We will let it alone.
MANDERS. [Leaning back in his chair.] But if, now, a disaster were to happen? One can never tell—Should you be able to make good the damage?"
MRS. ALVING. No; I tell you plainly I should do nothing of the kind." They decide to not insure the orphanage and at the very end of Act II, we see that it is burnt down.
Additionally, just like how Engstrand's brothel scheme is under the guise of an Orphanage begging to be revealed, Act II is like a reveal of the characters under their masks. Towards the middle portion of the Act, it is revealed that Oswald is in love with Regina and wishes to act on those feelings since he is diagnosed with an illness and his days are short-lived. He asks his mother, Tell me: what do you think of Regina? [...] Yes; isn't she splendid?" to which Mrs. Alving replies, "My dear Oswald, you don't know her as I do—" This scene is filled with dramatic irony as Mrs. Alving is privy to certain pieces of information unbeknownst to Oswald. Mrs. Alving's final remark refers to her earlier conversation with Pastor Manders:
"MRS. ALVING. Yes; in my superstitious awe for duty and the proprieties, I lied to my boy, year after year. Oh, what a coward—what a coward I have been!
MANDERS. You have established a happy illusion in your son's heart, Mrs. Alving; and assuredly you ought not to undervalue it.
MRS. ALVING. H'm; who knows whether it is so happy after all—? But, at any rate, I will not have any tampering with Regina. He shall not go and wreck the poor girl's life."
This refers to the fact that Regina is Oswald's step sister and they share the same mother who is not Mrs. Alving. Her mother was raped in the past by Mr. Alving and now shares an incestuous relationship with Oswald which he has no idea about. Furthermore, the Pastor's morals and pressure to preserve ideals and illusions causes some feelings of cognitive dissonance to surface. He wishes for Oswald to know the truth and wanted Mr. Engstrand to be more uprighteous but he still cares about the ideals of society and would rather conflicts like this be swept under a rug. His true emotions are underscored by his conversation with Mrs. Alving who has been marred by a horrible marriage and family life. She imparts her opinion on the matter with him like so:
"Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light."
This can be connected back to Doll House. Nora's character traits could mirror that of Mrs. Alving's if she were forced to stay in a relationship with Mr. Helmer. Her relationship with her children would be secretive in nature which could mentally harm them despite Nora's best intentions just like with Mrs. Alving and Oswald.
The concept of “ghosts” is absolutely fascinating. The idea that the honored traditions and societal norms of the time were shackles to freedom instead of a perfect foundation to build upon was quite radical, and scared a large portion of Ibsen’s audience. Ghosts feels as if it is a direct response to the negative reception he received from A Doll House. Instead of giving in to society’s whims as he was forced to do in the alternate ending of A Doll House, the crux of Ghosts revolves around this very idea of repressed societal ideals. When Mrs. Alving tells Pastor Manders she would consider allowing Regina and Oswald to marry if they knew of their family ties, he is shocked, and cries out “Merciful heavens, would you let them marry! Anything so dreadful—! so unheard of” The idea of a couple that falls outside of the norm is unfathomable to him. Mrs. Alving sees beyond these social boundaries, and says that she sees, “Ghosts! When I heard Regina and Oswald in there, it was as though ghosts rose up before me. But I almost think we are all of us ghosts, Pastor Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that "walks" in us. It is all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old beliefs, and so forth. They have no vitality, but they cling to us all the same, and we cannot shake them off. Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sands of the sea. And then we are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.” Her vision of ghosts manifests itself both emotionally in this case, and even physically later on in the piece. When Oswald breaks down to Mrs. Alving and tells her about his mental decline, he says that the doctor told him that “"There has been something worm-eaten in you from your birth." He used that very word… He said, "The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children." No other explanation was possible, he said. That's the awful part of it. Incurably ruined for life--by my own heedlessness! All that I meant to have done in the world--I never dare think of it again--I'm not able to think of it. Oh! if I could only live over again, and undo all I have done!” The ghosts have haunted him more than anybody, for he believes that his beloved lifestyle caused his illness, while in reality it was his due to the actions of his father. Although she tried to hide it the best she could, Mrs. Alving couldn’t stop the ghosts of his father from haunting his son.
ReplyDeleteGhosts are everywhere. Just reflecting on my own life, there are so many things that I do but when I think about it I don't really understand why I’m doing those things. I think it lends itself to an absurdist view of the world because these traditions that we hold so dear are fundamentally absurd. They have no reason to exist other than the fact that it's nice to keep doing the same things. It is nice though, there’s something cathartic about having something in common with your predecessors. Tradition offers a unique sense of unity. I love how Ibsen uses Pastor Manders as the embodiment of tradition; he is exactly what I think of as someone who’s stuck in their ways. And while his input can be useful he often fails to see the whole picture. More generally, I enjoy the way Ibsen writes. I enjoy how he foreshadowed the burning or the orphanage in the conversation between Manders and Mrs. Alving and how Manders decided to not insure the orphanage because of these ghosts. AHH! That’s so perfect!
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