Characters and Plot Analysis of Ghosts Plays By Henrik Ibsen

Ghosts is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It was written in 1881 and first staged in 1882 in Chicago, Illinois, in a production by a Danish company on tour. It is considered a “great play” that historically holds a position of “immense importance”. This drama has themes about family, lies, reputation, and freedom. "Ghosts" by Henrik Ibsen is a tragedy of 3 chapters that tells the life of Captain Alving who is considered to have a good reputation, respectable and influential in the community, apparently not as good as people think. 

While he was alive, he had a hidden lousy reputation. He once had an affair with his servant to have a child named Regina and she now works as a servant of Mrs. Alving who is the wife of Captain Alving. Even though her life is not happy, Mrs. Alving always kept this incident a secret to protect her husband's reputation. Even his own son, Oswald, had to be sent to study painting in Paris, even though he was only seven at that time. With the hope that Oswald avoiding household turmoil so that his life could be free from the sins of his father. 

A few years after Captain Alving died, problems began to occur. Mrs. Alving always felt restless and was afraid that the secret of her deceased husband would be revealed. She was also worried about Jacob Engstrand being bribed for not talking and pretending to be Regina's father. To cover up the secret, Mrs. Alving tried to use her husband's inheritance for good purposes, including to finance "orphanages". The arrival of Pastor Manders who will give "blessings" to the opening of the orphanage, opens the path of trouble, which slowly unravels. 

Things began to get complicated when Oswald said he wanted to marry Regina, his stepsister. The complexity increases when the orphanage which is to be inaugurated the next morning is burned down by someone who knows that Captain Alving's actions during his lifetime were not appropriate to support the orphanage. This also meant the loss of Mrs. Alving's hopes of protecting her deceased husband. At the same time when the old secret was revealed, that Regina still had the same "blood" as Oswald, and also the fact that Mrs. Alving had just discovered that her son secretly inherited a disease which was reconciled from his father because of his "sin" during his lifetime.

Main Character

Mrs. Helene Alving. Ms. Helene Alving is the wife of Captain Alving and the mother of Oswald Alving. She has been widowed for 10 years since her husband died. She is a woman who is smart and articulate, it is proof that she can keep her husband in disrepute even though it is finally revealed. She showed a happy married life and an honorable husband even though it was not. Even though she hates her husband's behavior, she still accepts that it is her duty to stay with him. Mrs. Alving can also be considered selfish. She sent Oswald as if she gave him freedom. In fact, freedom is not for the sake of her son. Instead, it was for her own sake to cover her wound. Besides that Mrs. Alving is a person who always feels anxious or worried. She was nervous because the presence of Oswald and Regina reminded her of the affair of her husband and Regina's mother, which showed Mr. Alving's disloyalty as her husband, as well as the father of Oswald.

Major Character

Pastor Manders. Pastor Manders is a parish priest and also a friend of Mr. Alving. He gave advice to Mrs. Alving when there is a conflict between Mrs. Alving and her husband. Pastor Mander upheld the traditional view of morality and duty without always knowing much about the situation he valued harshly. He is mostly worried by avoiding scandals and maintaining appearances, even if it makes him a hypocrite. He can be regarded as someone who looks assertive and honest. He only expresses the things that he has in mind. He only stated his opinion without careful consideration.

Oswald Alving. Oswald is the only child of Mrs. Helene Alving. He was sent to Europe when he was seven because his mother thought Captain Alving's behavior set a bad example for him. Oswald became an artist and embraced a more open and progressive Parisian society. He returned home for the opening of the orphanage, still believing his father was a laudable man. However, his illusions about his father broke when he heard the truth about him. He then thought that he understood how he inherited syphilis, a disease that had begun to kill him. He can be considered as someone who thinks freely. He doesn't care what people think about his perspective. He is not the type to think about other people's lives. His freedom of thought was proven when he said that it was everyone's right to have a way of life that they liked.

At the end of the story, Oswald's original character appears stronger. When everything was gone from his life, Oswald began to develop his anger. He urged his mother to give him morphine, but Mrs. Alving did not want to give it up. She did not want to destroy her own son. Unexpectedly, Oswald asked his mother about who had better rights than him. Mrs. Alving shouted loudly, claiming that the person was her, his own mother, who gave his life. Oswald underestimated his mother's reasons. He firmly said that he had never asked his mother to live. He did not want this life, so he asked Mrs. Alving to take it back.

Engstrand. Engstrand is an old acquaintance of Alvings. He is someone who is selfish. He agrees to adopt Regina, Captain Alving's illegitimate daughter because he has certain goals. He never loved Regina as a father and tried to convince her to take a job at his sailor hotel (where she would become a prostitute). Engstrand intends to destroy Pastor Manders, and he has a vile motive but he hides it behind politeness.

Regina Engstrand. During the course of the story, Regina finally learns that she is not at all the daughter of Engstrand, but the illegitimate daughter of Captain Alving. She also learned that she was Oswald's half-sister, with whom she began to fall in love. Hampered now from her happiness, she seems to have no choice but to find a way as a prostitute in the city.

Minor Character

Captain Alving. Mrs. Alving's husband, who died ten years before the show began. He is a moral man and someone who is considered authoritative in front of society. In fact, he is a jerk, dirty, and selfish who having an affair with other women. He contracted syphilis and eventually died. However, Mrs. Alving has done a skilled job in keeping his behavior secret, so, when he died he was seen as a pillar of society.

Joanna. Joanna was the servant of the Alvings family and gave birth to Regina after being forced by Captain Alving to sleep with him. She was dead and never appeared on stage.

Plot Analysis

Exposition. Ghosts begin when Mrs. Helene Alving is preparing to open an orphanage built to honor her deceased husband, Captain Alving. The drama began when Pastor Manders visited the house of Mrs. Alving to settle their business. He was welcomed by Regina, who worked as Mrs. Alving's servant. Pastor Manders and Mrs. Alving discussed a number of things related to the Orphanage. Mander brought the files needed for the Orphanage.

Conflict. When Pastor Manders and Mrs. Alving discussed the Orphanage, Oswald returned from Italy. Mrs. Alving asked for Manders's opinion on Oswald. Manders welcomed him and asked about how Oswalds lived in Italy. Oswald described his career as a painter. After that, he asked their permission to come out and return for dinner. Mrs. Alving and Manders continued their conversation. However, the topic shifted to an unhappy marriage from Mrs. Alving. Mrs. Alving realized that Oswald's return and Regina's presence were ghosts. Mrs. Alving began to feel the threat of Oswald and Regina's presence because she had to endure to see what had happened in the past. That was why she felt shocked when she saw something annoyed repeated at that moment. Very painful for Mrs. Alving saw his own son was with her husband's illegitimate child.

Rising Action. Oswald told his mother that he was suffering from a serious illness. He described how he felt pain. Also, how he feels bad at home. His confession was very surprising Mrs. Alving. She did not know that her own son suffered greatly. It was not easy for her to accept the fact that her son was living in pain.

Climax. Oswald told Mrs. Alving that he had fallen in love with Regina, and decided to marry her. Mrs. Alving strongly rejected his decision. While they were communicating, the fire burned the orphanage. This disturbs their important conversation. Oswald kept telling his mother that he needed Regina as his helper. Mrs. Alving could not think of a way to oppose their marriage other than telling the truth that there was a relationship between her family and Regina. She finally decided to fight the ghosts by revealing the truth about how Mr. Alving lived and told Oswald about the status of Regina, who was the son of Mr. Alving. By acknowledging that fact, Mrs. Alving was afraid of losing her child.

Falling action. Engstrand said he would be blamed if the Pastor supported the stance of the sailor establishment he wanted to open. Also, Mrs. Alving told Oswald and Regina the truth about their two fathers. Then Oswald told everyone about how he was dying of syphilis like his father.

Resolution. After knowing the fact that she was the illegitimate son of Mr. Alving, Regina decided to leave Alving's house. Oswald was very depressed to find out about his father's bad side and knew that Regina was his father's child. He thought that his mother had taken Regina from him. He took his morphine powder when Regina was not there. Mrs. Alving was shocked by his son's actions. She tried to calm herself and her son. Mrs. Alving assured Oswald that he could rest because he was at home with his own mother. Oswald only responded by telling his mother to give him sun. Oswald repeated his words in a boring and toneless voice, stating that he wanted the sun. Mrs. Alving was very surprised, so she whispered in fear. He claimed he could not stand it. 

It was proven that Oswald was tired of knowing the facts about his father and Regina. Oswald did not talk as much as before. He had lost his zest for life: His father had a bad side, Regina had left home, and his mother had taken his morphine. There was nothing he could expect from his life. However, the one thing he wants after everything is gone is the sun. He repeatedly asked his mother to give him the sun as if a boy insisted that his mother buy him a toy. What he meant by giving him the sun was giving him warmth, calm, and security, which he had never felt at home.