Birth:
March 20, 1828, Skien, Norway
Death:
May 23, 1906
Early Influences:
- Born into wealthy family
- Father's bankruptcy in 1836 led family to relative poverty
- Was troubled by the aftermath of the revolution in 1848
- Was on his own at the age of 15 and became a druggists' apprentice
Education:
- Became a druggists' apprentice at age 15
- Failed the Greek and arithmetic parts of the entrance exam at the University of Christiana in 1850
- Efforts at playwriting brought him an appointment as co-director and author for the Norwegian Theatre in Bergen where he learned a lot about the theatre
- Saw first Shakespearean play in 1852
Major Accomplishments:
- Peer Gynt (1867)
- A Doll's House (1879)
- Hedda Gabler (1890)
Significance:
- Called the 'Father of Modern Drama'
- Works are unique because they all are written around a central theme: the individual's search for meaning
- Used realistic ideas and themes throughout his works
Contemporaries:
