Compositional Aspects of “Rosmersholm” by Henrik Ibsen and “Lonely Lives” by Gerhart Hauptmann

Abstract

In this paper, a comparative analysis is made between the plays Rosmersholm by Henrik Ibsen and Lonely Lives by Gerhart Hauptmann, to show Ibsen’s influence on Hauptmann. The structure and the themes of the two works are taken into account. In both dramas, the characters deal with the conflict between the traditional value system and the will to spiritual freedom. They both feature triangles of relationships, which do not find their fulfillment because of social rigidity or a feeling of guilt. Social criticism expands into psychological dramas, revealing the development of the individual’s personality.