If you enjoy reading novels by Henrik Ibsen then you might also like the following authors:
Anton Chekhov was a Russian playwright and author, famous for capturing the complexities of everyday life with subtle yet powerful storytelling.
Fans of Henrik Ibsen will appreciate Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard,” which portrays a wealthy family reluctant to accept the realities of changing times.
The play follows Madame Ranevskaya as her family struggles with debts and the looming loss of their beloved estate and orchard. Chekhov builds vivid characters who navigate pride, nostalgia, and the inevitability of progress.
His portrayal gently examines human flaws and emotions, carrying readers through moments of humor, melancholy, and bittersweet realization.
Books by August Strindberg offer powerful dramas and sharp portrayals of human relationships, reminiscent of Henrik Ibsen’s works.
His play “Miss Julie” explores tension between class and gender through the complex relationship of an aristocratic young woman and her father’s valet on a midsummer’s evening. The unfolding events reveal hidden desires, societal pressures, and raw human emotion.
Strindberg tackles uncomfortable truths head-on, exposing layers beneath polite society’s surface. If you find Ibsen’s plays intriguing, Strindberg’s intense and thought-provoking storytelling will resonate with you.
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright known for clever dialogue, sharp humor, and thought-provoking themes. Fans of Henrik Ibsen will appreciate Shaw’s play “Pygmalion,” a witty social commentary wrapped in entertaining exchanges and intriguing characters.
This is the story of Henry Higgins, a phonetics expert confident he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower seller, into a lady who could pass for nobility.
Shaw uses humor and wit to explore class, identity, and society’s expectations in a style Ibsen readers will find familiar and enjoyable.
Readers who appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s realistic drama and intense psychological depth may enjoy Eugene O’Neill. He was an American playwright famous for his powerful exploration of family tensions and personal struggles.
In his play “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” O’Neill portrays one turbulent day in the life of the Tyrone family. Set inside their summer home, the play reveals old resentments, substance abuse issues, and emotional confrontations.
Each family member struggles privately, facing their own fears and past regrets. This intimate narrative examines the raw truth of human relationships and personal fragility in a way that feels honest and emotionally charged.
If Ibsen’s deeply human dramas resonate with you, Eugene O’Neill’s work may likely speak to you as well.
Tennessee Williams offers dramas filled with complex family dynamics and emotional depth reminiscent of Henrik Ibsen’s plays. His famous work, “A Streetcar Named Desire,” centers on Blanche DuBois, a troubled woman haunted by her fading past.
When she moves in with her sister Stella and brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski, tension and passion escalate dramatically. Williams explores raw themes of desire, betrayal, moral decay, and mental instability in vivid detail.
Readers drawn to Ibsen’s honest portrayal of conflicted characters and turbulent family interactions will find much to appreciate in Williams’ powerful storytelling.
Readers who appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s deep exploration of moral dilemmas and intense character studies might enjoy exploring Arthur Miller’s plays.
Miller, an American playwright famous for his insightful look into human behavior and societal pressures, wrote “Death of a Salesman.” This play follows Willy Loman, a traveling salesman struggling with broken dreams and harsh reality.
As Willy navigates complex family dynamics and personal disappointment, the story examines themes of ambition, betrayal, and the pursuit of the elusive American Dream.
Miller’s powerful dialogue and realistic situations offer readers strong narratives steeped in personal and social struggles.
Sophocles was an ancient Greek playwright whose dramas about human nature and morality still feel fresh today. If you’ve enjoyed Henrik Ibsen’s exploration of complex ethical dilemmas and strong characters, “Antigone” by Sophocles could be a perfect next read.
In this drama, Antigone bravely defies her uncle, King Creon, when he forbids the proper burial of her brother. Her decision sets off conflicts about duty, family loyalty, and the power struggles within society.
Sophocles brings impossible choices vividly to life and reveals timeless truths about pride, justice, and the consequences of our actions.
Henrik Pontoppidan was a Danish novelist who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1917. His work is known for its authentic depiction of society, complex moral dilemmas, and vivid characters.
If you’re a fan of Henrik Ibsen’s sharp examination of human nature and society, Pontoppidan’s novel “Lucky Per” (“Lykke-Per”) could be an engaging read. The story follows Per Sidenius, an ambitious young man from a strict religious background.
He moves away from his conservative small-town roots to pursue his dreams of becoming an engineer. Through Per’s journey, readers experience themes of ambition, love, the clash between traditional values and modern life, and the struggle to find identity.
The novel paints an honest picture of Denmark around the turn of the 20th century and invites readers to think deeply about personal choices and the meaning of happiness.
Readers who appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s sharp exploration of social issues and human dilemmas will likely find Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson fascinating too.
Bjørnson, another influential Norwegian playwright and novelist of the late 19th century, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1903. His novel “Synnøve Solbakken” is a great entry point—it portrays rural Norwegian life with vivid clarity and sensitivity.
The story follows young lovers Thorbjørn and Synnøve, who come from very different family backgrounds. Bjørnson creates a thoughtful look at love, family expectation, and personal growth amid the striking landscapes of Norway.
For fans of Ibsen eager to explore more Norwegian literature, Bjørnson’s rich storytelling offers a rewarding next step.
If you enjoy Henrik Ibsen’s exploration of complex characters trapped by social expectations, you might appreciate Jean-Paul Sartre’s existential approach in “No Exit.” Sartre tackles themes of self-deception, freedom, and moral responsibility in this sharp-edged play.
Three strangers find themselves locked in a strange room, soon realizing their confinement is no ordinary imprisonment but rather an unsettling afterlife. As truths come to light, tensions rise, and each character must confront the reality of choices made during life.
Sartre’s tight dialogue and unsettling revelations create drama that questions not only who we are but how we define ourselves through our actions.
Luigi Pirandello was an Italian playwright and novelist who explored themes of identity, reality, and human psychology. Readers who appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s skillful dissection of personal and social issues will find a lot to enjoy in Pirandello’s works.
In his famous play “Six Characters in Search of an Author,” Pirandello introduces us to six distinct characters who suddenly walk onto a theater set. They’ve been left unfinished by their creator, and demand the director present their personal drama on stage.
This intriguing setup blurs the line between reality and fiction. Pirandello cleverly questions the nature of identity and creativity, making the audience rethink how we construct meaning both inside and outside the theater walls.
Fans of psychological depth and socially critical storytelling will appreciate Pirandello’s sharp perspective and dramatic flair.
If you enjoy Henrik Ibsen’s sharp exploration of social conflicts and moral struggles, Maxim Gorky is another author you might appreciate. Gorky’s writing confronts harsh realities about class division and individual ambition.
His novel “Mother” tells of a working-class woman’s awakening to political activism through her son’s involvement in revolutionary ideals. As she moves from passive acceptance to active engagement, the reader glimpses deeper struggles of conscience and commitment.
Gorky shows human resilience and strength clearly, making “Mother” a rich, memorable story for any fan of socially-conscious literature.
Readers who appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s exploration of human limitations and existential questions may find Samuel Beckett deeply fascinating.
Beckett, an Irish writer famous for his minimalist style and dark humor, often examines isolation, absurdity, and the struggle for meaning. His play “Waiting for Godot” follows two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who endlessly wait by a lonely roadside for someone named Godot.
Their routine conversations mix humor and despair, reflecting the human desire for purpose amid uncertainty. Beckett’s sharp dialogue and subtle tensions mirror the themes of alienation and inner struggle found in Ibsen’s dramas.
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss novelist known for exploring profound psychological themes and the search for personal authenticity.
His novel “Steppenwolf” follows Harry Haller, a lonely intellectual who struggles to reconcile his refined human nature with a more primal, wolf-like side. Harry’s inner battles intensify as he crosses paths with enigmatic characters, a mysterious woman named Hermine among them.
Their encounters transform his understanding of self and society, challenging the reader to rethink the boundaries between individuality and convention.
If you appreciate Henrik Ibsen’s deep analysis of human psychology and intense character studies, Hermann Hesse’s “Steppenwolf” will resonate strongly with you.
Books by John Galsworthy often explore family drama, social issues, and moral struggles in a way that reminds readers of Henrik Ibsen. If you liked Ibsen’s insightful portrayals of personal conflict in society, you might enjoy Galsworthy’s novel “The Man of Property.”
This book is the first of his well-known “Forsyte Saga,” a series that follows the lives of a wealthy English family caught up in tradition and desire.
In “The Man of Property,” Galsworthy introduces the reader to Soames Forsyte, a respected solicitor whose obsession with possessing things extends even to his marriage. The conflicts of love, property, and reputation echo the kinds of powerful themes in Ibsen’s dramas.
Galsworthy’s clear, careful observation of his characters reveals hidden tensions behind respectable façades, showing the struggle between individual happiness and social convention.