Issues and Methods of Contemporary Ibsen Studies: An Interview with Professor Frode Helland

Foreign Literature Studies ›› 2018, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (5): 1-12.

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Issues and Methods of Contemporary Ibsen Studies: An Interview with Professor Frode Helland

Wang Yuli, Wang Yue, Frode Helland

Online:2018-10-25 Published:2022-05-24
About author:Wang Yuli is professor at the School of Arts, Wuhan University (Wuhan 430072, China), specializing in Ibsen and modern drama. Email:sealighgt9999@126.com; Wang Yue is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of Arts, Wuhan University, majoring in Ibsen’s plays. Email: 1020582405@qq.com; Frode Helland is professor of Scandinavian literature at the University of Oslo and Director of Centre for Ibsen Studies at the University of Oslo. Email:frode.helland@ibsen.uio.no
Supported by:
National Social Science Fund Project “A Study on the Poetics of Ibsen’s Dramas” (13CWW023) sponsored by National Social Science Fund of China; Wuhan University Independent Research Project “How Did Ibsen Transcend Shakespeare’s Tragic Art” sponsored by Wuhan University

Abstract

Abstract: In March 2018, Professor Frode Helland was invited to have a lecture tour at Wuhan University, where he was interviewed by Wang Yuli and Wang Yue. In this interview, Helland and Wang exchanged views on such issues as Ibsen and Shakespeare, Ibsen and German thoughts, Ibsen and Power, Ibsen and digital humanities research. Wang argues that Ibsen’s theatrical achievement, rooted in Western intellectual and cultural tradition ranging from ancient Greek tragedy, Shakespeare’s plays, the Nordic myth and legend to the Christian tradition and German thoughts, is largely contributed by his concerns about social issues of his time in Europe. In his response, Helland adds that Ibsen’s global popularity is also attributed to his artistic achievements and the commercial value of his works. Helland points out that the topics such as Ibsen and Shakespeare, and Ibsen and German thought are also worth exploring. Furthermore, he claims that the digital humanities and inter-disciplinary studies will bring new inspiration and energy to contemporary Ibsen studies.

Key words: Ibsen, German Thoughts, Shakespeare, Digital Humanities, Interdisciplinary Studies

Wang Yuli, Wang Yue, Frode Helland. Issues and Methods of Contemporary Ibsen Studies: An Interview with Professor Frode Helland[J]. Foreign Literature Studies, 2018, 40(5): 1-12.

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Issues and Methods of Contemporary Ibsen Studies: An Interview with Professor Frode Helland

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