"SUBJECTIVITY AND SELFHOOD: EXPLORING IDENTITY FORMATION IN THE WOMEN OF IBSEN’S LATER PLAYS"

Abstract

This research examines the complex portrayals of female subjectivity and selfhood in Henrik Ibsen’s later plays—HeddaGabler, The Lady from the Sea, Rosmersholm, When We Dead Awaken, and John Gabriel Borkman. Drawing from feminist theory, psychoanalysis, and existential philosophy, the study explores how Ibsen constructs women characters as sites of conflict between internal desire and external societal expectation. The analysis reveals recurring themes of repression, resistance, moral agency, and the politics of speech and silence. Each protagonist negotiates identity formation through a distinct mode of self-actualization, reflecting diverse responses to patriarchy, cultural norms, and personal crisis. Through a comparative framework, the research traces the evolution of female agency in Ibsen’s dramaturgy and highlights his anticipatory engagement with modern feminist concerns. Ultimately, the study contributes to the scholarship on gender and modern drama by offering a nuanced understanding of how Ibsen's women embody the contradictions and possibilities inherent in the quest for autonomy and selfhood.