History Theatre / Ghosts

* ForYourOwnGood: Manders reasoned that way to keep Helen Alving from eloping while still freshly married.

Should not be confused with: ''Series/TheProtector2011'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtector2011S1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS03E01Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]", the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts|DCComics}}', or the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''.

Also not to be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}'' or the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector2011'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtector2011S1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS03E01Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts|DCComics}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

%%* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Regina solves it this way.

%%* StepfordSmiler: Helen Alving.

%%* StiffUpperLip: Manders, although Norwegian, fits the trope.

* MsFanservice: Regina. Almost all the male cast members comment on her looks. Engstrand goes further, by suggesting she should work as "bait" in his planned "[[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow home for sailors]]". Consider that ''every character'' who is not Regina compliments her, and Regina Engstrand may be the most prominent fanservice character Ibsen ever created.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Between Helen Alving and Manders. UpToEleven when Manders states that he never dares to sleep over in the Alving home.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS03E01Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts|DCComics}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS3E01Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts|DCComics}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS3E1Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts|DCComics}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS3E1Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' or its American remake ''Series/GhostsUS''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS3E1Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''. Should not be confused with the British sitcom ''Series/{{Ghosts}}'' or its American remake ''Series/{{GhostsUS}}''.

Should not be confused with ''Series/TheProtector'' episode "[[Recap/TheProtectorS1S12Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "[[Recap/PsychS3E1Ghosts Ghosts]]", the ''Series/{{Revolution}}'' episode "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E12Ghosts Ghosts]]", and the ''Series/HiddenPalms'' episode "[[Recap/HiddenPalmsS1E2Ghosts Ghosts]]". Should not be confused with the Creator/DCComics series ''ComicBook/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the board game ''TabletopGame/{{Ghosts}}''. Should not be confused with the books ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1990}}'' and ''Literature/{{Ghosts 1993}}''. Should not be confused with the films ''Film/{{Ghosts 2005}}'' and ''Film/{{Ghosts 2006}}''.

* NothingExcitingEverHappensHere: When Helen Alving tells Oswald and Regina of Captain Alving´s life, she invokes this, making a point of Alving's boredom in a place that was too small for him.

* YourCheatingHeart: DeconstructedTrope. Captain Alving cheated on his wife until the day he died. This motivated her to try to drain up all his money and make sure his son Oswald inherited nothing from him. However, it turns out that Oswald has inherited syphilis from his father. Not only that, but he fell in love with Helen's maid, Regina Engstrand, who turns out to be Captain Alving's illegitimate daughter and Oswald's half-sister.

* SpiritualSuccessor:''Theatre/TheWildDuck'', written in 1883. Both plays contain a girl conceived outside of wedlock and fostered by another. While ''The Wild Duck'' discuss "ideals" as ''lies'' (Relling), this play sets the "ideals" of Manders as opposite to ''the truth'' (lampshaded by Mrs Alving).

''Ghosts'', originally titled ''Gengangere'' (literally translated as ''Ghosts''), is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It was written in 1881 and first staged in 1882.

* BookDumb: Old Engstrand doesn`t understand the French words Regine uses and asks if she is speaking English. Regina responds with a sarcastic "of course" (Goes in the original Norwegian version. An English translation would have him confuse French and German).

* DaydreamBeliever: Regina Engstrand has lived on the illusion that Oswald will take her to Paris for several years after he told her of the place. When Oswald returns at the beginning of the play, he is stunned by the fact that she took him seriously, and has begun to teach herself French. ThisIsReality ensues rather harsh upon her, but she leaves anyway, still clinging to a hope of something better, but she has taken on some fatalism when she eventually leaves.
** Regina is the closest character to earn her own IWantSong - had Disney dared to make a movie out of the play.
* DidTheyOrDidntThey: Manders and Helen. When Helen eloped after one year of marriage, she asked for Manders to shelter him. He was then a friend of captain Alving and a regular guest. Note that Manders never set foot in the Alving home after that incident, and is reluctant to sleep over when mrs Alving offers him the opportunity. Sometimes during the play, Manders breaks his formal tone and adresses her as "Helen". We have to assume something happened, [[NoodleIncident but we never find out what]].
** And, to further heightening of this - Helen Alving states that there is something "priestly" about his son`s appearance. Whoops. Manders is so into his formal role he never noticed.
* DirtyOldMan: Engstrand. Also a ConsummateLiar. Captain Alving obviously was one. And then there is Manders, who was aware of Regine and her "maturity" early on.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Osvald relates how his father once took him in his lap and ''forced him to smoke his pipe'' until he choked on it and had to throw up... And one wonders how he got his syphilis.

* GenerationXerox: Captain Alving was caught red handed with a housemaid in the parlor. Years later, Osvald is discovered in the parlor with the daughter of said housemaid (Regine Engstrand, who, as it turns out, was conceived in the former event. Which means... {{squick}}). Subverted if it turns out Manders is Oswald`s father (commented on in a throwaway line).
* GenreSavvy: Regina turns out to be quite genre savvy when it comes to her father, and will not relent to him at any cost. But even she [[SubvertedTrope didn`t see the true link]] [[DidntSeeThatComing between her and Oswald]].

* HeroicBSOD: The very end of the play. Mrs Alving is considering Oswald`s plea to kill him when his mind goes. She can`t make up her mind. And there it all ends. With a BigNo.

* IdiotBall: Manders is the prominent ball holder in this play. He is elegantly tricked by Engstrand, and has to get all the InfoDump straight in his face from mrs Alving. As a priest, he should have known his flock a little better than that. When he confronts Engstrand, he is tricked again.
** When he decides not to take any insurance on the memorial home, and then almost gets framed for arson later, he is almost TooDumbToLive.

* MaleGaze: Manders when commenting on how Regine has "filled out" the last two years. Oswald is also commenting on her curves.

* ManChild: Helen Alving invokes the trope after seeing Manders being duped by Engstrand. She indicates that he has to be a big child - no man with his wits in place could be ''that'' naïve.

* MsFanservice: Regine. Almost all the male cast members comment on her looks. Engstrand goes further, by suggesting she should work as "bait" in his planned "[[IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow home for sailors]]".
** Consider that ''every character'' who is not Regina compliments on her, and Regina Engstrand may be the most prominent fanservice character Ibsen ever created.
* NothingExcitingEverHappensHere: When Helen Alving tells Oswald and Regina of Captain Alving´s life, she invokes this, making a point of Alving`s boredom in a place that was too small for him.

* OhCrap: Regine gets some serious willies when she discovers the identity of her true father.
* OnlySaneMan: Mrs Alving. Possibly her son Oswald. At the end of the play, she is literally the only sane person on stage.
** She is also educated to a level that seemingly surpasses Manders, and GenreSavvy to boot. She even lampshades it when Manders is constantly manipulated by Engstrand. It seems Ibsen is fond of setting his OnlySaneMan characters in a SurroundedByIdiots plot [[FridgeLogic time and again...]]
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Manders is rather uptight and formal, but when he breaks out of this, he adresses mrs Alving on her given name: "Helen!" OOC indeed.
* ParentingTheHusband: Helen Alving took full control of the Alving estate after the affair with Regina`s mother, making Alving a "second child" in the household. "I took complete power, and he dared not oppose it!"

* TheReveal: Helen Alving gets around to explain the circumstances concerning the relation between Oswald and Regine. Her reaction is as you could expect.
* RichBoredom: Captain Alwing fell to pieces because he was confined to a small Norwegian town, without anyone to share anything with. It resulted in a waste of talents and resources on complete idleness. Which made life miserable for Helen Alving and Oswald.
* SanitySlippage: Oswald`s illness sends him straight into blubbering at the end.
* SarcasmMode: The most sarcastic line is Engstrand`s, when he, at the end of the play, states that he will raise a memorial "worthy of captain Alving". Cue the brothel.
* SinisterMinister: Reverend Manders is not above striking a deal with Engstrand the carpenter, allowing him to build a brothel, or trying to gloss over the more questionable actions of Captain Alving. He was also the one who sealed the marriage between the housemaid and Engstrand, making Regina believe Engstrand was her father. To top it, he has no qualms in trying to persuade Regine to follow Engstrand when Engstrand wants her to -ahem- "work" in his establisment. Subverted when we consider him an UnwittingPawn in the hands of Engstrand.
* ScrewThisImOutOfHere: Regine solves it this way.
* SocialClimber: Regine when she decides to follow Oswald to Paris, and later when she states that she still will be able to "drink champagne with the upper class".
* SpiritualSuccessor:''Theatre/TheWildDuck'', written in 1883. Both plays contain a girl conceived outside of wedlock and fostered by another. While ''The Wild Duck'' discuss "ideals" as ''lies'' (Relling), this play sets the "ideals" of Manders as opposite to ''the truth'' (lampshaded by mrs Alving).
* StepfordSmiler: Helen Alving. Period.

* StiffUpperLip: Manders, although Norwegian, fits the trope.

* TitleDrop: When Helen has retold the story of her husband and the housemaid in the parlor, she and Manders hear Oswald and Regine reenact the scene. Helen goes immediately pale, and whispers: ''Ghosts''. Later, in the second act, she follows suit, by stating: "We are probably ghosts, all of us".
* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Oswald when he is first introduced. Manders comments that he almost looked like his father, when he came downstairs smoking the old man`s pipe. Subverted when Helen protests: "He looks like me". When she states that Oswald`s mouth (which Manders claimed looked like the captain) rather reminds her of a priest, it should have worried Manders a little.
** To underscore this: Helen Alving eloped after a year of marriage, seeking shelter at the home of Manders. [[NoodleIncident It is never stated what happened between them]]. But Manders kept a safe distance for many years after.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Osvald relates how his father once took him in his lap and ''forced him to smoke a cigar'' until he choked on it and had to throw up... And one wonders how he got his syphilis.

* CurvesInAllTheRightPlaces: Regina, according to Engstrand, Manders, Oswald, and (believe it or not) [[EvenGirlsWantHer Helen Alving]].