Hedvig Cathrine Ibsen (married name Hedvig Stousland; born 15 November 1831 in

Skien Skien () is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county in Norway. In modern times it is regarded as part of the traditional region of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the Norsj ...

- died 15 June 1920 in Skien) was the sister of playwright

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

. She was the sister with whom Ibsen was particularly close during their childhood. She was the daughter of Knud Ibsen and

Marichen Altenburg Marichen Cornelia Martine Altenburg (24 April 1799 – 3 June 1869) was the mother of the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and is known as the model for several characters in some of Ibsen's most famous plays, including Åse in '' Peer Gynt''.Rob ...

, in a wealthy family whose fortunes were eventually ruined by Ibsen's bankruptcy.

Influence on Henrik Ibsen

Hedvig was named for her maternal grandmother, Hedevig

Paus The Paus family () is a Norwegian family that first appeared as members of the elite of 16th-century Oslo and that for centuries belonged to Norway's "aristocracy of officials" as priests of the state church, judges and other higher government of ...

. The character Hedvig in Ibsen's ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often t ...

'' is widely believed to be named for her and/or her grandmother.

Personal life

Ibsen married ship's captain Jacob Stousland. Their son, merchant and politician

Carl Stousland Carl Stousland (25 October 1860 – 23 August 1941) was a Norwegian merchant, banker and politician. Biography Stousland was born at Skien in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. He was the son of ship captain Hans Jacob Stousland (1828–1913). ...

(1860–1941), became a member of parliament for Skien and its mayor.NSD: Carl Stousland
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ibsen, Hedvig Hedvig 1831 births 1920 deaths People from Skien