History Theatre / TheLadyFromTheSea

* ShadowArchetype: The Sailor, whose true name is never given (although he presents himself under different names). Ellida freaks out properly when he shows up. He is also a MoralDissonance, said to have killed his captain.

'''The Lady from the Sea''' (''Fruen fra havet'') is a play written in 1888 by Creator/HenrikIbsen. The play tells the story of Ellida Wangel, the wife of a district physician, Dr. Wangel. She married him after his former wife died, and he was left a widower with two half grown daughters, Bolette and Hilde. Ellida has hidden secrets, and the play tells how those secrets come back to haunt her, in the shape of a former suitor, a sailor she gave her heart to years before. When he suddenly shows up, Ellida freaks out, and is more than a little tempted to elope with him.

'''The Lady from the Sea''' (''Fruen fra havet'') is a play written in 1888 by Creator/HenrikIbsen. The play tells the story of Ellida Wangel, the wife of a district physician, dr Wangel. She married him after his former wife died, and he was left a widower with two half grown daughters, Bolette and Hilde. Ellida has hidden secrets, and the play tells how those secrets come back to haunt her, in the shape of a former suitor, a sailor she gave her heart to years before. When he suddenly shows up, Ellida freaks out, and is more than a little tempted to elope with him. She decides to stay on with her husband, relieved, and in a sense gone through a catharsis. The stranger leaves.

* DeadLittleSister: Ellida and the Doctor had a son which died in infancy.

* FreudWasRight: The play clearly goes into the freudian era, considering that the Sailor may or may not represent the Id. Of course, when writing like this, Ibsen actually was accused of inventing psychonalysis somewhat aead of Freud himself.

* RealitySubtext: Ibsen based this story on the story of female author ''Camilla Collett'', sister of Creator/HenrikWergeland. The two of them had a number of talks and became friends over time. Her story was pretty similar: She fell in love with the dark and somewhat mysterious poet Welhaven, who actually didn`t stick to her, but she never got over him completely. Later, she married the rather sensible Jonas Collett, who adored her, and was a NiceGuy to a T. After her husband`s death, she reconciled with Welhaven, and later still, she related the whole thing to Ibsen. She ''did'' write her own version of the story - a book which is considered a breakthrough for feminist literature in Norway.

* RealitySubtext: Ibsen based this story on the story of female author ''Camilla Collett'', sister of Creator/HenrikWergeland. The two of them had a number of talks and became friends over time. Her story was pretty similar: She fell in love with the dark and somewhat mysterious poet Welhaven, who actually didn`t stick to her, but she never got over him completely. Later, she married the rather sensible Jonas Collett, who adored her, but was a NiceGuy to a T. After her husband`s death, she reconciled with Welhaven, and later still, she related the whole thing to Ibsen. She ''did'' write her own version of the story - a book which is considered a breakthrough for feminist literature in Norway.

* RealitySubtext: Ibsen based this story on the story of female author ''Camilla Collett'', sister of Creator/HenrikWergeland. The two of them had a number of talks and became friends over time. Her story was pretty similar: She fell in love with a dark and somewhat mysterious poet Welhaven, who actually didn`t stick to her, but she never got over him completely. Later, she married the rather sensible Jonas Collett, who adored her, but was a NiceGuy to a T. After her husband`s death, she reconciled with Welhaven, and later still, she related the whole thing to Ibsen. She ''did'' write her own version of the story - a book which is considered a breakthrough for feminist literature in Norway.

* JackOfAllTrades: Ballested, a dane living in the area, who seems to be at the center of everything. In turn, he is a painter, a director, a tourist guide, a dance teacher, a hair dresser, an actor, a decorator... and probably a ComicRelief.

* LoveTriangle: Ellida, the Sailor, and dr Wangel. Also Ellida, dr Wangel and Arnholm.

* UnresolvedSexualTension: Arnholm towards Ellida.

* LoveTriangle: Ellida, the Sailor, and dr Wangel.

* {{Tsundere}}: Hilde. Both towards Lyngstrand, and also towards Ellida. She chides Ellida from the start, but is visibly upset when she learns the possibility that Ellida might leave the household.

* MayDecemberRomance: Bolette, in her early twenties, falls for her former teacher, at least ten years older than she is.

* ShadowArchetype: The Sailor, whose true name is never given (although he presents himself under different names). Ellida freaks out properly when he shows up. He is also a MoralAmbiguity, said to have killed his captain.

* JackOfAllTrades: Ballested, a dane living in the area, who seems to be at the center of everything. In turn, he is a painter, a director, a tourist leader, a dance teacher, a hair dresser, an actor, a decorator... and probably a ComicRelief.

* TheNicknamer: Ellida is often referred to as "the Mermaid" (almost a TitleDrop in the original language, as a "mermaid" in Scandinavian languages literally is a "sea-lady"/''havfrue''). This underlines her FishOutOfWater position.

* TranquilFury: Offstage. The Sailor got news that Ellida had married someone else, and silently ripped the newspaper into very tiny shreds. When Ellida hears of this, she is visibly shaken.

* BlitheSpirit: The Sailor is a male variety of the trope. He stirs things up, quite rightly.