Publishing and Readerships

Abstract

Long before Ibsen became a world-famous playwright, he achieved the status of bestseller in his home markets. His books were eventually printed in first editions of 10,000 copies, and whenever a new book came on the market it was greeted by eagerly awaiting readers throughout Scandinavia. This chapter explores the publication and reception of Ibsen’s books, and pays special attention to Ibsen’s readership. The chapter is based mainly on archival studies of sales’ and borrowers’ records from a number of Scandinavian bookshops and libraries, which collectively provide a unique insight into Ibsen’s readership. The study finds that wholesalers, academics, bookkeepers as well as craftsmen, peasant students and married and unmarried women were among the readers. His clientele can roughly be divided into two main groups: a primary group comprising readers who could afford to buy Ibsen’s books, consisting mainly of educated and well-to-do members of the public, and a secondary, less affluent group, largely dependent on libraries in order to access his writings. By the turn of the century, Ibsen’s books were published in cheaper and larger editions, which increased sales among readers of limited means.