Ghost play

Helene Alving is the wealthy widow of Chamberlain "Captain" Alving. She is about to open a memorial to her dead husband—an orphanage—and is pleased that their son, Osvald, is back from Paris. She considers herself to be forward-thinking and she reads many progressive books; however, when faced with complicated moral decisions, she still exhibits a more conservative perspective. She despises her late husband for his decadence and debauchery; she actually loved Pastor Manders once, but she agreed to do her duty in her marriage and try to keep Alving's reputation from the masses. She is forced to tell the truth about her husband when Osvald thinks his syphilis is his own fault when, in reality, it is inherited. At the end of the play, it is unclear if she will choose to assist her son in his death.