John Gabriel Borkman
by Henrik Ibsen
John Gabriel Borkman is Henrik Ibsen's penultimate play, published in Copenhagen by Gyldendal in 1896. It portrays a former bank director, once jailed for speculating with clients' money, brooding at home. William Archer's English translation was published in London by William Heinemann in 1897.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First published
- Gyldendal, Copenhagen, 1896
- First UK edition
- William Heinemann, 1897
Which edition do you have?
Editions
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Setting and characters
- Characters
- John Gabriel Borkman
- Genre
- drama fiction
In print
- Editions recorded
- 45 on Open Library, 41 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 20 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
How many editions of John Gabriel Borkman are there?
We track 1 edition of John Gabriel Borkman. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
When was John Gabriel Borkman first published?
John Gabriel Borkman by Henrik Ibsen was first published in 1896.
Can I read John Gabriel Borkman for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- John Gabriel Borkman, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- John Gabriel Borkman, skuespil i fire akter (Gyldendal, 1896), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- John Gabriel Borkman, translated by William Archer (W. Heinemann, 1897), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 23 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.