Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theater director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the god father" of modern drama and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theater. His plays were considered scandalous to many of his era, when Victorian values of family life and propriety largely held sway in Europe. Ibsen's work examined the realities that lay behind many facades, possessing a revelatory nature that was disquieting to many contemporaries. It utilized a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality. Ibsen is often ranked as one of the truly great playwrights in the European tradition, alongside Shakespeare.