Abstract: This paper places Ibsen in the Nordic-Germanic thought tradition，and argues that “individuality” is the key to understand this tradition and Ibsen’s plays. European society at the end of the 19th century was far from being a world of “demon free”，instead，it even had irrational and anti-enlightenment overtones. Ibsen’s plays and Kierkegaard’s philosophical thoughts were intertextually related. They both opposed the established church，and believed that the prerequisite for religious faith in the strict sense is individuality. Brand was tantamount to a death sentence to all serious religions. Meanwhile，in Nietzsche’s view，Europe had entered “the era of the mob” and “individual” was in danger. In this context，many characters created by Ibsen had the characteristics of “Fin de siècle”，where decadence，boredom and nihility had become a common social state of mind. Freud had a profound insight into the dangers contained in this mentality. He believed that behind the collective psychology was the individual psychology at work，and the expansion of individuality would bring very serious social problems. For Freud，individuality tended to be restless，often turning into the most materialistic hedonism，but more often expressed in denial and destruction，even in violence and devastation. In Ibsen’s view，such social ills were not something that could solved by political means. What Ibsen’s plays present us is the paradox of “individuality” itself.

Key words: Ibsen, fin de siècle, individuality, demon, nihility