Henrik Ibsen is one of the most prolific playwrights of all time, with over twenty-five plays written during his lifetime as well as around 300 poems. He is known as the "father of modern drama" as he changed the direction of theatrical writing by revealing the truth about human error and casting light on the realities of society. Though his plays were criticized for being scandalous during a time when European theater was expected to follow a strict pattern depicting the morals of society, Ibsen is often lauded as the best playwright since William Shakespeare. Ibsen's plays are the most performed throughout the world, aside from Shakespeare himself. Ibsen reworked the rules of drama, introducing a complex realism into his plays that was not seen before. Ibsen's plays challenge assumptions about reality and depicts real issues of his time, creating a more artistic value to drama, rather than simply being entertaining.