Who Jacob Engstrand is
Jacob Engstrand comes to the Alving house with a request for Regina, the young maid who believes he is her father. He drinks and adopts a pious voice when it suits him, making his outward manner something to watch.
What Jacob Engstrand wants
Engstrand plans to open a sailors' home, offering rooms and company to men arriving in port. His scheme needs both money and respectability, so he tries to win Pastor Manders to his side. He plays on the pastor's wish to do good, bringing hypocrisy into the play beyond the Alving family's respectable appearance.
Jacob Engstrand and the others in the story
Regina wants to leave Engstrand and his rough ways behind, while he approaches her with his own request. Their distrust contrasts with the language of piety he uses when it serves his purposes. His dealings with Regina and Manders connect his ambitions to the play's concern with appearances and what they conceal.
Questions
Who is Jacob Engstrand in Ghosts?
Jacob Engstrand is a carpenter who is thought to be the father of Regina, the Alvings' maid.
What does Jacob Engstrand want?
He wants support for a sailors' home in town and seeks Pastor Manders's backing.
Does Regina trust Jacob Engstrand?
No, their opening conversation reveals mutual distrust, and Regina hopes to escape his rough ways.