A Doll’s House
By
Henrik Ibsen
Context
HENRIK IBSEN, considered by many to be the
father of modern prose drama, was born in Skien, Norway, on March 20, 1828. He
was the second of six children. Ibsen’s father was a prominent merchant, but he
went bankrupt when Ibsen was eight years old, so Ibsen spent much of his early
life living in poverty. From 1851 to 1864, he worked in theaters in Bergen and
in what is now Oslo (then called Christiania). At age twenty-one, Ibsen wrote
his first play, a five-act tragedy called Catiline. Like much of his early
work, Catiline was written in verse.
In 1858, Ibsen married Suzannah Thoreson, and
eventually had one son with her. Ibsen felt that, rather than merely live
together, husband and wife should live as equals, free to become their own
human beings. (This belief can be seen clearly in A Doll’s House.)
Consequently, Ibsen’s critics attacked him for failing to respect the
institution of marriage. Like his private life, Ibsen’s writing tended to stir
up sensitive social issues, and some corners of Norwegian society frowned upon
his work. Sensing criticism in Oslo about not only his work but also his
private life, Ibsen moved to Italy in 1864 with the support of a traveling
grant and a stipend from the Norwegian government. He spent the next
twenty-seven years living abroad, mostly in Italy and Germany.
Ibsen’s early years as a playwright were not
lucrative, but he did gain valuable experience during this time. In 1866, Ibsen
published his first major theatrical success, a lyric drama called Brand. He
followed it with another well-received verse play, Peer Gynt. These two works
helped solidify Ibsen’s reputation as one of the premier Norwegian dramatists
of his era. In 1879, while living in Italy, Ibsen published his masterpiece, A
Doll’s House. Unlike Peer Gynt and Brand, A Doll’s House was written in prose.
It is widely considered a landmark in the development of what soon became a
highly prevalent genre of theater—realism, which strives to portray life
accurately and shuns idealized visions of it. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen employs
the themes and structures of classical tragedy while writing in prose about
everyday, unexceptional people. A Doll’s House also manifests Ibsen’s concern
for women’s rights, and for human rights in general.
Ibsen followed A Doll’s House with two
additional plays written in an innovative, realistic mode: Ghosts, in 1881, and
An Enemy of the People, in 1882. Both were successes. Ibsen began to gain
international recognition, and his works were produced across Europe and
translated into many different languages.
In his later work, Ibsen moved away from
realistic drama to tackle questions of a psychological and subconscious nature.
Accordingly, symbols began to gain prominence in his plays. Among the works he
wrote in this symbolist period are The Wild Duck (1884) and Hedda Gabler (1890).
Hedda Gabler was the last play Ibsen wrote while living abroad. In 1891, he
returned to Oslo. His later dramas include The Master Builder (1892) and Little
Eyolf (1896). Eventually, a crippling sickness afflicted Ibsen and prevented
him from writing. He died on May 23, 1906
Plot Overview
A DOLL’S HOUSE opens on Christmas Eve. Nora
Helmer enters her well-furnished living room—the setting of the entire
play—carrying several packages. Torvald Helmer, Nora’s husband, comes out of
his study when he hears her arrive. He greets her playfully and affectionately,
but then chides her for spending so much money on Christmas gifts. Their
conversation reveals that the Helmers have had to be careful with money for
many years, but that Torvald has recently obtained a new position at the bank
where he works that will afford them a more comfortable lifestyle.
Helene, the maid, announces that the Helmers’
dear friend Dr. Rank has come to visit. At the same time, another visitor has
arrived, this one unknown. To Nora’s great surprise, Kristine Linde, a former
school friend, comes into the room. The two have not seen each other for years,
but Nora mentions having read that Mrs. Linde’s husband passed away a few years
earlier. Mrs. Linde tells Nora that when her husband died, she was left with no
money and no children. Nora tells Mrs. Linde about her first year of marriage
to Torvald. She explains that they were very poor and both had to work long
hours. Torvald became sick, she adds, and the couple had to travel to Italy so
that Torvald could recover
Nora inquires further about Mrs. Linde’s
life, and Mrs. Linde explains that for years she had to care for her sick
mother and her two younger brothers. She states that her mother has passed
away, though, and that the brothers are too old to need her. Instead of feeling
relief, Mrs. Linde says she feels empty because she has no occupation; she
hopes that Torvald may be able to help her obtain employment. Nora promises to
speak to Torvald and then reveals a great secret to Mrs. Linde—without
Torvald’s knowledge, Nora illegally borrowed money for the trip that she and
Torvald took to Italy; she told Torvald that the money had come from her
father. For years, Nora reveals, she has worked and saved in secret, slowly
repaying the debt, and soon it will be fully repaid.
Krogstad, a low-level employee at the bank
where Torvald works, arrives and proceeds into Torvald’s study. Nora reacts
uneasily to Krogstad’s presence, and Dr. Rank, coming out of the study, says
Krogstad is “morally sick.” Once he has finished meeting with Krogstad, Torvald
comes into the living room and says that he can probably hire Mrs. Linde at the
bank. Dr. Rank, Torvald, and Mrs. Linde then depart, leaving Nora by herself.
Nora’s children return with their nanny, Anne-Marie, and Nora plays with them
until she notices Krogstad’s presence in the room. The two converse, and
Krogstad is revealed to be the source of Nora’s secret loan.
Krogstad states that Torvald wants to fire
him from his position at the bank and alludes to his own poor reputation. He
asks Nora to use her influence to ensure that his position remains secure. When
she refuses, Krogstad points out that he has in his possession a contract that
contains Nora’s forgery of her father’s signature. Krogstad blackmails Nora,
threatening to reveal her crime and to bring shame and disgrace on both Nora
and her husband if she does not prevent Torvald from firing him. Krogstad
leaves, and when Torvald returns, Nora tries to convince him not to fire
Krogstad, but Torvald will hear nothing of it. He declares Krogstad an immoral
man and states that he feels physically ill in the presence of such people.
Act Two opens on the following day,
Christmas. Alone, Nora paces her living room, filled with anxiety. Mrs. Linde
arrives and helps sew Nora’s costume for the ball that Nora will be attending
at her neighbors’ home the following evening. Nora tells Mrs. Linde that Dr.
Rank has a mortal illness that he inherited from his father. Nora’s suspicious
behavior leads Mrs. Linde to guess that Dr. Rank is the source of Nora’s loan.
Nora denies Mrs. Linde’s charge but refuses to reveal the source of her
distress. Torvald arrives, and Nora again begs him to keep Krogstad employed at
the bank, but again Torvald refuses. When Nora presses him, he admits that
Krogstad’s moral behavior isn’t all that bothers him—he dislikes Krogstad’s
overly familiar attitude. Torvald and Nora argue until Torvald sends the maid
to deliver Krogstad’s letter of dismissal.
Torvald leaves. Dr. Rank arrives and tells
Nora that he knows he is close to death. She attempts to cheer him up and
begins to flirt with him. She seems to be preparing to ask him to intervene on
her behalf in her struggle with Torvald. Suddenly, Dr. Rank reveals to Nora
that he is in love with her. In light of this revelation, Nora refuses to ask
Dr. Rank for anything.
Once Dr. Rank leaves, Krogstad arrives and
demands an explanation for his dismissal. He wants respectability and has
changed the terms of the blackmail: he now insists to Nora that not only that
he be rehired at the bank but that he be rehired in a higher position. He then
puts a letter detailing Nora’s debt and forgery in the -Helmers’ letterbox. In
a panic, Nora tells Mrs. Linde everything, and Mrs. Linde instructs Nora to delay
Torvald from opening the letter as long as possible while she goes to speak
with Krogstad. In order to distract Torvald from the letterbox, Nora begins to
practice the tarantella she will perform at that evening’s costume party. In
her agitated emotional state, she dances wildly and violently, displeasing
Torvald. Nora manages to make Torvald promise not to open his mail until after
she performs at the party. Mrs. Linde soon returns and says that she has left
Krogstad a note but that he will be gone until the following evening.
The next night, as the costume party takes
place upstairs, Krogstad meets Mrs. Linde in the Helmers’ living room. Their
conversation reveals that the two had once deeply in love, but Mrs. Linde left
Krogstad for a wealthier man who would enable her to support her family. She
tells Krogstad that now that she is free of her own familial obligations and
wishes to be with Krogstad and care for his children. Krogstad is overjoyed and
says he will demand his letter back before Torvald can read it and learn Nora’s
secret. Mrs. Linde, however, insists he leave the letter, because she believes
both Torvald and Nora will be better off once the truth has been revealed.
Soon after Krogstad’s departure, Nora and
Torvald enter, back from the costume ball. After saying goodnight to Mrs.
Linde, Torvald tells Nora how desirable she looked as she danced. Dr. Rank, who
was also at the party and has come to say goodnight, promptly interrupts
Torvald’s advances on Nora. After Dr. Rank leaves, Torvald finds in his
letterbox two of Dr. Rank’s visiting cards, each with a black cross above the
name. Nora knows Dr. Rank’s cards constitute his announcement that he will soon
die, and she informs Torvald of this fact. She then insists that Torvald read
Krogstad’s letter.
Torvald reads the letter and is outraged. He
calls Nora a hypocrite and a liar and complains that she has ruined his
happiness. He declares that she will not be allowed to raise their children.
Helene then brings in a letter. Torvald opens it and discovers that Krogstad
has returned Nora’s contract (which contains the forged signature). Overjoyed,
Torvald attempts to dismiss his past insults, but his harsh words have
triggered something in Nora. She declares that despite their eight years of marriage,
they do not understand one another. Torvald, Nora asserts, has treated her like
a “doll” to be played with and admired. She decides to leave Torvald, declaring
that she must “make sense of [her]self and everything around her.” She walks
out, slamming the door behind her.
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