A DOLLS HOUSE BY HENRIK IBSEN:
Henrik Ibsen 'A Dolls House' (written in 1879) is a controversial play which is set in Norway in 1878 and was first performed at The Royal Theatre, Copenhagen, in Denmark on 21 December 1879. The play centres on the lives of Nora and Torvald Helmer, who are a married couple living in a house with three children. Throughout the play we are introduce to many people such as Nils Krogstad, Kristine Linde, Dr Rank At the start of the play we see them as a collective/ tight unit as they portray an idealistic marriage however throughout the play we start to see the what lies behind this façade and the qualities of each character, as individuals start to show. The story takes place over three days and Nora is present in every scene, this reveals to us how confined Nora is towards every aspect in her home in terms of meeting her husbands needs and caring for her children. This set out lifestyle reinforces the aspect of Nora being a doll in the house as she is 'played' with / 'used' mentally and physically.
Ibsen wanted this play to be a realistic as possible and so naturalism was used. Naturalism. Naturalism was introduced in 1868. The preoccupation of Naturalists was to investigative 'man' as a product of his heredity and his environment, this then brought about the question are we simply born the way we are or can we do something about it?
Overall the play explores themes of marriage, wealth, women, secrets and lies, betray, loneliness.
ACT 1:
Nora Helmer enters her home, truly enjoying life. An old widow friend from her past, Mrs Linde, stops by hoping to find a job. Nora's husband Torvald recently earned a promotion, so she happily finds employment for Mrs. Linde. When her friend complains how hard the years have been, Nora replies that her life has been filled with challenges too.Nora discreetly explains that several years ago, when Torvald Helmer was very ill, she forged her dead father's signature in order to illegally obtain a loan. Since then, she has been paying back the loan in secret. She has never told her husband because she knows it would upset him. Unfortunately, a bitter bank employee named Nils Krogstad is the man who collects the debt payments. Knowing that Torvald is soon to be promoted, he tries using his knowledge of her forgery to blackmail Nora. He wants to insure his position at the bank; otherwise he will reveal the truth to Torvald.
This turn of events
greatly upsets Nora. However, she keeps the truth concealed from her husband,
as well as Dr.Rank,
a kind yet sickly old friend of the Helmers. She tries to distract herself by
playing with her three children. However, by the ending of Act One she begins
to feel trapped and desperate.
ACT 2:
Throughout the second act, Nora tries to think of ways to prevent Krogstad from revealing the truth. She has tried to convince her husband, asking him to let Krogstad keep his job. However, Helmer believes the man possesses criminal tendencies. Therefore, he is bent on removing Krogstad from his post. Nora tries asking Dr. Rank for help, but she is put off when Dr. Rank becomes too flirtatious with her and claims that he cares for her just as much, if not more, than her husband.
Later, the Helmers prepare for a partyl. Torvald watches Nora perform a traditional folk dance called the Tarantella. He is disappointed that she has forgotten much of what he has taught her. Here, the audience witnesses one of the many scenes in which Torvald patronizes his wife as though she were a child, or his doll. (Hence, Ibsen titled the play: A Doll's House). Torvald constantly calls her pet names such as "my song bird" and "my little squirrel." Yet, he never speaks to her with any degree of mutual respect.
Eventually, Mrs. Linde tells Nora that she had a romantic attachment to Krogstad in the past, and that she can perhaps persuade him. However, Krogstad does not sway in his position. By the end of Act Two, it seems that Torvald is bound to discover the truth. Nora is ashamed of this possibility. She contemplates jumping into an icy river. She believes that if she does not commit suicide, Torvald will bravely assume responsibility for her crimes. She believes that he would go to jail instead of her. Therefore, she wants to sacrifice herself for his benefit.
ACT 3:
Mrs. Linde and Krogstad meet for the first time in years. At first Krogstad is bitter towards her, but she soon rekindles their romantic interest towards one another. Krogstad even has a change of heart and considers tearing up Nora's IOU. However, Mrs. Linde believes it would be best if Torvald and Nora finally confront the truth. After returning from the party, Nora and Torvald unwind at home. Torvald discusses how he enjoys watching her at parties, pretending that he is encountering her for the first time. Dr. Rank knocks on the door, interrupting the conversation. He says goodbye to them, hinting that he will be shutting himself up in his room until his sickness finally wins. After Dr. Rank's departure, Torvald discovers Krogstad's note. When he realizes the criminal act that Nora has committed, Torvald becomes enraged. He fumes about how Krogstad can now make any demand he wishes. He declares that Nora is immoral, unfit as a wife and mother. Even worse, Torvald says that he will continue to be married to her in name alone. He wants to have no romantic connection to her whatsoever.
Moments after Torvald raves like a madman, Krogstad drops another note saying that he has rediscovered love, and that he no longer wants to blackmail the Helmer family. Torvald rejoices, declaring that they are saved. He then, in a moment of hypocrisy, states that he forgives Nora, and that he still loves her as his little "caged song bird." This is a startling wake-up call for Nora. In a flash, she realizes that Torvald is not the loving, selfless husband she had once envisioned. With that she also comes to understand that their marriage has been a lie, and that she herself has been an active part in the deception. She then decides to leave her husband and her children in order to find out who she truly is;. Torvald desperately begs her to stay. He claims that he will change. She says that perhaps if a "miracle of miracles" happens they might one day become suitable companions. However, when she leaves, slamming the door behind her, Torvald is left with very little hope.
CHARACTERS:
Nora Helmer: When we first meet Nora she is portrayed as a 'typical wife' and seems to be completely happy with her married life to Torvald, however all is not as it seems. Her and Her husbands relationship is shown to be affectionate and playful which therefore creates her childlike enthusiasm to certain things and especially money. The interaction between her and Torvald varies at different points in the play because at some moments Nora seems to allow Torvald to be a suppressor towards her and therefore his attitude is quite controlling. For example Torvald calls Nora his 'skylark' , 'squirrel' and 'lovely little singing bird'. This is contrasting to modern day relationships because people call each other words like 'babe' 'honey' etc and so showing this play to a modern audience is very interesting in terms of the reaction as it makes you feel uneasy The way m which he uses these as a way to dares his wife is very intriguing as it almost objectifies Nora and dehumanizes her making it seem like she is an an animal and therefore needs to be caged (doll in a confined house)
Overall Nora has a huge development as she goes from child to a woman. At first she had a Kate and childlike nature however after her secrets and lies are reeled she realizes not only that she has to grow up but also to understand her self worth and therefore she is able to analyse the situation she is in and how it can be better for her in the future which results to her leaving her husband and children. When this play was fist performed it received allot of controversy and this was also the case behind the scenes as actress
Torvald Helmer: Is a very dominative character and he also has allot of views and ideas which he feels strongly about as he significantly believes that a mans role in marriage is to protect and guide his wife, with him having this view about this specific role it is interesting to see how he embodies this and further it also i able to give us an idea of what his beliefs are towards his wife an her role. This view develops from the beginning to the end.
Torvald enjoys the idea of Nora needing guidance as he has control over her (this further reinforces the title as she is allowing herself to be treated like a doll) alongside this he also acts like Nora's father who passed away and also goes on about the ideas a values that her dad had in which he holds them against
Torvald also has strong values and morals towards 'family life' for example he says that 'to lie in a family home diseases the place' this is very interesting to see Nora's reaction to his strong implemented expectations and values because what he doesn't know is that Nora has been doing exactly that, ly
Nils Krogstad:
Krogstad is a 'friend' to Torvald and is in a subordinate position at the bank and it is in jeopardy. Although he is presented as the antagonist he is not necessarily the vilan because at first his motives were bad but eventually they turn into good intentions. However with this being said he does have reasons for why he behaves the way he does as he needs to try and keep his job, spare his children form the hardships that come with a bad reputation and also to rediscover his past. His spoiled reputation mainly derives from the crimes he has committed, this being forgery of signatures. Later on in the play it is revealed that Nora has committed the same crime in which Krogstad threatens Nora. He says to Nora that she needs to help him save his job otherwise he will reveal the lies and secrets that Nora has been keeping form Torvald as she took a loan from Krogstad and is now in debt.
Kristine Linde:
Kristine is a tough and strong world wise woman and also an old time friend of Nora's. This lady has been through a lot. She tells Krogstad, " Lifes, hard Nils, lifes bitter there is no room for sentiment". In her younger days, she had to sacrifice love for the sake of her family. Rather than marrying Nils Krogstad, she married a businessman who she didn't love, she did this so she could support her sick mother and her two younger brothers. In order to sever herself from her beloved Nils, she wrote him a nasty note saying that she didn't love him any more Now her brothers are all grown up and her mother is dead. Her husband has passed away, too. Mr. Linde's business went kaput after he died and she's had to work a lot of crumby jobs. Still, Kristine is finally free. It's true that Kristine is free from the responsibilities of family, but she absolutely hates it. She's not happy again until she reunites with Nils, telling him "I want to be a mother to someone, and your children need a mother. We two need each other". This was a very interesting thing for a woman to say, in a play that's often painted with feminist ideology. Here we have a woman who is capable, intelligent, and self-sufficient. Kristine is a liberated lady smack dab in the middle of Victorian Europe, and what does she go and do? She willingly jumps back into the role of wife and mother, because it's the only way she knows how to be happy.
SITUATIONS:
1) Initial situation:
In the beginning all 'seems well as Nora and Torvald appear to be a happy couple. Torvald is getting a new high position at the bank , meaning that the Helmers wont have to worry about money, and so we start to get an insight into Nora's playful, naive mannerisms as she loves money and likes to spend frivolous amounts . Later we meet Nora's old friend Mrs Linde who is experiencing hardship as she is a widow that has been left with nothing and is jobless.
2) Conflict:
Things start to go bad for Nora when Krogstad shows up because earlier on in that year Nora had took a loan from Krogstad but she done this by forging a signature and as a result she still is in allot of debt (but Torvald doesn't know this) So when Torvald wants wants to fire Krogstad, Krogstad is able to threaten Nora by saying that he will reveals Nora's secrets by writing a letter if he ends up getting fired
3) Complication:
Nora begs Torvald not to fire Krogstad. His begging makes her husband mad and so he fires Krogstad . As a result of this Krogstad tells Nora that he's going to blackmail both herself and her husband. He writes a letter which details everything that she has done, before its too late she tells Kristine all everything and she then tries to stop Krogstad (later it is revealed that they have history)
4) Climax:
To stall Torvald opening the mailbox, Nora starts to talk about her performing for Torvald however she also lies and says that she doesn't know how to dance the tarantella' any more. She convinces him that he must do nothing other than helping her practice until they go to the party which is next evening. The next evening the Helmers are at a party upstairs in which Kristine has a visit from Krogstad, what could e want?, why is he there?
5) Tension:
After Mrs Linde and Krogstad has a heart-to-heart with Krogstad he changes his mind about the blackmailing instantly, however Kristine tells him to let Torvald read the letter. She understands and is aware of the many lies there are in the Helmers household and she believes that Nora can not keep running away from the truth.
6) Judgement:
When the secrets and lies are revealed to Torvald, he abruptly flips out on Nora and speaks without thinking first. It is here when Nora realises her doll like nature and the way in which Torvald plays with her physically, mentally and emotionally. Torvald forgives Nora but she doesn't forgive him. She tells him they are strangers and that they never had a real marriage as he 'liked the idea of being in love with her'.
7) Conclusion:
The play concludes with Torvald alone in the room and Nora has left him. Nora plucks up the independence and courage to leave him. However at the time when this play was shown it received allot of controversy because it was seen as barbaric to leave your husband and children and so the actress who was
THEMES:
Appearance VS Reality Wealth Marriage:
Sacrificial role of women
Parental obligations/ roles
Importance of appearance in the social realm
KEY QUOTES:
NORA: "How painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether."
HELMER: "Well, we will share it, Nora, as man and wife should. That is how it shall be."
TORVALD: "I actually find your lack and ability of understanding rather quite attractive"
TORVALD: "I now understand that you are a man and i am a woman"
FURTHER COMMENTS:
The whole play is a very interesting development because it deeply explores attitudes at the time
- The actress Hedwig Niemann-Rabbe refused to perform the part of Nora, claiming that she couldn't relate to a woman that acted so savagely. Ibsen was forced to write an alternative ending in which Nora doesn't leave her husband and children but instead breaks down and cries at the sight of her children – suggesting that she will stay in the marriage for their sake. Ibsen referred to the new ending as ‘an act of barbarous violence against the play’.Ibsen was eventually vindicated, however, when the new ending damaged the popularity of
- The story is inspired by Henrik Ibsen s friend who at the time was dealing with a hard marriage which consisted of the many issues that a dolls house ha
- A film called the dead letter had an effect on writer Betsie Davies and her book was insred by the story of 'A Dolls house;
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
A Dolls house summary: http://plays.about.com/od/plays/a/dolls_summary.htm by Wade Bradford
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