AP English: Literature and Composition Name: Bessie Weisman

Major Works Data Sheet

Title:_ A Doll’s House

Author: Henrik Ibsen

Date of Publication: 1879

Genre: Realistic, Modern Prose Drama

Biographical information about the author: Henrik Ibsen was born in Norway in 1828. Ibsen’s father was a prosperous merchant whose financial failure caused the family to come to face with disgrace and subsequently have to move to a farmhouse in Venstop. He got married in 1858 and had one child. Ibsen wrote several unsuccessful works and therefore decided to move abroad in 1864. He traveled for the next 27 years to places like Rome, Munich and Dresden, where he wrote some of his most famous works. He returned to Norway in 1891 after writing works like Hedda Gabler (1890) and An Enemy of the People (1882). The last years of his life were accompanied by mental illness until he had a stroke in 1900.

Historical information about the period of publication:During the Victorian Era in the 19th century, the social classes of England were changing in composition. Since this time period is characterized by prosperity, many prosperous and educated individuals were considered a part of the upper class, despite the class that his/her family came from. Also, much scientific progress occurred during this time, ranging from Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Sigmund Freud’s theories. Additionally, the Victorian Era is noted for the restricted role that it placed on women. Women seemed merely to have a role in the home and to exist solely for the needs and desires of men.

Characteristics of the genre: Modern drama is the Western development of drama beginning in the late 19th century, most famously with the plays of Henrik Ibsen himself. The role of the play became one of both illumination and examination, one that was often critical of unbending morality and traditional society. With its extension into film and television media, modern drama presents a wide array of historical and fictional perspectives.

Plot summary: A Doll’s House is the story of a woman named Nora Helmer who secretly borrows a large

sum of money in order to treat her husband’s illness. By doing this, she saves her husband’s life but commits a crime in the process. In order to obtain the money, Nora needed to forge her father’s signature because women did not have the authorization to borrow money independently during this time. A time after she forges the signature, her husband, Torvald Helmer, receives a job promotion at the bank. When he takes the new job position, Torvald sees it necessary to fire Nils Krogstad, the man who lent the money to Nora. Krogstad, who also committed forgery and is therefore looked down upon by society, threatens to reveal Nora’s secret unless she could convince her husband to spare his job. Despite her attempts to convince Torvald not to fire Krogstad, he will not change his mind because he feels physically ill to work around such an immoral individual. In the end, Krogstad writes a letter to Mr. Helmer to express Nora’s crime. Torvald reads the letter, subsequently becomes enraged, and calls Nora a hypocrite and a liar. He soon forgives her after Krogstad returns the forged contract back to the Helmers, which would save the Helmers’ reputation. Torvald quickly forgives his wife and apologizes for his previous insults. However, Nora has a revelation as she realizes that she never truly knew and understood her husband and he never really understood her. She then leaves her husband and asserts her own independence after she recognizes that she has been living a sheltered and unfulfilling life.

Major Works Data Sheet Page 2

Describe the author’s style: Ibsen writes in such a way that captures the natural speech of each individual character in relation to who they are interacting with. This helps the realism that accompanies his genre of writing.

An example that demonstrates the style: Mr. Helmer states “Is that my little lark twittering out there?” (5). This line illustrates the natural, yet condescending way that Torvald speaks to his wife.

Memorable Quotes

Quote

“One day I might, yes. Many years from now, when I’ve lost my looks a little. Don’t laugh. I mean, of course, a time will come when Torvald is not as devoted to me, not quite so happy when I dance for him, and dress for him, and play with him.”

“Free. To be free, absolutely free. To spend time playing with the children. To have a clean, beautiful house, the way Torvald likes it.”

“Something glorious is going to happen.”

“From now on, forget happiness. Now it’s just about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance.”

“I have been performing tricks for you, Torvald. That’s how I’ve survived. You wanted it like that. You and Papa have done me a great wrong. It’s because of you I’ve made nothing of my life.”

Significance

This quote is a representation of Nora’s true understanding of her marriage with Torvald. Here, she expresses that, when she becomes older and less attractive, she may consider telling Torvald of her crime. In this way, she would use her crime as a method of keeping Torvald devoted to her because the exposure of her crime would ruin the Helmers’ reputation. She acknowledges that there is no substance to their marriage; rather, it is a façade that is put on to uphold their standing in society.

In this quote, Nora is expressing the freedom she will have after she pays off her debt to Krogstad. However, as the play progresses, she realizes that the actions she once perceived as expressions of freedom were actually those actions that restrain her as a woman in the Victorian society.

Here, Nora is describing what she thinks will occur when Torvald finds out about her forgery. She believes that Torvald will take the blame for her crime; however, when he does not, she will come to understand her relationship with Torvald is not as authentic as it seems.

Torvald makes this statement after he finds out about Nora’s crime. Instead of taking the blame for the crime and sacrificing himself for Nora, he is more concerned with his appearance to others. This characterizes Torvald as a very shallow man who is only concerned with his reputation and not the value of the relationship he shares with his wife.

This quote is a confirmation of Nora’s understanding of her relationship with Torvald. She has finally figured out the role she plays as Torvald’s wife and she knows that she must break free from that unsatisfying position.

Major Works Data Sheet Page 3Characters

Name Role in the story Significance Adjectives

Nora Helmer

Torvald Helmer

Krogstad

Mrs. Linde

Dr. Rank

Bob, Emmy, and Ivar

Anne-Marie 

A wife in a restrained role carved out by society and her husband’s expectations.

Nora’s husband

Lends Nora money and blackmails her

Nora’s childhood friend

Torvald’s best friend

The Helmer children

The Helmers’ maid

She is the protagonist who eventually comes to realize her self-worth and breaks away from her family.

He restrains Nora and treats her like a child. His actions cause her to leave her home to start anew.

By blackmailing Nora, Krogstad sets up a situation that forces her to realize the shallow and uncaring manner of her husband

She underscores Nora’s childlike mannerisms and adds some realistic commentary into the situation.

He serves as a contrast to Helmer, who cares deeply about appearances. Dr. Rank is very uncaring of what others think of him and very acceptant of his imminent death.

They are in the play to highlight Nora’s reaction to her restraining situation. Even though she seems to be a caring mother, she feels as if she needs to abandon her family to find herself.

She transports the letters from Krogstad to Mr. Helmer and perpetuates the events that lead up to the climax of the play.

Strong, rebellious

Shallow, condescending

Desperate, conniving

Sensible, practical

Unconcerned, accepting

Young, innocent

Practical, sacrificial

Major Works Data Sheet Page 4

Setting

The story is set in the Victorian era in the late 1870s. The events of the play take place in the Helmers’ apartment. This limited and restrained setting is a representation of the lifestyle that Nora has lived. Also, Helmer’s study and the ballroom are mentioned in the play, but no substantive action occurs in these rooms.

Significance of the opening scene

In the opening scene, Torvald is speaking to Nora as if she is a child. He is very condescending and very controlling of the money in the family. He calls her a “spendthrift” and an “extravagant little person.” Also, in this scene, Torvald interrogates Nora about eating macaroons. These negative interactions set up an idea in the reader’s mind about the conflictions that will come about later on in the play.

Symbols

There are several symbols within the play. The first symbol is the macaroons which represent Nora’s deceitful ways as well as the restraint that her husband attempts to place on her. The black hat and black cross that Dr. Rank is associated with denotes ideas of death. This could be related to the symbolic death of Nora’s marriage and her old way of life. The Christmas tree symbolizes Nora herself because it is dressed up and pleasing to the eye, just as she is only visually pleasing to Torvald and nothing else. New Year’s Day is also a symbol for renewal and the rebirth of Nora’s life.

Significance of the ending/closing scene

In this scene, Torvald becomes very upset and agitated that his reputation is in jeopardy. He makes harmful comments to Nora and then takes them back when he finds out his appearance would no longer be compromised. Nora then decides to leave Torvald and her children because of the feigned love that Torvald has had for her throughout their whole marriage. She also gives her ring back to Torvald and tells him never to contact her. This way, she could completely sever the ties that she made with this unsatisfying life and move on to become a more independent and free woman.

Possible Themes

1. The role of women in Victorian society.

2. Parental obligations.

3. Appearances versus the reality of a situation.

4. Establishing one’s own identity.

Old AP Questions1971, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1985, 2005, 2009