Ibsen and

A Doll House
AP English IV

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 Henrik Ibsen
“What is it to be a
poet? It was a
long time before I
realized that to be
a poet is, most of
all, to see; but
mark well, to see
in such a way that
what is seen is
perceived by his
audience just as
the poet saw it.”
(1874)
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 Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906)
z Ibsen born in Norway into a wealthy family that
would become bankrupt.
z While in Norway, wrote (poems, plays) and was
creative director of The Norwegian Theater in
Christiana.
z Disillusioned with career and with country, he
moved to Italy in 1864 – began a period of 27
years abroad (Italy and Germany). Moved back
to Norway in 1891.
z Gained international acclaim as a writer during
his life.
(Source: “The Ibsen Centre,” Oslo, Norway).
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 Ibsen’s Importance
z Ibsen considered the “father of modern
drama.”
z Gave the stage its first distinctively
modern characters: complex,
contradictory individuals driven by a
desire for something (joy? Sense of
self?) that they can barely recognize
or name.

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 General Notes on Ibsen’s
Dramatic Method: 3 Main Techniques
1: visualize the individual characters
z “Before I write one word, I have to have
the character in mind through and
through.”
z Borderline hallucinations!
z Character’s individual humanity is primary.

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 General Notes on Ibsen’s
Dramatic Method: 3 Main Techniques
2: Perceive relationships
z The individual is best understandable in a
social context.
z The characters view each other with
distortions and with discernment; the
audience participates in evaluating this
mixture of illusion and truth.

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 General Notes on Ibsen’s
Dramatic Method: 3 Main Techniques
3: Poet as prophet
z The characters’ struggles reflect the vast
conflicts that can bring about a
readjustment of social relations on every
level.

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 A Doll House (1879)

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 A Doll House
z Based on a true story . . .
z When the play first debuted, the audience
was shocked . . .
z First English actress offered the part of
Nora turned it down . . .
z AS YOU READ consider: significance of
title; the setting of the play; details of
characterization; use of motifs and
symbols.
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 A word to the wise . . .

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 CSI: Classroom Students Investigate

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

z Name of deceased: Mrs. Mallard
z Age: youngish
z Date of death: Spring, 1894
z Place of death: home (stairway)
z Stated cause of death: “heart disease”

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 Your Hypothesis
z TRUE/REAL cause of death: ____?!______
z What textual clues (evidence) can you find
in the story to support your hypothesis?
z Both “The Story of an Hour” and A Doll
House explore similar thematic issues:
love/power/control/self/economics/
freedom

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