Top Fifty-Five Ideas

A Doll’s House
 Contents

Top 5 Discussions of Structure

Top 5 Discussions of Setting
Top 5 Discussions of Voice
Top 5 Contexts and Social Protest Links
Top 5 Purposes of the Characters
Top 5 Possible Intentional Impacts of the Author
Top 10 Quotes
Top 5 Close Readings of Quotes (method – 1-5 – who speaks? To who?
What techniques are used? What is the purpose of the character? What
is the intended impact of the author)
Top 10 Techniques Used Throughout the Play
 Top 5 Discussions of Structure
• Beginning: The sacrifice of women is just expected as part of their role in life by the men at
• Beginning: Torvald is obsessed with the idea that immorality should the beginning of the play. Nora is shown to have sacrificed being able to assert all of her
be seen as a disease and speaks about it being passed on from parent own opinions, likes and dislikes, as well as her thoughts, in order to be the proper “doll”
to child. He says that “almost all juvenile delinquents have immoral expected by society.
mothers”. • Middle: In order to save Torvaldʼs life Nora is shown to have made personal sacrifices,
• End: Nora has assimilated this view, not only from Torvald in general, saving, rather than spending, money Torvald gives her and working constantly in order to
but also from the way he speaks about the damaged reputation of repay her debt. This idea is also repeated in Mrs Linde’s story as she was forced to sacrifice
Krogstad has poisoned his own children with immorality (ignoring the her loving relationship with Krogstad so she could marry a man who she thought would be
intentions of Krogstad to try and save them from being destitute) and able to support her mother and brothers. The nanny, Anne-Marie, has also sacrificed her
from observing Dr Rank, who literally has a disease that his father chance to be a mother – to her illegitimate child – in order to enter a respectable profession
passed onto him and which stemmed from his father’s immoral acts for unmarried women.
(sex before marriage). Nora, having assimilated these views and ideas • End: Nora gains insight into herself and leaves to further this insight, but she is forced to
from the men around her, believes that she cannot teach her children sacrifice her home, family and children in order to do this thing for herself.
adequately until she has learnt more about herself – so this is one of
the reasons she leaves home.
• Beginning: Nora gives the porter one krone, telling him to “keep the
e me
is s h o w n to have extr change”, which suggests that the family has plenty of money and
: Torvald bt, albeit vie
ws
• Beginning in g a n d d e ys
suggesting (falsely) that she is unconcerned about spending money.
rrow time. He sa
views on bo la ce a t th e This is to keep up the façade of contentment and prosperity, rather
mmon p an d
e that were co ic h is s h a c kled by loans f
than actually because she is thoughtless with money. It is calculated
ra h a s to ring th that “a hom
e wh
” b u t th e emptiness o carelessness. Nora is then contrasted to Torvald by Torvald himself,
ing: No showing es a priso n
at he
• Beginn t the beginning, uest debt becom w n by the fact th who portrays Nora as a spendthrift. This shows her calculated
doorbell
a
d e to fe el like a g this positio n is sh o
ra th er than borr
ow actions have worked to dupe him.
is ma cy h is life
how she a n d h a s no agen would have
lost • Followed by: The audience, but not Torvald, learn the truth, that
us e
in the ho ouse. money. e his
eh self n a ble to chang s
Nora has been carefully saving any money Torvald gives her, as well
within th ens the door her • End: Torv ald is u
d e a n d a s a result lose as privately working to pay off a debt she accrued in order to save
e op
• End: Sh out, showing she
h as and attitu ature of
s perception th a t the rigid n Torvald’s life.
and walk ency. g g e st s y in a
in ag Nora; it su
n o t fu n c ti o n successfull • End: After Dr Rank, who has money but a body that he calls
gained an as the
“morality” c b u ilt on change – “bankrupt”, dies, and Torvald reveals his shallow nature to her, Nora
t w a s
society tha realises that it is her life with Torvald that is empty and bankrupt and
iety was.
modern soc not worth saving.
 Top 5 Discussions of Setting
The set and the dialogue of the characters is intentionally universal. The set is dominated by doors, most of which remain closed to Nora and the
There is not much dialogue devoted to things that were specifically audience throughout the play. The motif and symbolism of the closed doors
Norwegian so that audiences everywhere were able to identify. It underscores the theme of restriction. Also, the play is set completely in one
helps to get across Ibsen’s main idea – that the play is about room to again highlight how trapped the characters are.
universal freedom, not freedom that is related to one gender or
country.

Torvald’s office appears to be a place of freedom for the male and

restriction for the female – it is out of bounds to Nora. However,
Torvald, when he enters the room, is forced to communicate with a
world which is watching him. He works in there – which is checked
by those at his place of work and he communicates, shown by the
letters he sends. The outside world is watching him and he must do
the tasks he has been assigned. This contrasts to Nora’s space – the
home – in which she is trapped in general, but in which she is also
unsupervised, so she can work and break the law in private. Although
this doesn’t equate to freedom, it does suggest that men are just as
trapped as women, albeit in different ways – the men have contact
with the world, which is not allowed for women – but Ibsen suggests
sa
that this doesn‘t necessarily equate to freedom.
o u se create ld
l’s h ch i
e f the dol is either the
– li ke d a nce at th y
m o
mbolis hy. Torvald s still makes
h im
cial e s
e s a n ything so place beyond the .T h arc thi
ex hier e doll – but , or he is also
a
Nora d o
– it takes w trappe
d compl h ”
Anytime s h ow n g hts h o with t “adult p e d as
he is no t
not only
high li playing erful than an use, as trap
party – s . T h is nding mo
re w ho
ey a re in e s th e e a less po in the doll’s
room th also mak never seen her in th
ain , b u t it
as doll wi
she is, ag s the audience h
, a Nora.
uncertain on.
uati
social sit
 Top 5 Discussions of Voice
or in
pl ay . A ltho ug h there is no narrat The two most speechless characters in the play are
voice in the ws can be determ
ined by
Nora is the main au di en ce fo llo Anne-Marie and Torvald, which is an interesting balance
ctive th e veals
a play, the perspe st ag e m os t, w hich character re and dynamic; an middle upper-class male, who should
as who is on and who gains th
e
other things, such th e au di en ce , have power, is equated with an unmarried mother who
themself most in
timately to whole time,
ce . N or a is on stage almost the was forced to give up her child and work as a nanny, one
audien ated
sympathy of the te r, so th e au di ence feels associ of the most powerless jobs for women, as they were
her charac e most
more than any ot ch or of th e pl ay . She also has th them
forced to live entirely for the children they looked after.
with her – she is
the an
th is w ith th e au dience, showing The children also lack voices, which nearly places the
y and shares Torvald and even
Mrs
emotional journe r in a w ay th at children, the nanny, and Torvald on the same level of
r characte ce, despite
many sides to he t pe rm itt ed to do. The audien powerlessness in terms of the voice they have in relation
are no end, do
Linde and Dr Rank lised by her actions at the
to the audience.
sc an da create
potentially being is sh ow n th at Ib sen was trying to this.
, so it ce didn’t buy into
understand them e of th e au di en
even if som
sympathy for her, Th e p la
y
person is written in a
o t
often r bjective poin hird-
eferred t of vie There is a vast discrepancy between how much power
lens” p to as a w,
erspec “camer characters’ voices have in the world depicted within the play
audien ti v a
ce cann e, since the and on the actual stage. Nora’s voice is almost completely
that is ot see
s s in g t h emselves no
Howev t presented
anythin
g ignored in the world depicted within the play until the end,
expre t er, it is onstag
in the play, a rchy and a terms o no e. yet it is her voice which captivates the audience throughout.
s om e v o ic e
re is a h ie r f being t objective in
c h a ra ct ers have e a u d ie nce. The erself with the e
a privil u
eged v nbiased – N
Torvald, by contrast, within the world of the play is the most
All rees to t h a lot of h d , also hav oice in o powerful voice, shown by how he speaks to and about Nora,
to var y in g d e g
ra wh o sh a re s
with Kr o g st a the tex ra is
t o p o f this is No M rs L in de, along various pains, t. and yet in terms of the power of his voice in the play, he
the k an d their
u d ie n c e . D r Ra n y as t h ey share barely has a voice – he never expresses his emotions to the
a p la .
ice in the audience audience, which is one of the things that creates a powerful
a large vo d hopes with the bond with the audience.
an
sorrows,
Early in 1880 Ibsen learnt that a German
Top 5 Contexts and Social Protest Links
publisher was planning to publish a new version
of the play, with a modified ending. Finding he
monies There was so much social debate about the play that invitations to social
had no way to prevent this, Ibsen chose to n, de sp ite att en ding several cere out
Ibse ds from groups ab gatherings would often include the note: “You are requested not to mention
produce a second ending himself, that pandered pi ck ed up aw ar
where he that Ibsenʼs Dollʼs House!”. The debate was so intense because people reacted
more to the critics of the original ending – those in e em po w er m ent, always stated
femin read as a to the play in different ways. One reviewer said that "one leaves with a
who felt it was Ibsen chooses to have her follow not meant to be
ADoll's House was Most despondent feeling of ... what is hollow and disappointing in much of so-
Torvald – albeit unwillingly – up to the doorway ge ab ou t fe m al e empowerment.
messa med that called human happiness, but—without any of the joy." Others wondered, "I
of the sleeping children's nursery. After speaking iti cs an d au di en ce members assu
cr how ask openly: is there a mother ... who would leave husband and children and
to Torvald, Nora sinks to the floor. The play ends. Ibsen's opinion on
the play showed t Ibsen home so she herself first and foremost can become 'a human being'? And I
So it was not certain she stayed, but highly en sh ou ld be tr eated in society bu
wom lve the answer most decidedly: No, absolutely not!" Yet others embraced the play’s
suggested. Ibsen was very unhappy with this t is desirable to so
said that while “i r been the message and taunted the people who saw themselves as morally superior:
ending, calling it a "barbaric act of violence" an pr ob le m ... but that has neve
wom e "Go and see this play, you mighty supporters and defenders of morality.“
toward the play. Despite adhering more to the ho le pu rp os e. M y task has been th y it
w . “ so he didn’t sa some people felt scandalised, others liberated.
social expectations of the time, very few people on of hu m an ity
descripti a to be
performed this ending. n’ t pa rt of th e pl an in choosing Nor e”.
was
on ist – ju st no t the “whole purpos
the protga social
sh ow s m en to be the victims of
He al so
expectations. Ibsen was seen as the father of realism in the theatre. Before the 1850s,
theatres were ruled by melodrama. Being melodramatic still means being
over-the-top and this characterised early drama; flamboyant characters,
unrealistic patterns of speech and ways of moving the body, and plots that
Ibsen was born into the upper-middle class himself, but there were often money worries in the
were driven by big, unrealistic shock moments. The point of realism was to
family, so Ibsen was able to see the pressures and expectations put on the upper-middle class
bring society into the theatre hat presented it more as it actually was, rather
from an outsider point of view. Nora and Torvald are shown to be happy if, and only if, they
than only focused on the larger than life moments. This is not to say that
adhere to the strict rules placed on both genders, which actually prevents them from being
realist plays were completely faithful to life; they were still carefully crafted
open and honest with one another, and getting any real pleasure out of their marriage. Norway
and intentionally structured. However, speech was meant to be modelled
was booming at this moment, and slowly building up expectations about being upper-middle
on everyday speech and their movements were meant to be realistic. The
class. This did include, as Torvald says, the idea that families had no debt, that good morals
majority of plays, TV, and films of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
were prioritised, and that families were ruled by the father, in line with the expectations of a
are realist texts, so this shift had a big impact on future texts.
patriarchal society. The society Torvald presents is realistic, but Nora’s actions, which completely
subvert it, was unprecedented at the time, the 1870’s.
 Top 5 Purposes of the Characters
Nora
Initially to save her husband.
Then to pay back the loan without her husband finding out.
To keep her husband happy by acting in accordance with how he wishes her to behave (when he is there anyway)
To leave her family in order to better herself and educate herself about her own likes, desires, and potential.

Mrs Linde
Before the play be
gan, she wished to
To maintain her in marry Krogstad bu
dependence throug t decided to marry
To maintain Nora’s h working at the ba a richer man to su
secret to help her nk. pport her family.
To marry Krogstad keep her marriage
and become a fam intact – even appe
ily with his childre aling to Krogstad to
n. help with this.
Torvald
To remain debt free and progress up the pay scale at the bank.
To control Nora, in order to adhere to social expectations about the role of the husband.
To keep Nora’s crime a secret, after he has found out about it.
To keep everything the way it is – which is one thing that leads to Nora leaving.
ry.
eb auche
fath er ’s d
rom h is
f
h i ch stems
w
d isease
ating
adebili
l ivin g with Krogstad
spite To get Nora to pay back the money she owes him.
Ra n k e d li fe, de Nora. d).
Dr
e a d ignifi specially r d s the en To get revenge on the upper classes for his treatment when he was trying to support his family.
To liv people, e ings (towa To support his family and prevent his children becoming destitute (no welfare state).
lp el
To he ora his fe To please Mrs Linde (when she says she wishes to marry him) by letting Nora off the hook.
lN
To tel
 Top Possible Intentional Uses of the Characters by the Author
Nora and Mrs Linde
To show that women were constricted by the legal and social expectations on them.
To show that women had more potential to contribute to society than they were allowed to.
To give women a voice.
To use women as a mouthpiece for the universal restrictions imposed by the structure of society.

Torvald
To show that men were also restricted by the expectations of their society.
To show that the restrictions of sharing their emotions meant that men could not be thoughtful husbands, if they adhered to this.
To show that being static and unchanging in a modern world meant that people lost opportunities to better themselves.

Dr Rank
Syphilis was often used by artists like William Hogarth and Ibsen – in multiple plays, such as Ghosts and A Doll’s House – to highlight the hypocrisy of the morality of the upper classes.
To show what men could be like if they were not shackled to the gender restrictions placed on men – close to death, Dr Rank talks to Nora on equal terms and shares his emotions.
To show how different relationships could be between men and women.

Krogstad
To show that men were also restricted by the expectations of their society.
To show that, in contrast to what Torvald says at the end, men were willing to sacrifice their “dignity” to save their families.
To show that being able to change and show empathy to people previously detested in a modern world meant that people gained opportunities to better themselves.
 Top 10 Quotes NORA:
when I p
out of P as s e d
apa's ha
y o u rs . nd s i n to
y o u 'v e
HELMER: But this is disgraceful. Is this the way you neglect your most sacred duties? W h en o r t h e
:
DE once f on't
NORA: What do you consider is my most sacred duty? LI N lf d
M rs y o u rs e rs , y o u
e
HELMER: Do I have to tell you that? Isn't it your duty to your husband and children? s o l d o f o t h t i me . TORVALD: There
e d
NORA: I have another duty, just as sacred. s ak s eco n can be no freedom
t
HELMER: You can't have. What duty do you mean? do i or beauty about a
NORA: My duty to myself. home life that
depends on
Helmer: I would gladly work night and day for you. But no man would sacrifice borrowing and
NOR his honor for the one he loves. debt.
A
comm : You an Nora: It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done.
d
m e : i t t e d a g Pa p a h a
it's y ri ev o ve
no th o u
i n g o u r fa u l t t s s i n a g a
f my ha in
life.” t I've ma st s KROGSTAD
de e m e ndo u : The law ca
r g
i t w as a t re workin e NORA: The
n it must be
res nothing a
bout motive
: e ik
NORA re to sit th y. It was l a very foolis s.
e h law.
u
p l e a s rn i n g m o n
a
a n d e ma n .
a
b ei n g

NORA: I must make up my Nora: Torvald, don't look at me like that!

mind which is right – society Torvald: Can't I look at my richest treasure? At all that beauty that's mine, mine
or I.” alone.
HELMER: But this is disgraceful. Is this the way you neglect your most sacred
duties? Top 5 Close Readings of Quotes
NORA: What do you consider is my most sacred duty?
HELMER: Do I have to tell you that? Isn't it your duty to your husband and
children? NOR KROGSTAD
A : The law ca
NORA: I have another duty, just as sacred. griev : You an NORA: Then res nothing ab
out motives.
ou s s d it must be a
HELMER: You can't have. What duty do you mean? I've m in ag Papa ha Who/To – N very foolish
law.
a a v ora and Kro
NORA: My duty to myself. Nora de noth inst me: e comm personificatio gstad in discu
ssio
i i it n; Purpose
t n
and a Torval g of my 's your f ted a
o t
on his side, – Krogstad is n; Techniques –
dject d; Te life. ault since the law warning Nora
powe ives; chni Who that accountabilit is only conce that the law
r q / rned with ac will be
Who/To – Nora and Torvald in discussion; Techniques – questions and emph ful adjec Purpose ues – pro To – shows Nora’s
y, rather than
th e human sto tio n s and
a t – n
repetition; Purpose – Torvald’s purpose could be to try to persuade Nora to towa sise the ive “grie Nora’s ouns immovable b
frustration in
her words, w
ry behind it;
Intent – Ibse
rd s T depth v ou s use o ut not neces hile painting n
behave as he wants her to – his questions are designed to make her question use o or v a of th ” is t f the to show that sa ri ly unsympat Krogstad as
f ld o
herself and her motives and convince her to stay; Intent – Ibsen uses the audie pronoun and her e hurt sh potential to
both Nora an
d Krogstad ar
hetic. Ibsen
’s intention h
n s f e
The ce wher could be ather; In feels because of h
crush them b
o th ,
e victims to
Krogstad bec a system that h
ere is
questions to potentially show how manipulative Torvald is, as he can be co n tr e the t o co t ent – er gender. T au as the
“me/ a y se of his class an
interpreted as trying to make Nora question her decisions. However, he may also my” st betwee should l nvince th the and intention
ally cruel, an
he personific
ation makes d Nora
whic sugg n “y o ay th e d highlights the law seem
h e e human victim
be showing how trapped Torvald is, since he cannot understand her and therefore and c Nora wa sts a con u/your” a blame. s such as No
ra and Krog
the absence
of its sympat
heartless
o ul d s fli n
his repeated questions show his bewilderment and inability to comprehend what neve unwittin ct betwe d stad. h y for
r win gly d en th
. ra g g e
is happening since it exists outside his small bubble of understanding of the ed in m,
to
world. Nora’s clear answers, which latch onto ideas introduced by Torvald, and
repeat them in her clear assessment of the situation, shows how far she has
changed now Torvald has disappointed her by not supporting her or standing up
for her.
Nora: Torvald, don't look at me like that!
Torvald: Can't I look at my richest treasure? At all that beauty that's mine, mine
alone.
Who/To – Nora and Torvald in discussion; Techniques – metaphor and
NORA: I must make up my mind which is right – society or I. Who/To – Nora to Torvald; Techniques – repetition; Purpose – Nora’s words show her discomfort in this particular
contrast; Purpose – Nora is clearly stating her intention to discover more about her life and see if the situation, while Torvald highlights his sense of superiority and possession over
restrictions on women have to be adhered to; Intent – Ibsen shows that Nora feels trapped by society and Nora; Intent – Ibsen shows that women are powerless in a society that
wishes to explore its possibilities further, but he also shows that she is not naïve and she does understand commodifies them and turns them into objects. She is unable to escape his
that she is going to struggle when faced with society, and that it will not be easy for her, since she will be gaze, which in turn highlights that she cannot escape his actions. It makes him
pitted against society’s expectations. It shows, in others words, that she does know that she will encounter seem dangerous. The metaphor highlights the materialistic rather than
the same type of restrictions she has within the house when she leaves it. She thinks it is worth braving it, emotional attitude of men towards women at this time, as does the repetition of
even if it’s terrible. the possessive “mine”.
 Top 10 Techniques Used Throughout the Play
ta ge • Meta
et or s p
he s
sing t f one
• Specific use of direc hor (comp
(u tly a
in g
f Stag int) – use
o pronouns to skyla to one a ring two t
o r k” / “ n h
• U s e o
ke a p doors. claim ownership mora other) – “ ings
l inva l
to m a d • Dialogue (who speaks and how) – lid”. ittle
o m /close (my/I/he/she)–
ro “my little at the beginning, Nora speaks a
songbird”. lot but says little. As she gains
strength in her belief in her voice,
she speaks less but more
precisely.
• Foils (where two characters are the e
opposite of one another to show y (t he audienc
• c iron
things about both) – Dr Rank vs.
Zoomo
rp • Dramati re than some
beings hism (compar o
knows m ) – NORA: “I
Torvald; Mrs Linde vs. Nora) to in
songbi animals) – “m g human charact
ers
y thing tha
t
rd”, “sq n
uirrel”, y little ’t d
wouldn like.”
o a
“songb
ird”. ’t
you don

• Symbolism (the use of symbols to

• Foreshadowing (reflecting what will
represent ideas or qualitites) - “He • Irony (saying opposite of
happen later) – the macaroons
used to call me his doll-child, and he what is meant) – NORA:
foreshadow later acts of rebellion.
played with me the way I played with “Thank you for your
my dolls”. forgiveness”.