A Dolls House

Question 1

What year was it written

Answer 1

1879 19th century

Question 2

What is Helmer’s attitude towards borrowing

Answer 2

• always cautious, thinks about future

- uses exclamatives to express this “No debts! Never borrow!”

Question 3

How does helmer treat Nora

Answer 3

• animal imagery, shows that she’s fragile and weak
• patronising and stereotypical language “how like a woman!”
• possessive pronoun “my” she is his, dominance
• adjective “little” diminished and belittles her
• treats her like a child, pesters her about macaroons

Question 4

How is Nora shown to be different after crude revelation of borrowing money

Answer 4

She’s shown that she can be independent, however, it shows that she is still dependent on a man as she had to still borrow the money

Question 5

During the revelation to Mrs Linde what language does she use

Answer 5

She uses business like language “quarterly instalments and interests” shows that she can be able to manoeuvre within a male dominated society

Question 6

What do the macaroons represent

Answer 6

• expensive, could portray her wealth & status
• represents a sense of rebellious & resistance side of her
• capable of lying to her husband

Question 7

“Bloody hell”

Answer 7

• extreme in 19th century, religious people would be offended
• another form of her rebellious side to her, sick of being treated as a child

Question 8

What factors are needed for a well-made play

Answer 8

• relatable to real life situation & audience
• not always having a happy ending
• over exaggerated and melodramatic
• stock characters

Question 9

How is Nora’s state of mind presented on pgs 50-51

Answer 9

• her dialogue alternates between childish to formal
• becomes dismissive, agitation
• becomes paranoid, can’t focus, stage direction
• soliloquys present her stress
• short sharp sentences, talks in fragmented sentences
• reverts back to her songbird role when talking to helmer

Question 10

“My songbird must have a clean break”

Answer 10

Extended metaphor, shows his authority over her and presents how women where treated in 19th century, needed to be pure

Question 11

What does Nora do in order to get what she wants

Answer 11

She acts childish by using diminutive language (adjectives) “squirrel” “little skylark” and how she will act “prettily for him”. This shows that she can’t interact with him as a normal person, however, it presents that she knows his weakness and can play it to her advantage

Question 12

What does her actions of “act” and “sing” present in a feminist view

Answer 12

Presents the idea that she is merely just an object & not an individual, only lives to entertain people or be aesthetically pleasing to an audience

Question 13

Another word for nicknames/ pet names

Answer 13

Epithets, his idiolect signifies a patronising persona

Question 14

Comparisons between act1&2 with stage directions

Answer 14

Act1: “(hums and smiles, quietly gleeful)” “(laugh quietly)”
Act2: “(desperate with anxiety)” “(tensely)” “(fearfully)”

Question 15

What’s a turning point in the play between Nora and helmer

Answer 15

When she calls him “petty” which infuriates him

Question 16

How does Nora use stage directions to influence helmer

Answer 16

She exploits a sense of intimacy through SD “(moves closer)”

Question 17

“If rumour got about that the new vice-president had allowed his wife to persuade him to change his mind”

Answer 17

Hates the idea of being controlled by his wife, shows that his idea of masculinity, where a man must be in complete authority, would be destroyed

Question 18

“When the real crises comes, you will not find me lacking in strength and courage. I am man enough to carry the burden for both of us”

Answer 18

Heroic language and dramatic irony, foreshadows future events where he does the complete opposite

Question 19

How is juxtaposition used of the connotation within the idea of sex

Answer 19

Sex presents the idea of pleasure whereas Dr. ranks father would fool around which meant that dr rank would suffer long term impacts with the condition on of syphilis which leads to to death and mortality contrasting with the view of pleasure

Question 20

“Sensitive chap”

Answer 20

Preserve the idea of masculinity and not show any sign of weakness, helmer needs to be protected from reality

Question 21

Why does Ibsen use ambiguity and vagueness

Answer 21

Could be due to context, transgressive 19th century, could also present that Nora knows more than she portrays to know

Question 22

What does darkness represent

Answer 22

Secrecy and intimacy

Question 23

What was the tarantella symbolised as

Answer 23

Historically it was a cure for hysteria, meaning that women were expected to be under the control of men

Question 24

In act 3 how does helmer present possession of Nora

Answer 24

Utilising possessive attitudes “my most treasured possession”
Repetition used “mine, mine alone, all mine” objectifies her

Question 25

“That’s why I seized you and dragged you down here with me”

Answer 25

Sounds like sexual assault/rape with forceful language. 1971 rape in marriage was made a criminal offence in Norway

Question 26

“The happy sunlight of our marriage”

Answer 26

Helmer doesn’t seem to understand the reality of their marriage, presents the idealistic notion of their relationship, audience know more about the relationship than they do

Question 27

What does helmer locking Nora in the room represent

Answer 27

His control over her, finally locking her in the dollhouse

Question 28

How does helmer finally portray himself as in act 3

Answer 28

Uses animalistic for the first time but nor in a diminutive way “I have broad wings to shield you” heroic language in order to feed his ego

Question 29

“I’ve changed”

Answer 29

Double meaning, changed from extravagant clothing to normal clothing and also changed in terms of personality and how she views herself

Question 30

“I’m taking off my fancy dress”

Answer 30

Realising her luxurious life

Question 31

“No, don’t interrupt me”

Answer 31

Nora finally overcoming her perceived social standing as a fragile woman

Question 32

What happens when Nora tries to leave

Answer 32

When she finally tries to be reasonable he portrays her as being hysterical “you’re out of your mind”

Question 33

How does Nora represent her and helmer in act 3

Answer 33

As equals “you and I” “man and wife”

Question 34

What does Nora’s changing dialogue style present in act 3

Answer 34

She begins with short and sharp sentences, however, this develops to long speeches which represents her increasing position of power and authority and finally having a voice

Question 35

“She was weak and fragile”

Answer 35

Nora here talks in 3rd person representing that she has completely changed as a person and that she longer is that individual that she used to be

Question 36

“(Sadly)” “(buries his face in hands)”

Answer 36

Deterioration of helmer, representing that his masculinity is being destroyed

Question 37

Exposition of a play

Answer 37

Introduction of major characters and main issue between them

Question 38

Development of a play

Answer 38

Unfolding of the drama

Question 39

Denouement of a play

Answer 39

Revelation of all secrets and resolution of drama

Question 40

Context of a dolls house

Answer 40

1843-1875 was a period of economic growth and prosperity within norways upper class, Nora and Thorvaldsen still reaping its effects