Context Flashcards
• the contextual approach to a dolls house by henrik Ibsen is very much similar to that of an inspector calls. It follows the domination of strict Victorian social codes which severely restricted the rights of all women.
• henrik Ibsen was considered the ‘father of realism’ after his death as early on his writing career he was named scandalous for exposing the reality of limiting women to their success. Due to the Napolienic code women were prevented from engaging in financial transactions. Therefore why it is such a shock that Nora takes a loan from krogstad.
• another text which relates to a dolls house is one by Russian writer anton Chekhov whose plays also provided a critical examination of family society and morality. Thus elaborating on the concept of realism and how it should be exposed.
• a dolls house is actually based on a true story from a family friend of iben’s called Laura kieler who’s actions inspired the story of Nora’s secret debt. Though the structure of events is not a direct reflection of a dolls house, in fact kielers husband actually ended up committing her to an asylum. Ibsen, appalled by this, wrote a dolls house as a way of defending her.
• when it was first performed for many years afterwards dolls house caused quite the scandal for its criticism of 19th century marriage customs and portraying a woman who abandoned her family for a sense of worth. Pressured by the public Ibsen wrote an alternative ending in which Nora sees her children and stays with torvald. He later regretted doing this and called the adapted ending a ‘barbaric outrage’.
