context Flashcards
no aristocracy
as a result of the Black death in the Middle Ages and in 1821 the Norwegian Parliament abolished all orders of nobility
after 1884
a period of rapid industrialisation
the gap between town and country became more pronounced and this added to the long-established language divisions
wrote his plays in ‘Riksmal’
a form of danish incorporating substantial Norwegian vocabulary, official language of Church and State
aimed at middle-class urban audiences
Darwin’s book
The Origin of Species theorised that only the fittest could survive to pass on genetic material
thus, a naturalistic focus addresses subjects in a scientific manner
Ibsen wrote about
themes that were shocking to audiences of the time, such as women’s rights
the play was
hugely controversial when first published and performed in Copenhagen in 1879
feminist contemporaries
welcomed the play, however, Ibsen was quick to say that he wasn’t a feminist
Unesco has called Nora a
“symbol (…) for women fighting for liberation and equality”
Ibsen wrote in a note
that women can’t be themselves in an “exclusively male culture”, with laws made by men and feminine conduct assessed from a masculine standpoint
Ibsen’s influence
He wrote about money and marriage, for both had a devastating effect on his life. Ibsen’s father had lost it all and had to live in extreme poverty. The father began to drink and abuse his mother. The father’s violence generated an awareness of female powerlessness
critics
No one denies that Ibsen’s play made an impact on society in the late 1800’s. As time passes, critics continue to recognise how this play’s themes transcend it’s 19th century context to relate to the lives of people today.
napoleonic code
Governments throughout Europe used the Napoleonic Code, which prevented women from engaging in financial transactions.
Ibsen felt that
rather than merely live together, husband and wife should live as equals, free to become their own human beings. Consequently, Ibsen’s critics attacked him for failing to respect the institution of marriage.
Torvald describes Nora’s plans to leave him
as “madness” and “blindness” - this lexis of illness and disability reflects the late Victorian view that woman’s rebellion as abnormal and unhealthy
