Context Flashcards
the ending: how was it received by its first audiences?
a shocking ending for its first audiences in 1879
the play ends with Nora slamming the door shut behind her, which shows a woman gaining independence and abandoning her restrictive marriage
this was very unusual to audiences at the time as it was not normal for women to behave in this way, they were expected to be submissive and obedient but Nora defies these roles
Nora throws everything she knows and has been taught about being a wife and mother, choosing to put herself first and declaring that she is “first and foremost a human being”
her character was very controversial at the time due to this, resulting in some regarding her with disgust while others were inspired and challenged to think about their own societies
the ending: naturalistic
instead of a happy, resolved ending, which is not necessarily reflective of real life, the audience is left with more questions than answers
the naturalistic style of the play means that the audience find themselves looking into a home much like their own, there is no escapist fantasy in this play
the ending: modern audiences
not as shocking to modern audiences
although, it is still very much relevant considering that the rights and status of women are still disputed today and the struggle of women like Nora to gain true freedom and independence is ongoing, although not to the same extent
political energy to the play
many early interpreters of Nora were political activists like Karl Marx’s daughter Eleanor Marx and such productions were often staged with clear political intent
Mao Zedong’s third wife, who advocated women’s rights, also became Nora in a 1935 production of the play, regarded by some as the start of cultural modernity in China
presentation of Nora throughout the play’s history
Nora is a highly complex character that has been interpreted very differently in various productions
for example, is she tired of playing her husband’s little squirrel? or does she enjoy and revel in the performance?
it’s likely that modern Noras will be presented differently to the Noras of the 19th century
naturalism: what had happened towards the end of the 19th century?
towards the end of the 19th century, there was widespread dissatisfaction with existing theatre conventions
acting had become overly false and plots were contrived for maximum dramatic intensity and spectacle, often appearing unrealistic and overly inaccurate
naturalism: who coined the term naturalism? what are naturalistic plays?
Emile Zola, a French novelist and playwright, coined the term ‘naturalism’, referring to plays that are truthful and representative of real life rather than credulous and unrealistic
naturalistic plays used realistic props, lighting and scenery
they tend to explore the relationship between people’s behaviour and their environment
naturalism: what does Ibsen explore in ADH?
Ibsen explores the trivialities of real life and requires the audience to read into the character’s actions
for example, we deduce Nora’s state of mind from how she dances and decorates the tree
the emotions and thoughts of the characters are not obviously stated, which would be unrealistic, and we learn about them from their actions
naturalism: what did Ibsen believe about the stage?
Ibsen believed that the stage should contain real items to be used in the play rather than just background furniture
many items in ADH have significant roles in the action and symbolise something deeper, such as the Christmas tree
quite early in his career, Ibsen disliked the sets available to him at the Norwegian National Theatre, which had painted furniture on a backcloth rather than real items
naturalism: what did August Strindberg point out?
August Strindberg argued that plays need real items and realistic props on stage because canvas scenery makes it impossible for an “angry father to express his fury” by slamming a door or throwing something across the room
Laura Kieler
Laura Kieler, a young novelist, was a model for Nora
her husband, like Torvald, had been seriously ill which led her to contract secrets debts for a holiday and she even forged a bank draft
the strain of this drove her to a breakdown and she was eventually sent to an asylum
the position of women
at the time of writing, women could not vote and it was lamost impossinle for a woman to get a divorce and keep her children
women were seen as inferior and were expected to obey their husbands
stereotypical gender roles
throughout their marriage, Nora and Torvald play into the stereotypical gender roles of the helpless woman and the strong, reliable man
this makes the final scene all the more powerful because the pair cast aside these facades and really talk to each other for the first time
the roles are also reversed, with Nora becoming the assertive and determined one, while Torvald is reduced to helplessness and begs her to stay
the end of the play being rewritten
in some countries, the ending of the play was rewritten as a ‘happy’ one in which all is resolved and Nora stays with her husband and children
for example, in Germany, Torald goes to Mrs Linde’s house to find Nora, she whispers “Have you truly forgiven me?” and he pulls out a bag of macaroons as a symbol of his forgiveness
in another German production, Nora chooses to stay after Torvald forces her to look at her sleeping children in their bedrooms
in the 1920s, the play was banned altogether in China due to its controversial ending
Susie Orbach
Susie Orbach explored the relationship between women and food, suggesting that excessive consumption like Nora and her macaroons has roots in troubled relationships
perhaps the macaroons in the play point to the troubled nature of Torvald and Nora’s marriage
blackmail as a common theme in many popular dramas of Ibsen’s time
Krogstad blackmails Nora, he demands that she use her influence to persuade Torvald to let him keep his job or he will reveal her secret – she forged her father’s signature to get a loan
blackmail was a common theme found in many popular dramas of Ibsen’s time
blackmailers usually demanded large sums of money or sex from the helpless heroine, but all Krogstad wants is respectability and to move on with his life – he is not motivated by money, sympathetic character
Ibsen’s family and money
money was always an important theme for Ibsen
his family were originally well off but his father lost everything, the family were so poor they lived mainly on potatoes and Ibsen was outcast at school
his play The Wild Duck (1884) concerns a profligate father who recklessly spends
Ibsen’s experience of losing everything may have influenced both Nora and Krogstad’s positions; Nora is set to lose everything and Krogstad’s financial situation is heavily dependent on Torvald
Ibsen’s belief about men and women possessing different moral instincts
Nora believes that the law would take into account her desire to save her husband but Krogstad points out that “the law does not concern itself with motives”
there are 2 reasons that Nora may believe this; she may simply lack the education to understand the law properly OR maybe, as a woman, she may possess different moral instincts to men
Ibsen may be suggesting this in one of his earliest notes on A Doll’s House in which he said that “there are two kinds of spiritual laws… one for men and one for women”
Torvald as a victim of society and the expectations placed upon men at the time
Torvald too is a victim of society, his pompous self-assurance may be a by-product of the society he lives in rather than his true nature
he feels the need to live up to a male stereotype of being strong, reliable and brave, which is no more realistic than the expectations placed on women
perhaps he infantilises and controls Nora so much because he can find no other way to exert his masculinity
the theme of heredity
discussion of illness develops the theme of heredity, which was first introduced when Torvald makes a comment about Nora inheriting her father’s extravagance, now Rank is suffering from the sins of his father
Nora has not inherited her father’s attitude to money but she suffers from his sins anyway because it gives Torvald a way to belittle her and take the moral high ground – again trying to reinforce his superiority
Ibsen was very interested in the idea of heredity, here he uses it to explore the damage that families can do to one another
knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases
knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases was very limited at the time, it was believed by many that a child could inherit syphilis from the father but this is not the case
a child could, however, be infected if the mother was infected by the disease before she conceived
Ibsen may have been aware of this but chose to ignore it to develop parallels between Rank and Nora as children betrayed by their corrupt fathers and to make it clear that such corruption afflicts all levels of society, everyone suffers
Tracy Davis’ explanation of the silk stockings
Rank and Nora communicate through jokes and double entendres (e.g. the stockings have a double meaning and a clear sexual undertone)
theatre historian Tracy Davis noted that flesh coloured tights like the ones Nora shows Rank were associated with pornography at the time
she said that “the female leg, naked in tights, became synonymous with the female performer” – this also links to Nora’s status as an entertainer and performer in her marriage
audience reactions to the silk stockings
the tights would’ve shocked the first audiences of A Doll’s House due to the sexual undertones, even the mention of underwear (especially by a woman) would be considered taboo
however, it also shocks modern audiences, we do not expect Nora to be so crude and dominating in the conversation
we are used to seeing her belittled and infantilised by Torvald but here she is being overtly flirtatious and clearly taking pleasure in doing so
her remark that Rank can “look a bit higher” is shocking behaviour for a seemingly respectable, innocent wife
