heredity and enviroment theme Flashcards
ongoing debate
about whether our lives are shaped by our own free choice or determined by a combination of our past and environment
19th century
saw an increasing concern with individual liberty and social quality
the play illustrates
the moral and psychological need to exercise free will in situations where authority inhibits personal development
Charles Darwin
Origin of Species
our lives define by heredity and environment
Helmer blames
Nora’s father for her spendthrift habits - “all your father’s recklessness and instability he has handed on to you”
shows Helmer is deeply infected by the environment
Ibsen champions
the idea of individual spirit, integrity and potential
his choice of illness for Rank emphasises the inner corruption of a middle-class society
the original title
actually meant “a small, cosy, neat home”, which was effective as it reflected the homes of the audience members
