Key Facts: A Doll's House
Publication and Historical Context
- Written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879
- First performed at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark
- Originally written in Danish-Norwegian
- Caused significant controversy upon release due to its critique of 19th-century marriage norms
The play was so controversial that some theaters required Ibsen to write an alternate ending where Nora stays with her husband. Ibsen considered this ending a "barbaric outrage" to his original work.
Literary Style and Form
- Three-act realistic prose drama
- Follows the classical unities:
- Unity of time (takes place over three days)
- Unity of place (set entirely in the Helmer household)
- Unity of action (focuses on one main plot)
- Employs naturalistic dialogue and realistic setting
Major Themes
- Gender roles and feminism
- Marriage and the role of women in society
- Appearance versus reality
- Individual identity versus societal expectations
- The importance of money and social status
Pay attention to how the metaphor of the "doll's house" works throughout the play - it represents both the physical setting and the artificial nature of Nora's life.
Key Characters
- Nora Helmer: The protagonist, initially seeming childlike but developing into a self-aware woman
