Henrik Ibsen

1. Henrik Ibsen “A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.” • “A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. “

2. Henrik Ibsen • He is often referred to as "the father" of modern theater and is one of the founders of Modernism • His plays were considered scandalous to many of his era, when European theater was required to model strict mores of family life and propriety. Ibsen's work examined the realities that lay behind many façades, revealing much that was disquieting to many contemporaries. • It utilized a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality.

3. Doll’s House Test Friday 4/19 • Turn to Act III pg. 1005 • Book and notes are on my website

4. A Doll’s House • Characters- • Nora -  The protagonist of the play and the wife of Torvald Helmer. • Torvald Helmer -  Nora’s husband. delights in his new position at the bank, just as he delights in his position of authority as a husband. • Krogstad- A lawyer who went to school with Torvald and holds a subordinate position at Torvald’s bank

5. Mrs. Linde -  Nora’s childhood friend. Kristine Linde is a practical, down-to-earth woman. • Dr. Rank -  Torvald’s best friend. Dr. Rank stands out as the one character in the play who is by and large unconcerned with what others think of him. • Nora’s father -  Though Nora’s father is dead before the action of the play begins, the characters refer to him throughout the play. Though she clearly loves and admires her father, Nora also comes to blame him for contributing to her subservient position in life.

6. Ibsen Creates Stress • What are we to make of the characters? • Good? • Bad? The complications of life’s complexities create complex characters

7. Act I • Christmas in the Helmer house. • Nora a spendthrift • Torvald condescending • Nora’s lying (macaroons) • Mrs. Linde’s problems (widow, $$, needs a job) • Nora acts more like a child rather than a mother • Krogstad provided $$ to Nora(Torvald’s health) • Nora close to fully paid up/worked secretly “earning money just like a man” • Forgery/deceit • Is Krogstad much worse than Nora?

8. Act II *Nora’s conundrum *Anne-Marie’s discussion of giving up her children *Metaphor of “Masquerade Party” -Nora is playing a role (Wife) - Helmer preoccupied with appearance *Dr. Rank is dying (Tb of the spine???) *Nora and Dr. Rank scenario (flirtation/love rebuffed) *Mrs. Linde and Krogstad Nora asks her how the Nurse could have felt comfortable leaving her own children among strangers when she first came to nurse Nora, when Nora was only a child. The Nurse replies that she was grateful for such a good position and that, given her financial situation, she could not pass up the opportunity. Nora tells the Nurse what a wonderful mother she has been for Nora—and she would be a wonderful mother to Nora’s children if they were suddenly without a mother. The Nurse exits.

9. Torvald and Nora discuss her dress. As he leaves, Nora stops him and asks him repeatedly if he would do something for his “little squirrel” or “skylark” if she were to act very “prettily,” dancing and singing for him. Nora asks him to reconsider dismissing Krogstad from the bank, but Torvald becomes angry, revealing that it is Krogstad’s post that he has promised to Mrs. Linde. Nora tells Torvald that she fears Krogstad who, once dismissed, will attempt to besmirch their name in the newspapers. • Torvald thinks that Nora is afraid of libel because her father’s name was sullied in the newspapers after his death, so he reassures Nora that, unlike her father, he is beyond reproach. Nora warns about the contrivances of men like Krogstad against their happy, family home. Torvald finally replies that Nora’s pleas make it all the more impossible for him to change his mind. What if word got out that he had reversed his decision simply because of his wife’s anxieties? Torvald argues that Krogstad is taking advantage of their early childhood friendship to speak to him in an inappropriately familiar manner, which would make his position as manager intolerable. Incredulous, Nora tells Torvald that he surely must not be so narrow-minded. Becoming ever more angry, Torvald orders the maid to send Krogstad his letter of dismissal at once.

10. Nora is panicking • Torvald assures her that, come what may, he will have the courage to take upon himself anything and everything that happens. • Nora full of anxiety until she is interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Rank. Nora detains him and tells him that she always has time for him. Dr. Rank replies in kind. Confused by his statement, Nora asks him to clarify his interests, asking him if anything is likely to happen between them. Dr. Rank reveals that he expects to be dead within a month. He then asks Nora to prevent Torvald from entering Rank’s sickroom once he has entered the final stages of his disease. He arranges to leave Nora a visiting card with a black cross on it at the right time to signify that he is about to die

11. Act III • Torvald goes to retrieve his mail and notices that someone has been tampering with the mailbox lock using one of Nora’s hairpins. Nora blames the children. In the mail, Torvald finds that Dr. Rank has left two calling cards with black crosses on them. Nora explains to Torvald that this means that Dr. Rank has gone away to die. Torvald expresses sadness, but decides that Dr. Rank’s death might be best for everyone, since it will make Torvald and Nora “quite dependent on each other

12. Torvald tells her to stop talking, bemoans the ugliness of the forgery, and calls Nora a hypocrite and a liar. He then says that he should have seen such a thing coming—Nora’s father was a morally reckless individual. Torvald blames Nora for ruining his life and his happiness by putting him at Krogstad’s mercy. • Torvald refuses to allow Nora to leave and says that the family must pretend that all is as it was before, but he states that Nora should no longer be able to see the children. He says that he will try to silence Krogstad by paying him off and hopes that he and Nora can at least keep up the appearance of happiness.

13. To Torvald’s relief, Krogstad writes that he has decided to stop blackmailing Nora. In his letter, Krogstad includes Nora’s promissory note (the one on which she forged her father’s signature). Torvald relaxes, rips up the contract, throws it into the stove, and tells Nora that life can go back to normal now that this “bad dream” has ended. • From now on, forget happiness. Now it’s just about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance.

14. Torvald tells Nora that they must forget what has happened. Seeing her face expressionless, Torvald attempts to assure Nora that although she may not believe him, he has completely forgiven her • Nora says that she realizes that she is childlike and knows nothing about the world. She feels alienated from both religion and the law, and wishes to discover on her own, by going out into the world and learning how to live life for herself, whether or not her feelings of alienation are justified. When Torvald accuses Nora of not loving him anymore, Nora says his claim is true

15. She cannot imagine them changing enough to ever have an equal, workable relationship. She leaves, and as Torvald is trying to comprehend what has happened, a heavy door downstairs slams shut.