It is not always easy to read a play, as you need to be all of the actors in the play. In some way, this is a good way to experience all the characters personally. It does become easier as one reads on, but it requires much concentration. Such is the case with Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll's House. One can gather from Act I that the story takes place over the Christmas period. As Nora reveals: “Nora. Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed” (Schaeffer et al, 1981, n. p.). Act 1 starts with the interaction between Nora, and her husband Torvald Helmer. The introduction of the other characters sets the scene in Acts II, and III. One can sense in this interaction the build up of some air of mishap. Hence, this essay will follow in the lykke tradition of chance and happiness that often leads to tragedy as discussed by Stanton-Ife, as one of the sources – even though the tragedy might be mild in the eyes of the reader (Stanton-Ife, 2003, p.2). In this scenario, one might see it more as a social tragedy than a high tragedy.
Stanton-Ife discusses Ibsen’s dramas, and includes the mix of happiness and tragedy. As already said, Nora’s actions of being a spendthrift, and the little lies that one reads about in the first few lines, are already an indication of what one might …show more content…
The attempt her was to establish it as a social tragedy, and not so much as a high tragedy. Even though there are mentions of illness and deaths, the focus of the drama is on the fraying of the marital status, and family structure, which is a tragedy in itself. The characters all have burdens of life that they carry with them, creating a parallel with the current life in the world. It is for tis very reason that the drama still has so much significance – in terms of its performance as well as in terms of its study
Stanton-Ife discusses Ibsen’s dramas, and includes the mix of happiness and tragedy. As already said, Nora’s actions of being a spendthrift, and the little lies that one reads about in the first few lines, are already an indication of what one might …show more content…
The attempt her was to establish it as a social tragedy, and not so much as a high tragedy. Even though there are mentions of illness and deaths, the focus of the drama is on the fraying of the marital status, and family structure, which is a tragedy in itself. The characters all have burdens of life that they carry with them, creating a parallel with the current life in the world. It is for tis very reason that the drama still has so much significance – in terms of its performance as well as in terms of its study