1. Author, title, and year of publication:
Henrik Ibsen, "A Doll House" (1879)
2. Character list:
The major characters in this play are Torvald Helmer, Nora Helmer, Nils Krogstad, and Mrs. Linde. The minor characters are Dr. Rank, the children, Helene, Anne-Marie, and the delivery boy.
3. Plot summary:
Nora Helmer, borrowed a large amount of money so that her husband, Torvald, could convalesce from his illness by taking a trip to Italy, without telling him about the loan or about her working odd jobs because it would hurt is pride and would cause a scandal in society. Torvald thinks of Nora as his property, a child, and sometimes even a doll. When he is given a managerial position at a bank, his first act is to fire Nils Krogstad, the man …show more content…
The main characters that are established in the first act are Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Krogstad, and Kristine Linde. The first phase of plot in "A Doll 's House" first takes place in a beautifully decorated home, here it becomes established how important money and respectability is in the Helmer 's household. The beginning character, Nora, returning happy from shopping, shows us that she enjoys doing good things for her family, as well as spending money on things such as Christmas trees, presents (toys), and macaroons. In the beginning scene we see a stage direction that occurs right after she approaches her husband study "putting the macaroon bag in her pocket, and wiping her mouth", this clearly shows that eating macaroons is a disobedience, as Torvald forbids them. ( Ibsen 1191) Not only does this provide us with evidence of Nora 's disobedience, but it also gives the audience a sense of her husband 's character, as well as gender roles by displaying that he has complete control over what she eats (power), and what she can spend especially since he provides for the family (gender roles). The characters of Nora and Torvald in the first scenes provides us with a glimpse of the most important themes such as power, gender roles, and money. However, as the story develops, we learn about Nora 's debt through Mrs. Linde, and the major conflict she faces …show more content…
Linde. In the first act, Nora Helmer is perceived as a character that wants a wealthy lifestyle. Nora believes that material wealth will make her free of debt (needs to become free of debt), have more time to spend with her children, maintain the house beautifully, and desires to do everything the way, her husband, Torvald likes. However, towards the end of the play, she completely changes, she wants to separate from her husband (stranger), she desires to make something of herself on her own , and needs to do this without being controlled like a doll (independence). Torvald Helmer is a husband and father who desires to take on the managerial bank position he was given. He wants his typical home life to stay the same and by all means he wants his wife to aspire to please , make dinner, take care of the kids, and always appear at her best. However, what Torvald needs is to keep his status in society, but in the end the audience acknowledges that what he needs, wants, and desires is Nora, but she is no longer under his
Henrik Ibsen, "A Doll House" (1879)
2. Character list:
The major characters in this play are Torvald Helmer, Nora Helmer, Nils Krogstad, and Mrs. Linde. The minor characters are Dr. Rank, the children, Helene, Anne-Marie, and the delivery boy.
3. Plot summary:
Nora Helmer, borrowed a large amount of money so that her husband, Torvald, could convalesce from his illness by taking a trip to Italy, without telling him about the loan or about her working odd jobs because it would hurt is pride and would cause a scandal in society. Torvald thinks of Nora as his property, a child, and sometimes even a doll. When he is given a managerial position at a bank, his first act is to fire Nils Krogstad, the man …show more content…
The main characters that are established in the first act are Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Krogstad, and Kristine Linde. The first phase of plot in "A Doll 's House" first takes place in a beautifully decorated home, here it becomes established how important money and respectability is in the Helmer 's household. The beginning character, Nora, returning happy from shopping, shows us that she enjoys doing good things for her family, as well as spending money on things such as Christmas trees, presents (toys), and macaroons. In the beginning scene we see a stage direction that occurs right after she approaches her husband study "putting the macaroon bag in her pocket, and wiping her mouth", this clearly shows that eating macaroons is a disobedience, as Torvald forbids them. ( Ibsen 1191) Not only does this provide us with evidence of Nora 's disobedience, but it also gives the audience a sense of her husband 's character, as well as gender roles by displaying that he has complete control over what she eats (power), and what she can spend especially since he provides for the family (gender roles). The characters of Nora and Torvald in the first scenes provides us with a glimpse of the most important themes such as power, gender roles, and money. However, as the story develops, we learn about Nora 's debt through Mrs. Linde, and the major conflict she faces …show more content…
Linde. In the first act, Nora Helmer is perceived as a character that wants a wealthy lifestyle. Nora believes that material wealth will make her free of debt (needs to become free of debt), have more time to spend with her children, maintain the house beautifully, and desires to do everything the way, her husband, Torvald likes. However, towards the end of the play, she completely changes, she wants to separate from her husband (stranger), she desires to make something of herself on her own , and needs to do this without being controlled like a doll (independence). Torvald Helmer is a husband and father who desires to take on the managerial bank position he was given. He wants his typical home life to stay the same and by all means he wants his wife to aspire to please , make dinner, take care of the kids, and always appear at her best. However, what Torvald needs is to keep his status in society, but in the end the audience acknowledges that what he needs, wants, and desires is Nora, but she is no longer under his