Act I Discussion Questions—A Doll’s House
1. How does Torvald define the role of women? Of mothers?
2. How does Nora define the role of women? Of mothers? Of wives?
3. What is significant about the names Torvald uses for Nora? About the
word “little” he often uses in conjunction with his wife?
4. Is the “dollhouse” Nora’s dream too? Or just Torvald’s?
5. Do you agree with Torvald about immoral actions poisoning a household
and children?
6. What role does Kristine play in this Act? What is important about her
character?
7. Do you agree with Krogstad that “the law doesn’t ask motives.” Or with
Nora who says “then it is a bad law.”
8. What is significant about the setting of Christmas here? The tree?
9. Look at the way Ibsen uses dramatic irony here? How does this make the
play more effective?
10. Does Nora’s character change in your eyes? Is she child-like? Or is she
something more?
11. Reading this through the gender lens, what do you notice? Consider the
ideology of gender….
 What is expected of us
 What is allowed of us
 What is valued in us
Then consider the manifestation of that ideology….
 Roles (what women and men do)
 Relations (how women and men relate to each other)
 Identity (how women and men perceive themselves)