Synopsis
Characters
Themes
Realism  vs.  Naturalism
Ibsen  the  father  of  Realism
Relevance  and  Interpretations
Activities  to  Explore  Text  and  Realism
Additional  Resources
Reference  List
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Table  of  Contents
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P4   p5
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Synopsis
The  play  begins  as  Nora  Helmer  enters  her  well-­‐furnished  living  room  carrying  several  Christmas  packages.  It  is
Christmas  Eve  and  the  living  room  becomes  the  setting  for  the  entire  play.  Nora’s  husband,  Torvald  affectionately   and  playfully  greets  her  but  then  reveals  his  concern  at  her  spending  so  much  money  on  gifts.  Nora  reminds  him  that   after  years  of  having  to  be  careful  with  money,  Torvald  has  just  been  promoted  at  the  bank  and  that  in  turn  has   lifted  many  of  their  financial  restraints.
The  Helmer’s  are  then  visited  by  their  close  friend  Dr  Rank  and  an  unknown  guest  who  turns  out  to  be  Nora’s  school   friend  Kristine  Linde.  Nora  is  greatly  surprised  by  Kristine’s  visit  as  they  have  not  seen  each  other  for  many  years.
Kristine  reveals  that  after  her  husband’s  death  two  years  ago,  she  was  left  childless  and  without  any  money.  Nora   reveals  to  Kristine  that  early  in  their  marriage,  they  were  poor  and  Torvald  became  very  ill  and  they  had  to  travel  to
Italy  for  Torvald  to  recover.  Nora  promises  to  speak  to  Torvald  about  a  position  at  the  bank  for  Kristine.  Nora  then   reveals  a  huge  secret  to  Kristine-­‐  without  Torvald  knowing,  Nora  fraudulently  obtained  the  money  for  their  trip  to
Italy.  At  the  time  she  told  Torvald  that  the  money  had  come  from  her  father  and  since  the  trip  she  has  been  working
to  repay  the  debt  that  shortly  will  be  fully  repaid.
Torvald  is  then  visited  by  Krogstad,  a  fellow  employee  at  the  bank.  When  Krogstad  leaves,  Torvald  agrees  to  give
Kristine  a  job,  Nora  visits  with  her  children  after  everyone  leaves  until  Krogstad  returns  to  speak  to  a  visibly  uneasy
Nora.  It  is  revealed  that  he  is  the  source  of  Nora’s  loan.  Krogstad  reveals  that  Torvald  is  going  to  fire  him  from  the   bank  over  an  incident  with  forged  signature.  He  then  proceeds  to  blackmail  Nora  in  order  for  her  to  convince  Torvald
not  to  fire  him  or  he  will  reveal  Nora’s  secret  that  will  destroy  the  Helmers’  reputation.  When  Torvald  returns,  Nora   tries  to  convince  Torvald  not  to  fire  Krogstad  but  he  refuses  as  he  sees  Krogstad  as  an  immoral  and  sickening  man.
Act  Two  begins  on  Christmas  Day  and  Nora  is  extremely  anxious.  While  helping  Nora  sew  a  dress  for  the  costume   ball  the  next  day,  Kristine  is  lead  to  believe  that  it  was  Dr  Rank  who  loaned  Nora  the  money.  Nora  denies  this  but   refuses  to  admit  the  truth.  When  Torvald  arrives,  Nora  again  presses  him  not  to  fire  Krogstad.  They  argue  and
Torvald  enraged  by  his  wife’s  behaviour  and  his  dislike  of  Krogstad,  has  the  maid  deliver  Krogstad’s  letter  of
dismissal.
Later  Dr  Rank  arrives  to  reveal  that  he  is  ill  and  close  to  death.  Nora  tries  to  cheer  him  up  and  she  prepares  to  ask   him  to  help  with  Torvald  but  when  Dr  Rank  reveals  his  love  for  Nora,  she  refuses  to  ask  for  his  help.
When  Dr  Rank  leaves,  Krogstad  arrives  with  his  letter  of  dismissal.  Desperate  for  his  respectability  he  demands  that
Nora  convince  Torvald  to  not  only  rehire  him  but  rehire  him  at  a  higher  level.  He  writes  a  letter  revealing  Nora’s  debt   and  forgery  in  the  Helmer’s  letterbox.  In  a  panic,  Nora  reveals  the  truth  to  Kristine.  Kristine  tells  Nora  to  distract
Torvald  and  that  she  will  go  and  speak  to  Krogstad.  To  distract  Torvald,  Nora  asks  for  his  help  with  the  Tarantella   dance  that  she  will  be  performing  at  the  ball.  Her  anxious  state  leads  to  her  wildly  dancing  which  Torvald  finds  very   displeasing  and  unusual  behaviour  for  his  generally  well-­‐behaved  wife.  Nora  convinces  Torvald  not  to  look  at  his  mail   until  after  the  ball.  Kristine  returns  to  say  that  she  left  a  note  for  Krogstad  but  that  he  won’t  be  returning  until  the
following  evening.
With  the  ball  taking  place  upstairs,  Krogstad  and  Kristine  meet  in  the  living  room.  It  is  discovered  that  they  were   once  deeply  in  love  but  Kristine  had  married  for  wealth.  Now  free  Kristine  offers  herself  to  be  with  Krogstad  and  care   for  his  children.  Overjoyed,  Krogstad  decides  to  get  the  letter  back  before  Torvald  can  read  it  but  Kristine  convinces
him  to  leave  it  as  she  thinks  the  Helmers  will  be  better  off  once  the  truth  is  revealed.
After  the  party,  Torvald’s  advances  on  Nora  are  interrupted  by  Dr  Rank  coming  to  say  goodnight.  After  he  has  left,
Nora  insists  that  Torvald  read  Krogstad’s  letter.  He  reads  it  and  is  outraged.  He  accuses  Nora  of  ruining  their   happiness  by  being  a  liar  and  hypocrite.  He  decides  that  she  is  now  unfit  to  care  for  their  children.  The  maid  then   brings  another  letter  Krogstad  and  discovers  that  he  has  returned  the  original  forged  contract  and  that  the  debt  is   dissolved.  He  is  overjoyed  and  tries  to  convince  Nora  that  everything  can  return  to  normal  despite  his  outburst.
Torvald’s  outburst  has  changed  Nora  and  she  is  unable  to  go  on  as  if  nothing  has  happened  and  that  in  fact  they  do   not  know  each  other  at  all.  She  says  that  Torvald  has  treated  her  as  a  doll  to  played  with  and  admired.  She  decides  to   leave  Torvald  in  order  to  make  sense  of  herself  and  walks  out  slamming  the  door  behind  her.
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Main  Characters
Nora  Hemler   Protagonist.  Wife  of  Torvald.  Initially  she  seems  to  be  a  naive  and  childlike  character  who   appears  to  happily  fulfil  the  role  of  her  husband’s  ‘doll’.  Her  life  experience  however  is   revealed  throughout  the  play  and  her  small  acts  of  rebellion  (such  as  hiding  the  macaroons)   reveal  her  growing  dissatisfaction  with  the  oppressiveness  of  her  role  in  life.
Torvald  Hemler:     Nora’s  husband.  Torvald  enjoys  his  position  of  authority  both  at  the  bank  and  at  home.  He   does  not  see  Nora  as  his  equal  but  rather  as  his  doll  to  be  admired  and  loved.  While  he  does   care  for  Nora,  his  treatment  of  her  is  generally  patronising.  He  is  greatly  concerned  with  his   status  and  reputation  and  is  keenly  aware  of  anything  that  may  interfere  with  that.
Dr  Rank:   Torvald’s  best  friend.  He  is  suffering  from  a  terminal  illness  and  has  accepted  his  fate.  Unlike   others,  he  is  unconcerned  by  what  others  think  of  him.
Kristine  Linde:   Kristine  is  Nora’s  former  school  friend.  She  is  widowed  and  her  harsh  life  gives  her  a  more   down  to  earth  outlook  on  life  that  Nora’s  childlike  view.
Krogstad:   Is  a  lawyer  and  a  subordinate  to  Torvald  at  the  bank.  He  holds  Nora’s  secret  and  reveals  his   unethical  nature  when  he  uses  the  secret  against  Nora  to  order  to  protect  himself  and  his   children.
Themes
The  Role  of  Women:              Ibsen  comments  on  the  difficult  and  sacrificial  role  women  of  all  classes  are  forced  to  play.
Kristine  had  to  give  up  the  man  she  loved  for  a  wealthy  man  who  could  then  support  her  as     she  cared  for  her  mother  and  brothers.  The  Hemlers’  nanny  considers  herself  to  be  lucky  to     have  a  job  caring  for  someone  else’s  children  even  if  it  meant  abandoning  her  own  child.
While  Nora’s  situation  is  not  as  desperate,  she  is  hemmed  in  by  society’s  definition  of  her     role  as  a  wife.  Her  husband  is  the  dominant  partner  who  defines  the  boundaries  of  her  life.
Her  actions  such  as  hiding  the  macaroons  that  her  husband  does  not  like  her  eating,     represents  her  attempts  creating  her  own  identity.  Nora  had  to  keep  her  loan  secret  as  she     was  unable  to  legally  get  a  loan  without  her  husband’s  permission.  Torvald  would  have  been     horrified  to  know  that  Nora  obtained  the  loan  as  it  would  be  seen  as  a  woman  saving  his  life.
Unreliability  of  Appearances:
The  play  proves  that  appearances  are  not  to  be  trusted.  The  true  nature  of     the  key  characters  are  revealed  throughout  the  play.  As  the  play  proceeds,  the  Hemlers’   seemingly  happy  existence  in  their  ‘Doll  House’  is  revealed  to  be  an  oppressive  existence   where  Torvald  is  more  concerned  about  reputation  than  his  wife.
Parental  Obligations:   The  characters  hold  a  belief  that  parents  have  responsibility  to  be  honest  and  upstanding  as   their  morality  is  passed  to  their  children.  Dr  Rank  is  the  personification  of  this  belief  as  he   inherited  his  terminal  illness  from  his  father  who  contracted  it  during  his  immoral  activities.
Symbols
Christmas  tree:   The  Christmas  tree  symbolised  the  ‘decorative’  role  Nora  plays  in  the  house.  She  is   something  pleasing  to  look  at  and  play  with  but  not  something  that  is  actually  useful.
Macaroons:
Letters:
Doll  House:
Symbol  of  Nora’s  rebellion
Letters  in  the  offer  plot  twists  and  provide  the  uncomfortable  truth  for  those  who  read  them
Represents  the  expectations  of  married  life  where  the  wife  takes  on  the  role  of  her   husband’s  ‘doll’  to  be  admired  and  played  with
Living  Room:   Represents  the  suffocating  confines  of  Nora’s  existence.
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Realism  vs.  Naturalism
Realism  and  Naturalism  developed  in  a  similar  time  period  in  the  mid  19 th  Century  in  reaction  to  the   spectacle  filled  melodramas  that  were  popular  at  the  time.  While  they  developed  almost  simultaneously   and  are  quite  similar,  Realism  and  Naturalism  are  two  distinct  theatre  forms.  With  society’s  growing   interest  in  psychology  and  science  through  the  work  of  people  such  as  Freud  and  Darwin,  theatre  needed
to  explore  the  human  condition  on  stage.
Realism:
• Characters  are  ordinary,  believable,  working  and  middle  class  people  who  are  identifiable  to  the   audience
• Costumes  authentically  reflect  the  setting  of  the  play
•
Settings  are  generally  indoors  are  designed  to  look  real-­‐  the  one  setting  would  be  used  for  the   entire  play
• The  box  set  was  introduced  to  create  three  walls  and  then  between  the  action  on  stage  and  the   audience,  the  imaginary  ‘fourth  wall’  was  created,  giving  the  audience  the  sense  that  they  were   looking  into  someone’s  life.
• Setting  were  generally  everyday  settings  and  language  reflected  regular  speech
• Plays  were  focused  on  the  human  condition  and  exploring  the  psychology  (inner  thoughts,  motives,   reactions  etc.)  of  the  characters
• Realism  plays  often  see  the  main  character  rise  up  against  some  kind  of  injustice  to  prove   themselves
•
Henrik  Ibsen  is  considered  the  father  of  Realism.
•
Stanislavski  developed  a  system  of  realistic  acting  which  provides  a  process  for  actors  to  become   the  character  through  developing  the  background  and  inner  thoughts  of  the  character  by  applying   their  own  experience,  emotion  and  imagination  to  the  character.
•
America’s  method  acting  was  triggered  by  Stanislavski’s  system  of  realistic  acting.
•
The  Well-­‐Made  Play  structure  was  embraced  by  Realism  playwrights
Naturalism:     o
o
• Naturalism  is  an  extremely  heightened  form  of  Realism
• Stage  time  equals  real  time-­‐  if  the  play  was  three  hours  long  then  the  action  covered  three  hours  of   the  characters’  lives  and  occurs  in  one  location.
• There  was  an  attempt  to  create  ‘a  slice  of  life’  on  stage  through  very  careful  detail  in  the  costumes,   props  and  setting
• Characters  in  the  play  are  shaped  by  their  circumstances  and  controlled  by  external  forces  such  as   hereditary  or  their  social  and  economic  environment
•
Characters  are  often  working  class  and  are  seen  as  victims  to  their  circumstances
• Plays  will  deal  with  often  taboo  and  sordid  subjects
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Ibsen:  the  father  of  modern  Realism  and  the  relevance  of
Henrik  Ibsen  was  born  in  Norway  in  1828.  Ibsen  experienced  poverty  when  his  father’s  business  failed  and   the  trappings  of  their  comfortable  life  had  to  be  sold  off  to  cover  debts.  Ibsen  left  school  at  15  and  found  a
position  as  an  apprentice  apothecary.  In  his  free  time  he  painted  and  wrote  poetry.
In  1850  he  moved  to  what  is  now  known  at  Oslo  and  through  some  fateful  connections  he  ended  up   writing  for  the  theatre.  This  set  the  foundations  for  his  career.  He  lived  in  Italy  and  Germany  before  settling   back  in  Norway.  Throughout  his  career  he  challenged  and  critiqued  social  norms  and  values  through  his   plays  by  exploring  such  subjects  as  the  role  of  women,  war  and  disease.
He  refined  the  Well  Made  Play  structure  to  allow  the  plays  to  focus  on  issues  rather  than  events.  The   structure  became  familiar  with  audiences  that  then  allowed  him  to  introduce  unconventional  topics.  He   emphasised  the  inner  psychological  motivations  of  his  characters  as  well  the  environmental  factors  that   influenced  them.  Even  with  the  structure’s  familiarity,  his  plays  were  often  met  with  anger.  Audiences   were  outraged  that  Nora  would  move  outside  of  her  defined  role  of  wife  and  mother  and  leave  her  family   at  the  end  of
but  Ibsen  wanted  to  explore  the  lack  of  option  for  women,  and  people  in   general  in  society,  and  the  desperate  acts  it  can  lead  people  to.
He  pushed  his  critique  of  social  norms  even  further  with  the  play
that  dealt  with  incest  and   venereal  disease.  His  works  continued  to  create  debate,  particularly  his  strong  female  characters  who   pushed  the  boundaries  of  the  perceived  roles.
Ibsen  died  in  1906  and  left  behind  a  body  of  work  that  had  explored  the  human  condition.  The  universal
themes  present  in  his  work  make  them  highly  relevant  in  a  modern  world.
Relevance  and  interpretations
is  continually  resurrected  on  stage  as  it  speaks  to  a  modern  audience.  The  universal  story   allows  interpretations  of  the  play  to  be  staged  outside  of  its  original  mid  19 th  Century,  Scandinavian,   middle  class  family  setting.  The  struggle  Nora  faces  to  define  herself  on  her  own  terms  reflects  issues  of   equality  and  identity  faced  in  the  21 st  Century.
The  following  articles  explore  recent  interpretations  of  the  play  and  discuss  the  relevance  of  the  play,
character  and  themes:
1)
2)
3)
The  following  is  a  short  film  from  the  Guardian  that  is  a  modern  response  to  Nora  and  the
.
The  film  stars  Hattie  Morahan  who  played  Nora  is  the  highly  successful  2012  production  at  the  Young  Vic.
The  confronting  film  transports  Nora  to  2012  as  she  struggles  with  the  pressures  of  raising  a  family  while
maintaining  a  career,  reflecting  the  challenges  faces  by  many  women.
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Activities  to  Explore  Text  and  Realism
Preparing  the  Actor:
The  following  exercises  are  some  examples  inspired  by  the  work  of  Stanislavski  and  help  prepare  the  actor   by  connecting  them  with  their  body  and  senses  in  a  way  that  will  assist  them  in  creating  a  layered   character.
Relaxation:
•
Lying  on  their  backs  on  the  floor,  students  need  to  have  arms  and  legs  out  straight  and  eyes  need  to  be   closed.
•
Tell  students  that  you  are  going  to  guide  students  through  the  activity.
•
Have  them  focus  on  their  breathing,  in  through  their  nose,  out  through  their  mouth.
• Starting  down  at  their  right  foot  they  are  tense  and  relax  muscles,  then  move  up  to  their  right  calf,  right   thigh-­‐  continuing  until  every  part  of  the  body,  including  the  face  has  been  tensed  and  relaxed.
• Have  students  tense  their  entire  body  and  then  relax  and  to  then  ensure  that  any  tension  has  left  their   body  and  they  feel  so  relaxed  that  they  feel  they  are  sinking  into  the  floor.
• Allow  them  to  lie  there  just  focussing  on  their  breathing  for  a  little  while.
• Slowly  being  the  students  to  be  present  in  the  room  and  have  them  sit  and  then  stand  up.
The  following  exercises  have  been  prepared  by  Cassie  Kowitz
Limbs  be  Burning:
• This  exercise  was  inspired  by  La  Fura  Dels  Baus  Collaborator
• Everybody  stands  in  a  circle,  focus  placed  in  the  centre.
• Knees  slightly  bent,  body  centred.
• When  everyone  is  ready  the  energy  will  shift  inwards  on  a  clap.
• Rub  the  hands  together  to  generate  energy
• Using  the  left  hand  first  –  transfer  that  energy  into  the  right  arm  by  rubbing  it  at  a  fast  pace  [waking  up   all  the  cells  in  that  limb.]
• Everybody  comes  to  a  stop.  Focus  returned  to  the  centre  of  the  circle
• Again  when  everyone  is  ready,  bring  energy  inwards  on  a  clap,  and  rub  the  hands  together.
• This  time  transferring  the  energy  through  the  left  hand  by  rubbing  the  right  arm.
• Repeat  this  process  of  focus,  clap,  rub  hands  together,  and  rub  the  different  limbs  of  the  entire  body
[each  leg,  bellies,  back,  face,  head].
• At  the  commencement  of  this  exercise  the  entire  body  will  feel  warm  and  surging  with  energy.
Stories  existing  in  the  Imagination
• Begin  by  lying  down  and  finding  a  comfortable  and  relaxed  position.
• Once  room  comes  to  complete  stillness  and  silence,  begin  by  playing  a  piece  of  music
Zero  Seven  Ghost  Symbol,  Sigur  Ross]
• From  here  lead  them  into  an  exploration  of  themselves  in  whatever  world  they  wish.
• Explore  the  way  in  which  they  move  through  this  world  –  what  does  the  world  look  like,  what   temperature/density  is  the  air,  what  are  they  wearing,  at  what  pace  are  they  moving  etc.
• They  may  face  other  people/creatures/animals  how  do  they  interact  with  them,  how  do  they  hold   themselves  in  front  of  them,  how  does  their  physicality  change,  what  happens.
• Now  let  the  story  unfold,  what  is  happening,  who  is  there  around  you,  where  do  you  go  and  who  with.
• Allow  them  to  really  explore  the  depths  of  their  imagination
• Then  upon  commencement  of  the  song,  guide  them  to  return  their  awareness  to  the  space,  to  take  deep
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breaths  in  and  on  the  outward  breath  release  all  of  the  images  and  feel  the  world  that  they  were  in   disintegrate  into  their  classroom.
• Guide  them  to  roll  into  fetal  position  and  when  they  are  ready  to  slowly  sit  up.
• What  you  do  with  this  stimulus  is  up  to  you;  one  suggestion  is  to  utilize  their  skills  in   storytelling
• Get  into  partners.  Over  3  minutes  both  partners  are  to  share  what  they  saw.
• Circle  up.
• Each  student  is  to  share  one  thing  that  impacted  them  about  their  partners  story  [a  teaser]  –  but  they   are  to  tell  it  as  if  it  is  their  own  story.  Approach  it  in  a  performance  context  –  they  are  performing   the  story  of  a  character.  They  are  to  utilize  the  skills  of  voice  [focus,  articulation  &  clarity]    –  i.e.  the   air  was  crisp,  I  was  tentatively  walking  along  the  rough  cobbled  streets  when  I  saw  his  Shadow,  the   shadow  of  Richard…
Debrief–
• Reflecting  on  skills  of  voice  –  focus,  articulation  and  clarity.
• What  worked?  What  didn’t  work?  Who  was  challenged  by  that  exercise?
• Discussion  unpacking  how  powerful  the  imagination  as  stimulus  for  creating  story/exploring  the  world  of   your  characters  &  scenes.
Finding  different  ways  that  students  can  create  what  works  for  you?  Images,  music,  reading  multiple   stories  at  once,  take  words,  where  do  you  find  your  inspiration?
Exploring  the  Text:
These  activities  help  students  explore  the  text  and  character  and  can  be  done  as  the  play  is  being  read  or   as  a  reflective  exercise  at  the  end  of  the  play.  These  exercises  provide  the  basis  for  more  in  depth   character  exploration  which  is  key  in  understanding  the  Realism  form.
Still  Images:   establishing  an  understanding  of  relationships,  characters  and  themes
1) In  pairs  or  small  groups  create  a  still  image  that  reflects  what  Nora  considers  to  be  marriage  at  the   beginning  of  the  play
2) Create  a  still  image  that  reflects  what  Nora  considers  marriage  to  be  at  the  end  of  play
3) Have  students  play  with  more  abstract  concepts  such  as  space  and  levels  to  represent  status  and   relationship
4) Repeat  of  Torvald  and  then  discuss  the  differences  between  the  characters  and  how  or  if  they  have   evolved  throughout  the  play.
Conscious  Alley:   this  activity  requires  students  to  think  about  what  a  character  is  thinking  about  at   particular  moments  of  the  play.  It  can  be  used  with  text  or  as  an  improvisation  exercise.  The  thoughts  of   the  character  can  be  explored  or  what  others  are  thinking  about  that  character  and  events  can  be
explored.
1) Students  create  two  lines  facing  each  other,  leaving  a  pathway  in  between
2) One  student  in  character  walks  down  in  between  the  two  lines  as  they  are  passed  the  students  in   the  line  say  a  word  or  phrase  that  relates  to  the  premise  that  has  been  established.
3) For  example  you  could  use  the  following     a.
Nora  could  walk  down  at  the  point  at  the  end  of  the  play  when  she  had  left  her  home  and   the  other  students  explore  what  she  is  thinking  at  the  time   b.
As  above  but  this  time  the  alley  of  people  explore  the  thoughts  of  Torvald,  this  gives  Nora  a   direct  understanding  of  the  impact  of  her  actions   c.
The  same  character  would  be  explored  at  different  points  in  the  play  to  establish  how  the   character  changes
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4) The  activity  can  be  extended  to  build  intensity  by  having  the  character  respond  to  the  words  and   phrases  being  said  to  them;  people  in  the  alley  can  continue  to  repeat  their  word/phrase  increasing   in  volume  and  pace  to  test  how  the  character  would  react  in  this  situation.
5) After  the  exercise  have  the  participants  reflect  on  how  it  felt  to  walk  down  the  alley  and  what  they   all  learnt  about  the  character.
What  happened  next/  alternative  ending:
As  a  way  of  understanding  the  character  and  themes  students  can  improvise  scenes  that  do  not  appear  in   the  play.  For  example  they  could  improvise  a  scene  that  happens  immediately  after  Nora  leaves  at  the  end   of  the  play-­‐  Does  Torvald  follow  her  and  try  to  convince  her  to  come  home?  Would  Nora  agree?
This  opens  discussion  on  the  characters  and  themes,  and  to  examine  how  the  students  think  the  characters
would  react  and  how  this  reflects  what  they  have  gone  through  in  the  play.
Using  text
Sections  from  Act  One  and  Act  Three  have  been  provided  below  as  examples  for  scenes  for  this  activity.
Have  students  read  both  sections  of  text.    Discuss  the  differences  in  the  relationship  between  the   characters  in  the  two  sections.  They  are  then  to  prepare  to  perform  it.  When  preparing  they  need  to   consider  they  changes  in  the  relationship  between  Nora  and  Torvald  and  the  changes  in  Nora  herself.  They   can  use  space  and  levels  to  explore  the  changes  in  role  and  relationship  as  well  as  thinking  about  the  their   own  physicality  to  represent  the  change  (if  any)  in  their  character.    Any  pieces  of  text  could  be  uses   depending  on  what  theme,  character,  and  plot  point  you  wanted  to  explore.
As  they  perform  the  following  activities  can  be  used  to  explore  character:
Thoughts  is  their  Heads
1) Students  perform  the  scene
2) Students  then  repeat  the  scene
3) At  key  moments  call  out  freeze  and  tap  actors  on  shoulder  and  have  them  reveal  what  their   character  is  thinking
4) Discuss  as  a  class  what  the  inner  thoughts  reveal  about  the  character  how  their  thoughts  compare   with  what  they  are  actually  saying.
Hot  Seating:
1) Have  students  in  role  and  the  rest  of  the  class  become  the  interviewers.  More  that  one  student  can   be  each  character  to  help  offer  different  perspectives.
2) Interview  the  characters  to  flesh  out  their  motives  and  thoughts  for  these  scenes  by  asking  the   character  questions
3) Hot  seating  offers  a  good  opportunity  to  flesh  out  a  character  that  can  lead  onto  monologue  and   writing  activities  as  well  as  establishing  character  depth  for  performance  tasks.
Full  play  text  can  be  found  here:
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Act  One
Helmer
.  And  I  would  not  wish  you  to  be  anything  but  just  what  you  are,  my  sweet  little  skylark.  But,  do  you  know,  it   strikes  me  that  you  are  looking  rather  —  what  shall  I  say  —  rather  uneasy  today?
Nora
.  Do  I?
Helmer
.  You  do,  really.  Look  straight  at  me.
Nora
( looks  at  him ).  Well?
Helmer
( wagging  his  finger  at  her ).  Hasn’t  Miss  Sweet-­‐Tooth  been  breaking  rules  in  town  today?
Nora
.  No;  what  makes  you  think  that?
Helmer
.  Hasn’t  she  paid  a  visit  to  the  confectioner’s
Nora
.  No,  I  assure  you,  Torvald  —
Helmer
.  Not  been  nibbling  sweets?
Nora
.  No,  certainly  not.
Helmer
.  Not  even  taken  a  bite  at  a  macaroon  or  two?
Nora
.  No,  Torvald,  I  assure  you  really  —
Helmer
.  There,  there,  of  course  I  was  only  joking.
Nora
( going  to  the  table  on  the  right ).  I  should  not  think  of  going  against  your  wishes.
Helmer
.  No,  I  am  sure  of  that;  besides,  you  gave  me  your  word  —( Going  up  to  her .)  Keep  your  little  Christmas  secrets  to   yourself,  my  darling.  They  will  all  be  revealed  tonight  when  the  Christmas  Tree  is  lit,  no  doubt.
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Act  Three
Helmer.
What  is  that?
Nora.
We  have  been  married  now  eight  years.  Does  it  not  occur  to  you  that  this  is  the  first  time  we  two,  you  and  I,   husband  and  wife,  have  had  a  serious  conversation?
Helmer.
What  do  you  mean  by  serious?
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Nora.
In   all   these   eight   years   —   longer   than   that   —   from   the   very   beginning   of   our   acquaintance,   we   have   never   exchanged  a  word  on  any  serious  subject.
Helmer.
Was   it   likely   that   I   would   be   continually   and   forever   telling   you   about   worries   that   you   could   not   help   me   to   bear?
Nora.
I  am  not  speaking  about  business  matters.  I  say  that  we  have  never  sat  down  in  earnest  together  to  try  and  get  at   the  bottom  of  anything.
Helmer.
But,  dearest  Nora,  would  it  have  been  any  good  to  you?
Nora.
That  is  just  it;  you  have  never  understood  me.  I  have  been  greatly  wronged,  Torvald  —  first  by  papa  and  then  by   you.
Helmer.
What!  By  us  two  —  by  us  two,  who  have  loved  you  better  than  anyone  else  in  in  the  world?
Nora
( shaking  her  head ).  You  have  never  loved  me.  You  have  only  thought  it  pleasant  to  be  in  love  with  me.
Helmer.
Nora,  what  do  I  hear  you  saying?
Nora.
It  is  perfectly  true,  Torvald.  When  I  was  at  home  with  papa,  he  told  me  his  opinion  about  everything,  and  so  I  had   the  same  opinions;  and  if  I  differed  from  him  I  concealed  the  fact,  because  he  would  not  have  liked  it.  He  called   me  his  doll-­‐child,  and  he  played  with  me  just  as  I  used  to  play  with  my  dolls.  And  when  I  came  to  live  with  you  —
Helmer.
What  sort  of  an  expression  is  that  to  use  about  our  marriage?
Nora
( undisturbed ).   I   mean   that   I   was   simply   transferred   from   papa’s   hands   into   yours.   You   arranged   everything   according  to  your  own  taste,  and  so  I  got  the  same  tastes  as  you  —  or  else  I  pretended  to,  I  am  really  not  quite   sure  which  —  I  think  sometimes  the  one  and  sometimes  the  other.  When  I  look  back  on  it,  it  seems  to  me  as  if  I   had  been  living  here  like  a  poor  woman  —  just  from  hand  to  mouth.  I  have  existed  merely  to  perform  tricks  for   you,  Torvald.  But  you  would  have  it  so.  You  and  papa  have  committed  a  great  sin  against  me.  It  is  your  fault  that  I   have  made  nothing  of  my  life.
Helmer
.  How  unreasonable  and  how  ungrateful  you  are,  Nora!  Have  you  not  been  happy  here?
Nora
.  No,  I  have  never  been  happy.  I  thought  I  was,  but  it  has  never  really  been  so.
Helmer
.  Not  —  not  happy!
Nora
.  No,  only  merry.  And  you  have  always  been  so  kind  to  me.  But  our  home  has  been  nothing  but  a  playroom.  I   have  been  your  doll-­‐wife,  just  as  at  home  I  was  papa’s  doll-­‐child;  and  here  the  children  have  been  my  dolls.  I   thought  it  great  fun  when  you  played  with  me,  just  as  they  thought  it  great  fun  when  I  played  with  them.  That  is   what  our  marriage  has  been,  Torvald.
Helmer
.  There  is  some  truth  in  what  you  say  —  exaggerated  and  strained  as  your  view  of  it  is.  But  for  the  future  it  shall
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be  different.  Playtime  shall  be  over,  and  lesson-­‐time  shall  begin.
Nora
.  Whose  lessons?  Mine,  or  the  children’s?
Helmer
.  Both  yours  and  the  children’s,  my  darling  Nora.
Nora
.  Alas,  Torvald,  you  are  not  the  man  to  educate  me  into  being  a  proper  wife  for  you.
Helmer
.  And  you  can  say  that!
Nora
.  And  I—  how  am  I  fitted  to  bring  up  the  children?
Helmer
.  Nora!
Nora
.  Didn’t  you  say  so  yourself  a  little  while  ago  —  that  you  dare  not  trust  me  to  bring  them  up?
Helmer
.  In  a  moment  of  anger!  Why  do  you  pay  any  heed  to  that?
Nora
.  Indeed,  you  were  perfectly  right.  I  am  not  fit  for  the  task.  There  is  another  task  I  must  undertake  first.  I  must  try  and   educate  myself  —  you  are  not  the  man  to  help  me  in  that.  I  must  do  that  for  myself.  And  that  is  why  I  am  going  to   leave  you  now.
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Additional  resources:
Reference  List
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