A Doll’s House
BY: HENRIK IBSEN
Date of Publication and
play Background
A DOLLS HOUSE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON
DECEMBER 4, 1879.
IT WAS EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL AND
MANY DISLIKED THE PLAY, BUT
REGARDLESS OF THAT FACT, WHEN IT FIRST
OPENED IN DECEMBER OF 1879 EVERY SEAT
SOLD-OUT.
WHEN A DOLLS HOUSE WAS REVIVED IT
WON SEVERAL AWARDS SUCH AS :
DRAMA DESK AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING
REVIVAL OF A PLAY;
TONY AWARD FOR BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Title
 The title relates to the book in which the main
character Nora realizes that all her life she has been
a doll to her father and her husband and that she was
just playing the game and not truly living.
Theme
 When reading the play women's rights appears to be
the theme. Though the author refuted the idea of
women's rights and said it was about finding yourself
and knowing who you are.
 The biggest example of both these themes is the end
where Nora leaves her husband to find herself.
Setting
The play is set in an
unknown town in
Norway 1879.
Its very uncertain
where the play takes
place exactly which
makes it easier for
people to put
themselves in the
situation and it
makes it easier to
perform anywhere.
 The play is set at the same time as
it was written because it talks
about a lot of controversial topics
during the time.
Conflict and the people mainly
involved
NORA IS BEING BLACKMAILED BY
KROGSTAD AND HER HUSBAND DOESN’T
KNOW WHAT SHE HAS DONE SO SHE
TRIES TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT
RUINING ANYONE'S REPUTATION.
THE PROTAGONIST IS NORA AND THE
ANTAGONIST IS KROGSTAD.
Brief Summary
 Nora and her family seem to have the perfect life, her husband has a
great job and they are very well off but when her old friend Christine
come to town and she gets her husband to give her Krogstads job at the
bank Krogstad blackmails Nora over old debt and forged papers. As Nora
tries to fix her problems without Travold her husband knowing she finds
out her good friend Dr.Rank is dying. Krogstad finally sends a letter
telling Travold everything and in the midst of things it is reviled that
Christine is an old lover of Krogstad .Nora tries to keep Travold from
reading it but her efforts are rendered useless. Travold in rage yells at
Nora and says she has ruined him and that there marriage from now on
was strictly for show nothing else shortly after this he receives a note
from Krogstad forgiving all debt. Travold says that he forgives Nora for
all her wrongs and Nora packs her things and has the first serious talk in
there eight year marriage about how there marriage wasn’t love and that
she was just a doll to him and let him to find herself. Travold breaks
down as Nora slams the door behind her.
Characters
 Nora Helmer – main character seems ditzy but happy

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changes though play
Torvald Helmer- Husband to Nora works up in bank
says very rude things to Nora offhandedly
Dr. Rank - Family friend of the Helmers secretly in love
with Nora
Kristine Linde- Nora’s old friend rough life past lover of
Krogstad
Nils Krogstad - poor has two sons desperate for job
The Children - Ivar, Bobby and Emmy
Quotes and Weird Words
“I BELIEVE THAT BEFORE ALL ELSE I AM A REASONABLE
HUMAN BEING, JUST AS YOU ARE--OR, AT ALL EVENTS, THAT
I MUST TRY AND BECOME ONE.”
THIS HIT ON THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS ASPECT ALONG WITH FINDING
YOURSELF
“YOU HAVE NEVER LOVED ME. YOU HAVE ONLY THOUGHT IT
PLEASANT TO BE IN LOVE WITH ME.”
RELATING TITLE WITH THE STORY
“HELMER: I WOULD GLADLY WORK NIGHT AND DAY FOR YOU.
NORA- BEAR SORROW AND WANT FOR YOUR SAKE. BUT NO
MAN WOULD SACRIFICE HIS HONOR FOR THE ONE HE LOVES.
NORA: IT IS A THING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN
HAVE DONE.”
WOMEN'S RIGHTS BIG TIME LOVE THIS QUOTE!
“[FROM BELOW COMES THE NOISE OF A DOOR SLAMMING.]”
What I Thought
I REALLY ENJOYED THE PLAY BECAUSE OF THE
DRAMA OF BEING BLACKMAILED AND THE
WOMEN'S RIGHTS THEME LIKE HOW NORA
LEAVES HER HUSBAND TO FIND WHAT SHE
THINKS IS RIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE PLAY SEEMED
A LITTLE SLOW AT THE BEGINNING IT REALLY
PICKED UP AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.