A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

An excerpt.

1. EQUALITY What is your opinion about it?

2. t he quality of being equal; the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc.

3. HENRIK IBSEN (1826-1906) He helped bring about a revolutionary change in playwriting. Previously, plays have been romantic and artificial with little resemblance to the real life of people. With Ibsen, the drama became a serious and realistic presentation of the psychological and social problems of the people. He attacked the hypocrisy of social conventions and the selfishness and self-satisfaction of people.

4. A DOLL’S HOUSE It was written in 1879. It remains one of Ibsen’s most powerful plays. It depicts a woman’s fight for equality and recognition.

5. CHARACTERS Torvald Helmer – a lawyer Nora Helmer – his wife Krogstad – forges the signature of Nora’s father

6. DO THIS! DO THAT! DON’T DO THIS! DON’T DO THAT! YES FATHER. DO THAT! DO THIS! DON’T DO THIS! DON’T DO THAT! YES MY DEAR.

7. WE HAVE TO GO TO ITALY! TORVALD BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL…

8. BANK I WILL FORGE THE SIGNATURE OF YOUR FATHER I NEED TO BORROW SOME MONEY FOR MY HUSBAND, WE NEED TO GO TO ITALY TO SAVE HIS LIFE…

9. TELL YOUR FATHER I THANK HIM FOR HIS GOODNESS. WE CAN GO TO ITALY MY DEAR…

10. AN ANGRY KROGSTAD APPROACHES… TELL YOUR HUSBAND NEVER FIRE ME, OR ELSE I WILL TELL HIM ABOUT THE SECRET… NO, PLEASE. I WILL, DON’T WORRY…

11. NOTICE OF TERMINATION NO! NORA TRIES TO CONVINCE TORVALD, BUT IS UNSUCCESSFUL NO! I HAVE HAD A CHANGE OF HEART. I WILL NOT REVEAL THE SECRET TO THE PUBLIC, BUT…

12. I WILL GIVE HIM A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THE MATTER. NO! PLEASE DON’T INVOLVE MY HUSBAND IN OUR PROBLEM. MAIL OH NO!

13. OUR MARRIAGE HAS ENDED, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO BE TOGETHER FOR THE PUBLIC. Nora feels shamed by the ugliness of the whole affair, unmindful of the fact that Nora had to do the “crime” for his sake. HYPOCRITE! LIAR! CRIMINAL!

14. DETERMINING AUTHOR’S PURPOSE Any literary work reveals its creator’s motive or purpose for doing it. To determine the author’s purpose, do the following…

15. Read the author’s biography. 2. Picture the action and imagine actors and actresses playing the part. 3. Think about what the characters say.