A Doll's House

Writer, time and place

Henrik Ibsen, 1879, Scandinavia

Genre

Realism

Characters

• Nora Helmer

• Torvald Helmer

• Helene the maid

• Kristine Linde- a former school friend

• Krogstad (employee at the bank where Torvald works)

• Dr. Rank- Torvald’s friend

Plot

• Takes place on Christmas Eve, the Helmer’s have a conversation about Nora’s spending

• Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde arrive, we learn Torvald became sick and they had to travel to Italy for him to recover

• Mrs. Linde has been caring for her sick mother and younger brothers, she hopes Torvald could give her a job

• We learn that Nora illegally borrowed money for the trip to Italy, and she has been saving in secret to repay the debt

• Krogstad is revealed to be the source of Nora’s loan, and he asks Nora to stop Torvald from firing him but she refuses, but then he blackmails her

• On Christmas day Torvald terminates Krogstad despite Nora’s efforts to keep him

• Krogstad changes the terms of the blackmail abd insists that Nora get him rehired in a higher position. He puts a letter detailing everything in their mailbox an Nora tries to delay Torvald from Opening it

• Nora practices the tantarella dance she will perform at the costume part, but in her distress she dances wildly and violently, upsetting Torvald

• When Mrs. Linde decides to get back with Krogstad he decides to take his letter back, but leaves the letter to be read as he thinks they will be better off knowing the truth

• Torvald reads the letter and is outraged and says Nora won’t be allowed to raise their children. However when a new letter reveals Krogstad returned the forged signature he tries to dismiss what he saud, but Nora decides to leave him.