Studied by 26 people
Historical, theatrical, literary context and critical interpretation & reception
came from an affluent merchant family in Skien, Norway both his parents belonged to the elites
father was a respected merchant but became essentially bankrupt in 1836 → family reputation suffers
forced to sell house in Skien and move to summer house outside of the city
Father’s financial ruin → strong influence on ADH as it mirrors his parents own financial struggles and his works often deal with issues of financial difficult
wrote to Ibsen about his plays and he became her literary motivations
the primary motivation to write ADH was due to Keeler
Laura's husband got tuberculosis and she had to forge a cheque for the money to cure her husband
when he found out he was furious, divorced her, and sent her to an asylum
whilst in the asylum, Ibsen was moved to write the play
parallels with Nora and Laura’s life but main point of divergence is Nora is able to command agency and leave marriage
After financial ruin his father became a family tyrant reliant on alcohol
Feminist critics say ‘Ibsen’s sympathy with women came from his understanding of their powerlessness, and his education began at home’
as he saw his father intimidate and bully his mother
this experience echoes through unremitting portrayals of suffering women eg. ADH Nora’s struggle in marriage with Helmer (not to the extent of Ibsen’s parents)
Completely dependent on male permission to do anything eg. Nora’s dependence on Helmer
Norwegian women’s status made them incapable to do anything independently eg. finances (debts, enter agreements, control their own money)
Did not have right to vote (1913 so many years later)
Not expected to work as they depended on their husband, single women had to request employment under supervision of a guardian
Marriage- living under authority of father → authority of husband
Time of change for women’s rights
Formal equality of men and women enacted over this period
Legislative changes eg. equal inheritance for both sexes, right to work
Age of majority (legally an adult) for women same as for men
However these changes were still met with backlash and resistance
still not right to vote until 1913
Main medium for women to express themselves
Camilla Collet- one of the first writers who did so and went outside the bounds
created the first wave of feminism in Norway and was an inspiration for many writers who…
spoke for the cause of women and defend oppressed people against societal expectations eg. the wife
Ibsen was partly an author considered to be part of this movement
name for strong movement of naturalism & debating literature in Scandinavia
replaced romanticism
characterised by authors who revolted against traditional cultural themes
adopted more liberal views on sexuality & religion and expressed more interest in scientific breakthroughs instead
significant influence on feminist movement
translated into several language and performed widely across Europe
Men were primary financial providers for family while women were domestic providers (raising children, cooking etc.)
Middle-class status enhanced by having a wife who remained at home
Pressures for men to keep steady flow of income and stable job eg. Torvald & Krogstad
Separate Spheres doctrine- men (public) women (domestic, private) they were fundamentally meant for different things in society
Woman Question-referred to various debates surrounding women’s place in society
Ibsen may have been influenced by ideas emerging from these debates
New Woman- feminist ideal emerged in late 19th century which pushed limits set by male-dominated society
eg. Nora to certain extent exemplfies a ‘New Woman’
Realism- theatrical movement that began in 19th century which sought to represent reality
Uses realist/ naturalist techniques to expose social reality
Ibsen portrays a very recognisable Norwegian middle-class setting on stage
difference between naturalism and realism is naturalism also focused on scientific/ biological aspects that would create present reality (almost extension of realism as it was developed in later 19th century)
Eugene Scribe Victorain drama style with clear structure with there being a complication and ultimate resolution
ADH shows limits of a ‘well made play’ even while keeping its basic structure
the resolution is not the one a contemporary audience would be expecting so he ultimately diverts from this structure
Ibsen’s characters also fit melodramatic character tropes initially but he imbues them with psychological realism which ultimately makes them not fit these tropes rigidly as they have more complex characters
subvert genre to critique these stereotypical tropes offers no patriarchal hero figure
this fulfills naturalist aims for the play
Upset many contemporaries who often criticised the ending in particular
Peterson said lack of reconciliation was a major flaw calling the play ‘ugly’ and ‘distressing’ 1880
Michael Meyer called the ending ‘illogical’ and ‘immoral’ 1985
forced to create an alternate ending for German audiences after the actress playing Nora refused to perform if it wasn’t changed
Alternate ending removed Nora’s agency as it ends with her seeing her children falling to the ground and never leaving the house, redirecting sympathy towards Helmer
Ibsen called the ending as a ‘barbaric act of violence’
Approach to life based on rationality and common humanity, recognising moral values are properly founded on human nature and experience alone
importance on human rather than divine matters- self-discovery and self-determination
the idea of introspection and looking within you to act as a moral guide rather than law or religion dictating it
Ibsen ‘I don’t consider myself a feminist, I consider myself a humanist’
