"A Doll's House"

Paper Summary:

The author of this paper shows how in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House" the home of Nora and Torvald Helmer is a microcosm of society at large and specifically, society's prevalent sexual divide. He points out that, like dolls in a dollhouse, every character is incomplete: they are fragile, have faults and are easily breakable. The paper shows how Ibsen, who considered himself a social commentator, enters the realm of realism and that the symbolism in "A Doll's House" enhances the realism.

From the Paper:

"The independence that Nora demonstrates towards the end of the play so shook up the establishment that the production of A Doll s House in Germany was not allowed in its original form. In the German version, Nora does not slam the door in Torvald s face and storm out into an uncertain future with steely determination. She takes one look at her children and her resolve melts away into uncertainty and self pity. She relents and stays home. In Sweden, social invitations came with an admonition that A Doll s House should not be discussed. Ibsen was incensed at this threat to the basic integrity of the play; he called such a reaction barbaric. (Ibsen & Kildal, 1911)"

More papers on "A Doll's House":

• Analytical Essay # 8140 : "Ibsen's "A Doll House"
• Essay # 87734 : "A Doll House and Medea"
• Analytical Essay # 58442 : "Relationships in "A Doll House"
• Poem Review # 138815 : "My Life Is a Doll House"

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