Plot Overview

About the Author

A Dolls House was published in 4 December 1879.

In the original play, the language was Norwegian,
but later translated. It premiered at the Royal
Theatre on 21 December 1879. This book takes
place in Helmers flat, a lawyer who was soon going
to become bank manager after New Year, during
Christmas. Helmer has a wife, Nora, who likes to
spendthrift. Helmer is constantly calling her
nicknames like skylark and squirrel relating to her
flying and not being able to save. He can tolerate
her spending money because they can earn money,
even though he doesnt like it, but cant tolerate
borrowing because he feels that if they borrow,
whatever they buy with that money wont be
valuable, doesnt belong to them and brings shame
to the family. The conflict of this story is that Nora
borrowed money from a gentlemen, Nils Krogstad,
in order to cure Helmer because he was ill from
excessive work. Nora didnt tell him and now that he
is becoming the bank manager, Helmer is going to
replace Krogstad for Noras friend, Kristine Linde
(which means Krogstad will no longer have a job).
Krogstad then threatens Nora that if he doesnt get
his job back in the bank, he will tell everything to
Helmer.

Henrik Ibsen was born on 20 March 1828 and died

in 23 May 1906. Ibsens mother painted, played the
piano, and liked to visit the theatre and his father
was a successful merchant. When he was eight,
they were poor because of problems with his
fathers business. When he was fifteen he stopped
going to school and during his free time he wrote
poetry and painted leading to writing his first play
Catilina in 1849. His full name was Henrik Johan
Ibsen who was a major Norwegian playwright,
theatre director, and poet in the 19th-century. He
was known as "the father of realism" and one of the
founders of Modernism in theatre. Some of his
works were Peer Gynt (1867), A Dolls House
(1879), Ghosts (1881), and An Enemy of the
People (1882).

Historical Context

Novel Notes
A Dolls House
by Henrik Ibsen
Jennifer Lopez
December 21, 2015

Essential Quotes
Helmer, Is that my little sky-lark
chirping out there? Nora, Yes it is. Is that
my little squirrel frisking about? Yes! Just
this minute. Come on out, Torvald, and see
what Ive bought. (Ibsen 1-2).
No, just gay. And you;ve always
been so kind to me. But our house has
never been anything but a play-room. I have
been your doll wife, just as at home I was
Daddys doll child. And the children in turn
have been my dolls. I thought it was fun
when you came and played with me, just as
they thought it was fun when I went and
played with them. Thats been our marriage,
Torvald (80-81).

A Doll's House was based on the life of Laura

Kieler, a good friend of Ibsen. Most of the events
that happened between Nora and Torvald (Helmer)
happened to Laura and her husband, Victor. Laura
wanted the money to find a cure for her husband's
tuberculosis. She asked a favor to Ibsen in which he
refused so she decided forge, fake, a check for the
money. At this point she was found out. In real life,
when Victor discovered about Laura's secret loan,
he divorced her and had her committed to an
asylum. Two years later, she returned to her
husband and children at his urging, and became a
well-known Danish author, living to the age of 83.
Add Work Cited Here:
Ibsen wrote A Doll's House when Laura Kieler had
Ibsen, Henrik. A Dolls House. Copenhagen:
been committed to the asylum. After going back
Random, 1879. Print.
with her family, she rebounded from the shame of
the scandal and became a good writer while
remaining discontented with A Dolls House.

Character Analysis

Nora
Speech: Thats why my
sweet little Nora must promise me not to try
putting in any more good words for him
[Krogstad] Nonsense! It cant be. Its
impossible. It must be impossible (33-34).
Thoughts: She doesnt
want to tell Torvald about her secret. Since
she forged her fathers signature in the loan
check, she can go to jail, but feels that wont
happen since she had a motive to do so and
was entitled to save her husbands life.
Effects on other: Everyone
thinks she is really joyful, kind, and that
spend too much money.
Action: Tries to tell off
Krogstad and look like she doesnt care, but
from the inside terrified. Decides that if
Krogstad ever finds out, she will leave
Helmer and her kids.
Looks: Never really
explains, but seems happy most of the play.
Torvald Helmer
Speech: Helmer, What do
we call my pretty little pet when it runs away
with all the money? Nora, I know, I know, we
call it a spendthrift (4).
Thoughts: He doesnt like
borrowing money. Now that he is becoming
bank manager wants to get liars out of the
bank [Krogstad].
Effects on other. Nora feels
he is a good and hardworking husband that
treats her with care.
Action: He is very kind
towards Nora. Fires Krogstad.
Looks: Doesnt say, but is
taller than Nora.
Mrs. Kristine Linde
Speech: Nora, Poor
Kristine, of course youre a widow now
didnt he leave you anything? Kristine, No
And no children? No. Absolutely nothing?
Nothing at all not even a broken heart to
grieve over (8).
Thoughts: Since her mom
died and two brother got old, they dont need
from her anymore and wants to find someone
who to work for. Best friend of Nora since
kids.
Effects on other: She is
kind and helpful in crisis. A good friend to
have.
Action: She moved from

Themes
One theme I found was that
appearances lie. In the beginning of the play
Nora seems as a silly and childish woman.
Torvald was as seen as a strong and kind
husband and Krogstad acted arrogant and
threatening. As the play progresses, Nora
can be shown to be intelligent, strong, and
independent woman. After finding about
something Nora did he acts cowardly, mean,
and selfish when he fears that Krogstad may
expose him to scandal. Last but not least,
Krogstad reveals himself to be sympathetic,
merciful, and a kind guy after talking with
Mrs. Linde.
Another theme was the sacrificial
role of women. This can be seen around the
end of the play. When Helmer finds about
something Nora, something that could affect
him, he yells at Nora saying she was about
to ruin his integrity and dignity. Nora says
she thought he wouldve been a gentlemen
and say he took the blame for what she did.
When Torvald hears that, he says no one
does that, but for Nora, hundreds of
thousands of women have (84). In which he
replies, Oh, you think and talk like a stupid
child (84). This shows how most people
think women have to be loyal and sacrifice
everything for their husband. If their
husband do something bad, that can even
damage their wives, their wives have to be
there for their husband. On the other side,
when the woman isnt loyal or harm to their
husband its all the womans fault. Their
husband doesnt feel responsible enough to
carry on.

Motifs and Symbols

One motif was letters, the ones that
go in envelopes. Since Nora has been
keeping a secret from Helmer, that involves
Krogstad, she has to be extra careful. Since
Nora wasnt able to keep Krogstad in his job,
he sends a letter to Helmer telling him he
was going to make a scandal about Noras
secret in which Helmer is shown as selfish.
On the second letter Krogstad sends to
Helmer, it says he isnt going to blackmail
him anymore and sent Noras IOU. This was
done because Noras friend help, Kristine.
Another letter was when Dr. Rank, a close
friend of Helmer and Nora who is a doctor,
told Nora that he got a disease from a very
ill patient and was soon going to die. Since
he didnt want to tell about his death
personally to Helmer, he decided to send a
card with a black cross. This card meant he
was going to shut down himself and die
alone.
One symbol was the macarons that
Nora was eating in the beginning of the play.
Helmer doesnt want Nora eating macarons
because he feels they are going to damage
her teeth. In the beginning of the play, she
eats some, secretly, from her pocket. This
shows how Helmer has some control over
her and tries to order her what to do in some
ways. Even though she loves eating
macarons and treats, she tries not to eat
them, or do eat them secretly, because she
doesnt want to make her husband angry. It
can be shown how she is controlled like a
doll, but still at a point where she still owns
herself.

her place to somewhere close where Nora

lives in order to find work.
Looks: She is thinner,
paler, and more old than when Nora first saw
her.

BOOK REPORTS: You will create an informational pamphlet advertising your novel as well as give a book talk to the class. In your book talk you will briefly
discuss the plot, analyze a key quote, and give your recommendation of the novel. You may use either a powerpoint or index cards to organize the content of your
book talk.