Douglas Fitter

Rationale
I wrote this piece with the intention of it resembling a newspaper article from the era of the
playwright, Henrik Ibsen, (late 1800s) who wrote A Dolls House which premiered on December 21, 1879.
I decided to format it in a newspaper style as the controversy surrounding the gender roles of the play
would have been discovered through this medium. This newspaper format is ideal for an interview as it
would be laid out clearly. I interviewed the woman cast as Nora, and considering she was at the centre
of the controversy as she was to portray this character I felt as if she would have a lot to say on the matter.
The article discusses the demands people made towards Ibsens original ending and their
requested censorship of it. The article continues to address the lead actress, who was cast to play Nora, in
an interview revealing her personal opinions on the issue.
The targeted audience of this piece would be towards the upper middle class during the Victorian
Era. They would have been educated and literate enough to comprehend the controversy and the problems
mentioned in the article. This would be the audience most likely attending the performance; my goal was
to notify and inform the public about the play.
The article acknowledges the political pressure and censorship of the Victorian era. At the time
there was a lot of pressure to dress and act a certain way. The use of censorship would be useful to abolish
ideals that were not deemed suitable at the time.

Douglas Fitter

The Berlin Journal

February 3, 1880

The Play A Dolls House causes distress due

to offensive content
By Franz Hoffmann
The controversial Norwegian play that
has toured much of central Europe is raising
concerns now that a plan has been presented to
tour Germany. Questionable contents are causing
people to demand changes or cancellation. Henrik
Ibsen, the Norwegian author and playwright,
wrote A Doll's House and it premiered at the
Royal Theatre in Copenhagen on December 21,
1879. The liberal attitudes in Norway are reflected
within the plays subject matter. The depiction of
events throughout the story take place within the
Helmer household during the Christmas season.
Torvald Helmers wife, Nora, goes through a
series of events that results in her abandoning her
husband and three children. The acts performed in
this play are considered to be quite selfish and
unrefined.
The German tours have caused much
unease in many theatres and thespians. Many are
demanding an alternative ending be written by the
original playwright. The well known actress,
Hedwig Niemann-Raabe, is cast to play Nora in
the German production. She refuses to act in the
concluding scene as written because, "I would
never leave my [children] she confesses. The
Berlin Journal was able to discuss the matter with
Hedwig Niemann-Raabe in a meeting earlier in
the month.
When asked why she initially wanted the
role of Nora, she replied The play did

phenomenally in the Denmark premiere, I thought

it was the next logical step in my career. If I had
known what I now know I would have taken
alternative opportunities. Nevertheless, I took the
role thinking if I did not I would have been
regretful. Niemann-Raabe is certainly one of the
best actresses currently, and is fast becoming a
household name. She has brought to life many
characters such as Mother Wolff in Der
Biberpelz, and Frau Wermelskirch in
Fuhrmann Henschel. Countless peers including
Otto Brahm and Ludwig Barnay believe she has
the ability to transcend normal limits of
performance in almost any role she attempts.
Since Nora is an especially problematic character,
we asked Niemann-Raabe for her opinion of the
role. ...[during] act one, Nora is perceived as a
mischievous wife disobeying her husband,
[Torvald], too much for her own well being.
Noras misbehaviour is often talked about when
examining this text. She often disregards her
husband and oversteps her boundaries, infuriating
many theatergoers and readers. Multiple play
attendees at theatres collect a sense of passion or
drama, but has this production taken things too
far? There is a certain standard that many people
find suitable for a young woman like Nora, and it
is a widespread opinion that it is unsettling to see
her portrayed in such a way. We inquired as to
how Niemann-Raabe felt playing this

Douglas Fitter

socially taboo role, she commented saying, I feel

almost embarrassed to be connected to this
production. If there are not immediate changes, I
have very little confidence that this play will
premiere anywhere in Germany. Without
alterations I will definitely be abandoning this
project, and without a doubt leave with a clear
conscience. Niemann-Raabe is a distinct
supporter of modifications to the original script.
The play A Dolls House has debuted in several
countries across Europe, many of these countries
possess different views on the subject of thought.
Niemann-Raabe disclosed ...it was not until after
the part was given to me that I considered the
existing controversy.
Many reviews of the initial premiere of A
Dolls House in Copenhagen describe the
majority of the play quite similarly. The first two
acts are received with quite open arms, be that as
it may, the third act was rather preposterous to the
unprepared audience. Countless critics agree on
how they would describe the last act, It was
obviously followed with great excitement and
fascination, at least up to the last scene
(reviewed in Fdrelandet, Dec 23, 1879).
According to numerous reviews, the ending was
highly anticipated yet greeted with dissatisfaction.
With every opinion there is always
complementary school of thought. The
Social-Demokraten reviewed the play and printed
this response: We have not, in dramatic or poetic
form, seen a better, more powerful contribution to
the question of female emancipation! There is a
clear variety of opinion when referring to this
matter. There are fair amounts of talk about
feminism, even if supported by few. This is an
immensely disputed topic of discussion and this
play can be used in many ways to support or
refute either side.
We asked Niemann-Raabe what her opinion on
the feminine emancipation movement was

and what she thinks the addition of the play will

impact, if unchanged. I believe that women have
rights and roles within society, yet I do not think
an appropriate approach is drastic feminism. If the
play remains unchanged, I have reason to believe
that even if Ibsen decides to keep the original
script that it will be rejected by too many theatres
and communities to make a significant
impression.
As of this time, Ibsen has decided to rewrite
the ending of the play for German production. It is
unknown if this ending will replace the prior
ending for all productions, but so far critics have
nothing but positive things to say. The play will
be premiering in Flensburg on February 6th, 1880.

Betty Hennings, The Original Nora, A Dolls House,

December 21, 1879

Douglas Fitter

Works Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Trans. Anon. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1992. Print.
Ben Florman and Justin Kestler, LitCharts Editors. "LitChart on A Doll's House." LitCharts.com.
14 Jan 2016. Web.
William, Robert. Kissel, Adam ed. "A Dolls House A Performance History of the Play".
GradeSaver, 2 August 2008 Web. 13 January 2016. Web.
"Ibsen.nb.no." Ibsen.nb.no. N.p., 30 May 2005. 13 Jan. 2016. Web.
Tara Schaefle. "Production History A Dolls House." Theater 271. N.p., 12 Apr. 2014. 13
Jan. 2016. Web.
William Grange. "Historical Dictionary of German Theater." Google Books. Rowman & Littlefield,
n.d. 14 Jan. 2016. Print.
Shannon Cron. "Menu." Theater 271. N.p., 8 Apr. 2014. 14 Jan. 2016. Web.