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Mia San Angelo

Mrs. Balka

IB English period 6

20 September, 2018

A Doll’s House ​Supervised Writing Prompt #2

Henrik Ibsen is a playwright of the twentieth century who gained fame through his

controversial and political play ​A Doll’s House ​due to its feminist themes and betrayal of societal

structure. Including dramatic movement and instruction within the stage directions gives the

reader or viewer a chance to interpret what exactly the character is feeling and why. Ibsen wrote

this piece in targeting the strict structure of family values and roles, exposing the unjust

treatment of women and their position in the home. In attempt to shine light on how corrupted a

home truly was, Ibsen reveals motives and feelings of Nora through her specific scripted actions,

specifies the structure of the set design to symbolize Nora’s caged lifestyle, and uses specific

lighting designs to represent dramatic moods.

Throughout the course of the play, Nora’s character develops into a more independent

and capable human being, rather than an inferior and obedient wife. Every since she secretly

borrowed money to pay for Torvald’s medical care, Nora has felt this satisfaction in working for

herself and making her own decisions. Through the stage directions, the playwright not only

describes what the character must do on stage, but also describes a characteristic of thiers if it is

vital to the story and the development of the scene. When speaking to Dr. Rank in the first act,

Nora is instructed, “​She has been deep in her own thoughts. She suddenly gives a quiet chuckle

and claps her hands” ​(34). Ibsen felt the need to include this detail so when the script is read, the
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reader will understand how Nora is acting in that moment. This stage direction adds depth to

Nora’s character and her deception, demonstrating how stressful and anxious she is starting to

become due to her secrets, realizing she might be way in over her head. Later, she confesses to

Krogstad that she forged her father’s signature to get the loan from the bank, in which Nora

“​pauses, then looks him straight in the eye and with a toss of her head…”(​ 45). This detail within

the story gives Nora a sense of strength in her attitude toward Krogstad, but in confessing she

convinces herself she acted good for the health of her husband. When the stage directions

describe specific actions that Nora must do, it is to add depth and drama to the story. She is not

depicted as a quiet and obedient wife, but a woman who acts independently and stubbornly.

Ibsen’s symbolic use of lighting adds to the mood of each scene. When Dr. Rank

confesses his love for Nora, page 65, the stage is barely lit up which gives an intimate mood to

the scene. The light is focused on the two characters and nothing else around them so the

audience is engaged in the chemistry of the two. In addition to the romance, the dull lighting

possibly represents her development, too. At this point in the story, Nora is already very nervous

about Torvald finding out about her secret loan, so this darkness around Nora represents her

becoming enlightened in contrast. Her life is becoming darker and more unclear alongside the

physical scene. This element of light serves to physically exemplify how Nora is feeling and

changing within the story, demonstrating how women are more complex and foreshadowing

their evolvement and strength that is inspired to come.