Critical Analysis: A Doll's House

Pages: 5 (1561 words) Published: October 19, 2014
Subject : Drama B
Writer : Henrik Johan Ibsen
Genre : Realistic Modern Drama
Name of the Work / Play : A Doll’s House ( 1897 ) in three acts Characters : Major Characters / Minor Characters
Nora Helmer ( wife of Torvald Helmer ,mother of three children ) Torvald Helmer( husband of Nora Helmer , a lawyer ,father of three children ) Dr. Rank ( doctor ,friend of Nora & Torvald Helmer, confidant ,commentator ) Mrs. Kristine Linde ( old friend of Nora Helmer )

Nils Krogstad ( barrister , old lover of Kristine ,father of multiple children ) Anne- Marie ( nanny )
Helene ( maid )
The children ( three children of Nora & Torvald Helmer )
The Porter
Setting : Home of the Helmers with a pleasant inexpensive outlook representing a wealthy,comfortable middle-class family of the 19th Century which Ibsen referred to as a place being in Norway but in extent of its universal themes ,English playwright of the 20th Century,Bernard Shaw quotes the setting as ‘Every Suburb in Europe’,too.So social that everywhere was the social power and the lack of social power significant. Symbols in A Doll’s House as Literary Devices : Ibsen used a wide range of symbolic forms to influence his audience to become independent thinkers for personal powers at social perspective. doors: Represent the boundaries ,transitions between characters and escape windows: shows us outside and the warmth also represents the roles of a woman to the Norwegian society christmas tree: represents the materialistic properties and decoration of a Christmas Tree that also resembles to personality of Nora locked mailbox:represents the secrecy ,control and where the power lies inthe households.c christmas presents:Nora’s role as spendrift and how she pushes the childrento be the dolls macaroons: the power struggle between Nora and Helmer ,the center symbol inthe rot marriage relationship, foreshadowing of her rebel fireplaces:represents the wealth and comfort of the Helmer’s letters: represents the inner thoughts of the characters and thereality of their behaviours nora helmer: represents the way most women are treated as a possession of their father and then their husbands, also represents immaturity

torvald helmer: materialist traditional man, not self -aware, hypocrite, victim of arbitrary roles

kristine linde : represents the reality of society and contrasts with Nora, betrayal of friendship and pragmatism

dr.rank: false friendship,infected from his father with STD,love is lust

nils krogstad :represents the pitfalls of society,the villain but also the victim of the society

anne-marie: represents the consequences of the materialistic world and how she lost her child

children : the unchanged ,immature society

nora’s father : the cause of nora’s inability to grow

the miracle: represents nora’s false assumption of torvald as chivalry

helmer marriage : represents the ideal Norwegian society which is a lie

nature : the dangerous and hostile conditions of the society

the black mail : the hidden threat and corruption

music: control of helmer over nora and representation of sexuality

pet names : represents the possession of helmer over nora and how he keeps her like a child

post christmas costume party : helmer by instructing nora the dance , represents a fake life ,a family life played unrealistic grounds

hide and seek : avoidance of growth and maturity

new year’s : a new beginning of life ( especially for nora)

Critical Analysis of the ‘’ A Doll’s House ‘’
When ‘’ A Doll’s House ‘’ , one of Ibsen’s controversial plays was performed in 1879 , it was immediately banned in many theatres .In actual fact , it dealt with a scandalous and virtually impossible situation – a woman leaving her husband.Future performances were allowed to be performed only on the condition that Ibsen would re-write the ending of the play , an ending by pressure which would soon create a repent and withdrew. If...
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