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LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.A Doll's House
Ibsen; Strindberg’s plays are in the naturalist style, a theatrical
INTR
INTRO
O movement that grew out of and responded to realism.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF HENRIK IBSEN
KEY FACTS
Henrik Ibsen was born into a wealthy family in Skien, Norway.
His father, a merchant, was successful early on in life, but when • Full Title: A Doll’s House (Norwegian: Ett dukkehjem)
Ibsen was seven his father's business suffered a great Qnancial • When Written: 1879
loss. This caused Ibsen’s father to become jaded and an • Where Written: Dresden, Germany
alcoholic; he took out his troubles on his children and wife, who
• When Published: Published and Qrst performed in December
Ibsen’s sister described as loving and self-sacriQcing. Ibsen
1879
began writing plays at the age of Qfteen; he did not pass the
entrance exams to university, but decided he would rather • Literary Period: Realism; modernism
focus on writing anyway. He was at Qrst a very unsuccessful • Genre: Realist modern prose drama
playwright, and he and his wife Suzannah Thoresen were • Setting: A town or city in Norway
extremely poor. In 1864 he left Thoresen and their Qve-year- • Climax: When Torvald discovers the letter from Krogstad
old son, Sigurd (who grew up to become the Prime Minister of revealing Nora’s secret
Norway, and moved to Sorrento, Italy. He later moved to
• Antagonist: At Qrst Krogstad, then Torvald
Dresden, Germany (where he wrote A Doll’s House), not
returning to Norway until 1891. After his initial unsuccessful
EXTRA CREDIT
years, Ibsen became more popular as a writer, although his
plays were considered to be very scandalous. He died in Oslo in A True Story: A Doll’s House is based on the life of Ibsen’s family
1906, after suffering several strokes. He is now one of the friend Laura Kieler, whose actions inspired the story of Nora’s
world’s most famous playwrights, and his work is performed secret debt. In reality, however, Kieler did not forge a signature,
more often than that of any other playwright except and when her husband, Victor, discovered her secret, he
Shakespeare. He is often considered to be “the father of divorced her and forced her to be committed to an insane
realism” in drama, and is also thought of as a pioneer of asylum. Ibsen, appalled by Kieler’s committal, wrote A Doll’s
Modernism. House in part as a way of defending her. After two years in the
asylum Kieler returned to live with her husband and children
HISTORICAL CONTEXT and became a famous author in Denmark.
The 1870s were dominated by strict Victorian social codes and
Scandalous: When it was Qrst performed and for many years
laws that severely restricted the rights of all women, and
afterwards, A Doll’s House caused quite the scandal for its
married women in particular. Governments throughout Europe
criticism of 19th-century marriage customs and portrayal of a
used the Napoleonic Code, which prevented women from
woman abandoning her family in order to gain a sense of self.
engaging in Qnancial transactions. Many women who
Pressured by several theatres and even the actress who was
conducted their own business or earned their own wages
supposed to play Nora in a German production of the play,
chose not to marry because the laws regarding what married
Ibsen wrote an alternative ending, in which Nora, upon seeing
women could do when it came to Qnances were so limiting. By
her children, changes her mind and stays with Torvald. He later
the beginning of the 20th century, things were beginning to
regretted doing this, calling the adapted ending “a barbaric
change as the female suffrage movement swept over Europe
outrage.”
and the world and women were awarded rights such as the
right to own property and the right to vote. However, for most
people in the late 1870s, such eventualities were not yet even a
distant dream.
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY
Nora Helmer, a young woman, enters her house carrying
RELATED LITERARY WORKS packages. It is Christmas Eve, and a porter delivers a Christmas
Another signiQcant playwright working in the realist tradition tree. Nora’s husband, Torvald, emerges from his study and
was the Russian writer Anton Chekhov, whose plays also greets her. She shows off the Christmas gifts she has bought
provide a critical examination of family, society, and morality. for their children, and although Torvald chastises her for
The Swedish playwright August Strindberg was inRuenced by spending too much, he is also very affectionate towards her,
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calling her his “little skylark” and “little squirrel.” The two of saying Krogstad was not in but that she left him a note. The Act
them celebrate the fact that Torvald has recently been ends with Nora declaring that she has thirty-one hours left to
promoted to Bank Manager, meaning they can have a more live.
comfortable life. Mrs. Linde and Dr. Rank arrive. Dr. Rank and Act Three opens on the next day. Krogstad comes to meet Mrs.
Torvald exit to talk in his study. Mrs. Linde, who hasn’t seen Linde at the Helmers’ house while they are at the ball. It is
Nora for eight years, tells her that she had an unhappy revealed that the two of them once loved each other but that
marriage and is now a widow hoping to Qnd a job. Nora their relationship ended when Mrs. Linde chose to marry a
promises her that she will ask Torvald to give her a job. Nora richer man because that was the only way to support her family.
then reveals a secret she has been hiding: when she and Mrs. Linde suggests that, now that their respective spouses
Torvald were Qrst married, she borrowed money in order to have both died, she and Krogstad marry so that she can take
Qnance a trip to Italy that was necessary to save Torvald’s life, care of his children and they can live a happier life together.
as he had grown ill. She has paid off the debt in installments, Krogstad is thrilled, and offers to ask for his letter to Torvald
secretly taking jobs and saving money from her allowance from back, as he now regrets his earlier actions. Mrs. Linde, however,
Torvald. tells him to leave it, saying that the truth must come out.
Nils Krogstad, an employee at the bank, arrives and talks to Krogstad leaves, and Nora and Torvald return from the ball.
Torvald in Torvald’s study. Dr. Rank comes out to talk to Nora Mrs. Linde urges Nora to tell her husband the truth, and then
and says that Krogstad is morally corrupt. Torvald enters, and she leaves as well. Torvald tells Nora how much he desires her,
after a brief conversation with Mrs. Linde, says he can give her but Nora stubbornly resists his advances. Dr. Rank arrives and
a job at the bank. Torvald, Mrs. Linde, and Dr. Rank exit, and talks happily about how much he enjoyed the party, especially
Nora plays happily with her children. Krogstad enters, and the wine. He leaves and Torvald discovers two visiting cards
Nora tells the children to go to their nursemaid and not tell that Dr. Rank put in his letterbox, indicating that he is about to
anyone about Krogstad’s visit. It is revealed that Krogstad is die. Nora says goodnight to Torvald and sneaks out to the hall,
the person who Nora borrowed money from. He explains that preparing to escape and commit suicide. However Torvald
he is being Qred by Torvald, and that Nora must stop this stops her, having discovered the letter from Krogstad. He is
happening or else Krogstad will tell everyone her secret. He furious with her, saying she has ruined his life and that,
adds that he has evidence that Nora forged her father’s although they will keep living together to preserve
signature in an IOU. Krogstad exits, and Torvald returns. Nora appearances, they cannot be happy and he won’t let her raise
tries to persuade him not to Qre Krogstad, but is unable to. their children.
Act Two begins the next day, on Christmas Day. Nora, alone on The maid brings a note from Krogstad saying he no longer
stage, worries about her fate. Mrs. Linde arrives to help Nora wishes to blackmail Nora; the IOU is enclosed. Torvald rejoices,
sew her costume for a fancy dress ball that is being held on saying he is saved and that he forgives Nora. However, Nora
Boxing Day. Nora is dressing as an Italian Qsher girl and plans reveals that she was going to kill her herself because she
on dancing the tarantella. Mrs. Linde asks to know more about thought that Torvald would step forward and defend her,
Nora’s secret, but Nora refuses to tell her anything for the ruining his life and career. She explains that she has realized
moment. Torvald enters and Nora tries again to convince him that she can no longer live with Torvald, whom she considers to
not to Qre Krogstad. However, the harder Nora tries, the be a stranger to her, and wishes to leave in order to discover a
angrier Torvald gets, and he eventually decides to send sense of who she is. Torvald at Qrst calls her stupid and insane,
Krogstad’s notice immediately. before changing his tone and promising to change so that she
Dr. Rank arrives and is depressed, telling Nora he will die soon. will stay. Nora, resolute, says she must leave. Torvald is left
She Rirts with him and seems to be considering whether to ask alone onstage in despair. The play ends with the sound of the
him for money. He reveals that he is in love with her, and Nora slam of the front door as Nora exits.
gives up the idea of asking him for help. Dr. Rank leaves and
Krogstad returns, asking if Nora had told Torvald her secret
and telling her his ambition to eventually run the bank. He CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS
leaves a letter explaining the secret debt and forgery in
Nor
Noraa Helmer – Nora Helmer is the heroine of the play. Still a
Torvald’s letterbox and exits. Mrs. Linde returns and Nora
young woman, she is married to Torvald Helmer and has three
explains the situation to her. Mrs. Linde tells Nora that she and
children. At the play’s outset, she is bubbly and carefree,
Krogstad used to be in love, and asks that Nora distract Torvald
excited about Christmas and her husband’s recent promotion.
while Mrs. Linde attempts to talk to Krogstad. Mrs. Linde
Although she is frustrated by the fact that the other characters
leaves, and Nora begs Torvald to help her rehearse the
believe she is a “spendthrift,” she does not seem to really mind,
tarantella. She dances in a crazed, uninhibited way, puzzling
and happily plays along with Torvald’s pet names for her, which
Torvald about what has gotten into her. Mrs. Linde returns,
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include “skylark,” “songbird,” “squirrel,” and “pet.” Torvald also family. She arrives in town in search of a job in order to earn
regularly refers to her and treats her as a child, for example, by money and survive independently. In this way, she is a fairly
forbidding her from eating macaroons, something she does modern woman; towards the end of the play, she explains to
anyway despite her promises of total obedience to him. The Krogstad that she Qnds joy and meaning in work. However, in
animal and child imagery both reRect Nora’s apparently other ways she is more traditional. She tells both Krogstad and
innocent, carefree nature, and suggest that her husband does Nora that she is miserable without other people to take care of,
not think of her as a proper adult because she is a woman. As thereby Qtting into the traditional role of women as caretakers
the play progresses, it is revealed that Nora’s disobedience and nurturers. It is this conviction that causes her to marry
consists of more than simply eating the occasional macaroon: Krogstad towards the end of the play. She believes very deeply
at the beginning of her marriage, she secretly borrowed money in honesty and stops Krogstad from taking the letter he wrote
from Nils Krogstad and forged her father’s signature in order to Torvald back, thereby ensuring that Torvald Qnd out about
to Qnance a trip to Italy that was necessary to save Torvald’s Nora’s secret. Although this at Qrst seems like a betrayal of
life. When Torvald Qnds out about the debt and fails to forgive Nora, it turns out to ultimately be a decision to Nora’s beneQt
her until he is sure that his reputation is safe, Nora realizes that as it is after Torvald Qnds out about the debt that Nora is able
her understanding of herself, her husband, her marriage, and to see the true nature of her marriage. This twist conQrms Mrs.
even her society was all wrong. She decides that she can no Linde’s belief that honesty is always better than deceit, even if
longer be happy in her life and marriage, and resolves to leave Mrs. Linde's expectation was that it was Nora's deceit that
Torvald and her home in order to Qnd a sense of self and learn needed to be exposed, not the shallowness of Torvald's
about the world. The play's Qnal image of Nora is of an feelings.
embittered yet sophisticated, intelligent, and newly Nils Krogstad – Nils Krogstad is, at least at the beginning, the
empowered woman boldly escaping the infantilizing clutches of antagonist of the play. Known to the other characters as
her old life. unscrupulous and dishonest, he blackmails Nora, who
Torvald Helmer – Torvald Helmer is a lawyer who at the play’s borrowed money from him with a forged signature, after
outset has recently been promoted to Bank Manager. He is learning that he is being Qred from his job at the bank. In the
married to Nora Helmer, with whom he has three children. He past, he too committed the crime of forgery, an act that he did
does not seem particularly fond of his children, even once not go to prison for but that nonetheless ruined his reputation
saying that their presence makes the house “unbearable to and made it extremely difQcult to Qnd a respectable job. Later in
anyone except mothers.” Straightforward and traditional in his the play it is revealed that he was once in love with Kristine
beliefs about marriage and society, he loves and is very Linde, who ended up marrying another man in order to have
affectionate towards Nora, but often treats her more as a pet, enough money to support her dying mother and young
child, or object than as a real person. His best friend is Dr. Rank, brothers. This left Krogstad lost and embittered, unhappy in his
who visits him every day. However, towards the end of the play own marriage, and is presented as the reason behind his moral
this friendship is revealed to be something of a façade, as corruption. At Qrst he treats Nora without mercy on the basis
Torvald seems untroubled and even a little relieved at the that no mercy has been shown to him in life; however, after he
thought of Dr. Rank’s death. A similar occurrence happens and Mrs. Linde decide to marry, he becomes happier and
when he Qnds out about Nora’s secret debt and instantly turns rescinds his threats to Nora, saying he regrets his behavior. He
on her until he realizes that his reputation is safe. Torvald's is one of several examples in the play of a person being forced
focus on status and being treated as superior by people like into morally questionable action as a result of the rigid and
Nils Krogstad, highlights his obsession with reputation and unmerciful forces of society.
appearances. When Nora tells him she is leaving him, Torvald at Dr
Dr.. Rank – Dr. Rank is a doctor who is best friends with Torvald
Qrst reacts by calling her mad and saying she is acting like a and Nora, who he visits every day. Dr. Rank suffers from spinal
stupid child. However, when he realizes how resolute she is in tuberculosis, a condition he believes was caused by his father’s
her decision, Torvald offers to change and desperately searches vices, which included having extramarital affairs and consuming
for a way to stay with her. His despair as Nora exits at the very too much luxurious food and drink. Dr. Rank is unmarried and
end of the play suggests that, despite his patronizing and unjust lonely, and over the course of the play it is revealed that he is in
treatment of her, Torvald really does love Nora (or at least the love with Nora. Cynical about life, he rejoices when he Qnds out
idea of her). that his illness is terminal, and insists that neither Torvald nor
Kristine Linde – Mrs. Linde, as she is generally known to the Nora visit him in his dying days. As he predicted, he is not
other characters, is an old friend of Nora's. She is a woman particularly missed by the other characters.
whose marriage was loveless, and based on a need for Qnancial The nursemaid – Nurse to both Nora and Nora's children, the
security, and who doesn’t have any children. She and Krogstad nursemaid, whose name is Anne Marie, is a kind woman who
had been in love at the time, but he was too poor to support her was forced to give up her own child, who it is suggested was
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born out of wedlock. The nursemaid is an example of a woman marriage above love. In the Qnal moments of the play, it's
in bad circumstances forced to do anything in order to survive. revealed that Nora's fear of the secret getting out is not a fear
When Nora Qrst thinks of leaving she considers the fact that that she will end up shamed and punished, but rather is based
her children will be raised by the nursemaid and, remembering on her certainty that Torvald will protect her by taking the
what a good mother the nursemaid had been to her, decides blame, and in so doing will ruin himself.
that she would also raise Nora’s children well. Nora is certain that beneath the role Torvald is playing, that he
The maid – The maid, whose name is Helene, is a servant in the loves her just as deeply as she loved him when she secretly
Helmers’ household. broke the rules of society. Of course, Torvald's reaction reveals
The porter – The porter delivers the Helmers’ Christmas tree. that he's not in fact "playing a role" at all—he really does put his
reputation Qrst, and he would never sacriQce it to protect Nora.
The children – Nora and Torvald have three children, whose
What Nora thought was role-playing was in fact the entire
names are Ivar, Bobby, and Emmy. Still fairly young, they
reality. This cements Nora’s disillusionment with her marriage,
delight in playing with their mother. Although they are referred
and with marriage in general—she comes to the conclusion that
to by the others very frequently, they are only once seen on
not only does Torvald not love her, but that the institution of
stage.
marriage, as it is conceived and practiced in her society, may
make love impossible. While Krogstad and Mrs. Linde's joyous
choice to marry may suggest that the play does not entirely
THEMES share Nora's view, it is important to note that their marriage
In LitCharts each theme gets its own color and number. Our does not at all conform to the norms of society. Mrs. Linde
color-coded theme boxes make it easy to track where the yearns for the purpose she would get by truly caring form
themes occur throughout the work. If you don't have a color someone she loves, while Krogstad sees Mrs. Linde not as some
printer, use the numbers instead. ornament to augment his reputation but as the source of the
salvation of his integrity.
1 LOVE AND MARRIAGE
2 GENDER
As a play focused around the marriage between Nora and
Torvald, A Doll's House can be seen as an exploration of love and A Doll’s House exposes the restricted role of women during the
marriage, or even, more profoundly, on whether there can be time of its writing and the problems that arise from a drastic
love in marriage. At the beginning of the play, Nora and Torvald imbalance of power between men and women. Throughout the
appear to be very happily married, even to themselves. Nora play, Nora is treated like a child by the other characters.
talks joyfully about her love for Torvald, and Torvald refers to Torvald calls her his “pet” and his “property,” and implies that
Nora using affectionate pet names. Their loving marriage she is not smart or responsible enough to be trusted with
stands in stark contrast with the lives of the other characters: money. Neither Krogstad nor Dr. Rank take her seriously, and
the marriages of Krogstad and Mrs. Linde were based on even Mrs. Linde calls her a “child.” While this treatment does
necessity rather than love, and were unhappy. While Dr. Rank seem to mildly frustrate Nora, she plays along with it, calling
was never married, and, it is revealed, has silently loved Nora herself “little Nora” and promising that she would never dream
for years. Yet although Nora and Torvald’s marriage is based on of disobeying her husband. However, there are clues that she is
love (as opposed to necessity, as was the case with Krogstad not entirely happy with the limited position she has as a woman.
and Mrs. Linde), it is nonetheless still governed by the strict When revealing the secret of how she borrowed money to
rules of society that dictated the roles of husband and wife. It is Qnance the trip to Italy, she refers to it as her “pride” and says it
clear that Nora is expected to obey Torvald and allow him to was fun to be in control of money, explaining that it was “almost
make decisions for her; meanwhile, it is important for Torvald’s like being a man.” Although she comes to regret her decision to
career that he is able to show off a successful marriage to a borrow money, Nora’s dissatisfaction with her status as a
dutiful woman. woman intensiQes over the course of the play. In the Qnal scene
she tells Torvald that she is not being treated as an
At Qrst it seems that Nora and Torvald both enjoy playing the
independent person with a mind of her own. Her radical
roles of husband and wife in a way that is considered
solution to this issue is to leave domestic life behind, despite
respectable by society. However, Nora soon reveals to Mrs.
Torvald's declaration that he will change. Nora's decision
Linde that she went behind Torvald’s back by borrowing the
suggests that she, and the play, see the issue as only partially
money from Krogstad, and therefore has already broken both
with Torvald. The more fundamental issue is with domestic life
the law and the rules of marriage at the time. This creates a
as it was conceived and lived at the time, in the way it legally
dilemma: Nora broke the rules of marriage, yet did so in order
and culturally infantilized women and made it impossible for
to save her husband’s life—a true act of love. Yet this is an act of
them to be recognized or treated as full individuals.
love that society condemns, thereby placing the rules of
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