Elements of Drama Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (1879)

1
Elements of DramaHenrik Ibsens A Dolls House
(1879)

• English 371
• Danika Rockett
• University of Baltimore

2
A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen (1828 1906)

• Godfather of modern drama
• Ibsens father was reckless with money
• At 16, Ibsen had an affair with a housemaid 10
  years his senior
• He suffered social humiliation because of their
  illegitimate son
• Eventually met and married Susannah, whose habits
  and intimate life he portrayed on stage
• Wrote about one play per year

3
A Dolls HouseLate Victorianism the Rise of
the Middle Class

• With so much change afoot, it is unsurprising
  that the new middle class preferred its
  entertainments to be either moral or
  inconsequential. Didactic literature, meant to
  train children and adults in the proper way to
  behave, flourished, as did all manner of home
  entertainments that allowed the middle class to
  escape the bewildering world of their dirty,
  slum-ridden cities.

4
A Dolls House The New Woman

• "The New Woman sprang fully armed from Ibsen's
  brain
• The New Woman pushed against the limits set by
  male-dominated society
• By the end of the 19th century, many of the
  social limitations of the Victorian period became
  insufferable, especially for the people who
  received the brunt of social scrutiny women and
  minorities. They began to rebel and demand equal
  rights.

5
Elements of Drama

• Character
• Action
• Conflict
• Plot
• Setting
• Symbolism
• Theme

6
What happens in this play?
7
A Dolls House Important Lines

• Nora Pooh, we can always borrow until then
  (148).
• Nora I mustnt be selfish today Im not going
  to think about anything but your troubles. I must
  just tell you one thing, though . . . . (155).
• Mrs. Linde Because you certainly couldnt have
  borrowed it (160).
• Nora It was almost like being a man (162).
• Helmer I take it youre a widow, Mrs. Linde?
  (167).

8
A Dolls House Important Lines

• Nora Why only mothers? (179).
• Nora Do you think theyd forget their mamma if
  she went away altogether? (182).
• Helmer suppose it were to get about that the
  new Manager had let himself be influenced by his
  wife (188).
• Rank Those who go away are quickly forgotten
  (192).
• Nora being with Torvald is very like being with
  Papa (196).
• Nora Ive been your doll-wife here (226).
• I believe that before everything else, I am a
  human being (228)

9
A Dolls House Important Lines

• Helmer Nora, Id gladly work night and day for
  you, and endure poverty and sorrow for your sake.
  But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one
  he loves.
• Nora Thousands of women have.
• What does this exchange imply about their
  perceived definitions of honour?

10
Elements of DramaCharacters

• Protagonist the main character (hero or
  heroine)
• Antagonist the protagonist struggles against
  this character (this is often a villain, but not
  necessarily)
• Foil serves to illuminate a main character,
  usually through contradiction (think of good
  Cinderella and her evil sisters)
• Confidante someone in whom the central
  character confides, thus revealing the main
  characters personality, thoughts, and intentions
  
• Dynamic a character who changes during the
  course of the story. The change in outlook or
  character is permanent.
• Static a character who remains primarily the
  same throughout a story. Events in the story do
  not alter a static characters outlook,
  personality, motivation, perception, habits, etc.

11
The Language of Characters

• Soliloquy
• Monologue
• Dialogue

12
The Language of CharactersSoliloquy

• A long speech by one character in which the
  speaker communicates special information only to
  the audience.
• To be or not to be

13
The Language of CharactersMonologue

• Like a soliloquy, it is a relatively lengthy
  passage spoken by one character
• Unlike a soliloquy, a monologue is addressed to
  other characters as well as to the audience.
• It serves the same function as soliloquy It
  permits an extended discussion of information,
  attitudes, or ideas of one character.

14
The Language of CharactersMonologue
Act III, p. 226

• Nora Its true, Torvald. When I lived at home
  with Papa, he used to tell me his opinion about
  everything, and so I had the same opinion. If I
  thought differently, I had to hide it from him,
  or he wouldnt have liked it. He called me his
  little doll, and he used to play with me just as
  I played with my dolls. Then I came to live in
  your house
• Helmer Thats no way to talk about our marriage!
• Nora undisturbed I mean when I passed out of
  Papas hands into yours. You arranged everything
  to suit your own tastes, and so I came to have
  the same tastes as yours or I pretended to. Im
  not quite sure which perhaps it was a bit of
  bothsometimes one and sometimes the other. Now
  that I come to look at it, Ive lived here like a
  paupersimply from hand to mouth. Ive lived by
  performing tricks for you, Torvald. That was how
  you wanted it. You and Papa have committed a
  grievous sin against me Its your fault Ive
  made nothing of my life.

15
The Language of CharactersDialogue

• Most words in a play are spoken between two
  characters.
• This exchange is called dialogue.
• Demonstrates agreements, conflicts,
  relationships, differing or similar beliefs, and
  motives between characters.
• Dialogue is the main element in a play for the
  development of character, plot, and theme.

16
The Language of CharactersDialogue

• Consider the following lines from Act I
• Helmer . . . Is that my little skylark
  twittering out there?
• Nora . . . It is.
• Helmer Scampering about like a little squirrel?
• Nora Yes.
• Helmer When did the squirrel come home?
• Nora Just this minute . . .
• How does this exchange reveal the dynamics of
  this relationship?

17
Elements of Drama Action

• The specific action is represented in brackets
• Every actor in a play not only speaks but also
  act and reacts to other characters and events.
• Torvalds finger wagging at Nora (151).
• Nora tosses her head as she walks away (158).
• Mrs. Lindes reaction to Krogstads entrance
  (163).
• Inaction, or refusal to act, is also important
• In drama, the action is often complex
• Tension builds because of Krogstads veiled
  threats to Nora and his speeches to Torvald,
  hinting at disaster.

18
Elements of DramaConflict

• Noras struggle with Krogstad, who threatens to
  tell her husband about her past crime, incites
  Noras journey of self-discovery and provides
  much of the plays dramatic suspense.
• Noras primary struggle, however, is against the
  selfish, stifling, and oppressive attitudes of
  her husband and of the Victorian society that he
  represents.

19
Elements of Drama Plot

• The plot in a dramatic or narrative work is the
  structure of its action, the main story.
• The plot is much more than a mere synopsis of the
  story.
• The plot centers on the protagonistthe main
  character (hero or heroine)
• The protagonist struggles against the antagonist,
  which could be another character or perhaps an
  idea or entity.
• The relationship between them becomes the
  conflict.

20
Elements of Drama PlotFreytags Pyramid
21
Elements of Drama Setting

• In drama, setting differs greatly
• from other forms of literature.
• The stage allows the playwright
• to avoid describing place (or
• setting) in great detail.

22
Elements of Drama Symbolism

• Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or
  colors used to represent abstract ideas or
  concepts (Think Torvald symbolizes society)
• In drama, symbols are often much more overtless
  subtlethan in other genres.
• In plays, symbols will sometimes appear on the
  stage itself to remind the audience of their
  presence.

23
Elements of DramaSymbolism

• The Christmas tree
• Torvalds diminutive
• nicknames for Nora
• Noras dance
• Noras change of clothing
• Christmas and New Year

24
Elements of Drama Theme

• The theme is the central or fundamental idea of a
  play (or a novel, a film, etc.).
• A literary work will have multiple themes
• Think about some of the themes weve discussed in
  this class

25
A Dolls House Characters

• Nora Helmer
• Torvald Helmer
• Dr. Rank
• Kristina Linde
• Nils Krogstad
• Children
• Anna-Maria (nurse)

26
A Dolls House Setting

• How does the setting function in relation to the
  plot?
• What is significant about the title?

27
Questions?
28
Reminders for Next Week

• Syllabus change for Monday The Ledger and Woolf
  readings are optional.
• We will quiz on the other assigned readings
• Mid-Term exam one week from today
• Multiple choice questions will come from Power
  Point presentations and class readings