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A Doll's House

by Henrik Ibsen

37 Installments—Entirely free

(Preview)

Members' Rating: 3.90from 10 Ratings and 1 Review

Tags: Classics, Drama

ISBN:1580495982

A Doll's House
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Description

A husband treats his wife with condescension and contempt until she finally revolts in A Doll’s House, a provocative play about gender roles and societal norms. Nora and Torvald Helmer appear to have a playful and affectionate relationship, and the play opens on Christmas Eve, setting a cheery, festive tone. Torvald has just been promoted at the bank and this windfall is sure to ease some of their financial difficulties. But when their friend Krogstad, who also works at the bank, comes to pay a visit, this new-found sense of comfort is quickly undermined. Years ago when Torvald was ill, Nora had taken out a secret loan to help pay for his treatments—she has kept this secret from her husband and from society, which would frown on a woman dabbling in finance without her husband’s consent. Krogstad is revealed to be the source of that loan, and he now blackmails Nora into helping him keep his job at the bank. Terrified of her husband’s reaction, Nora decides to commit suicide if the truth comes to light. Krogstad reveals that he has put the incriminating evidence in Torvald’s mailbox, and throughout several tense scenes Nora tries to distract her husband from reading the letter. In its emotionally violent climax, the play reveals just how much Nora has been marginalized in her marriage as she reaches the moment of ultimate rebellion.


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Opening Lines (Experimental)

Torvald Helmer.
Nora, his wife.
Doctor Rank.
Mrs. Linde.
Nils Krogstad.
Helmer's three young children.
Anne, their nurse.
A Housemaid.
A Porter.
(SCENE.--A room furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagantly. At the back, a door to the right leads to the entrance-hall, another ...

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Member review

title

4/5 4.00

Reviewed by Christiana on Apr 20, 2009

Very appropriate title

'Twas insightful and revealing. I appreciated it for the understanding it portayed of the culture, and subtle opression of woman's intellect and value. It was also entertaining tho a bit quaint. It painted a vivid picture of the times. I enjoyed it and was very entertained.

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Ratings for 'A Doll's House' by Ibsen, Henrik


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4th_Wall 4.00   2010-01-04
Christiana 4.00 Read review 2009-04-20
dshirin 3.00   2009-06-25
Faustess 5.00   2011-08-02
KimberlyMyers 5.00   2010-02-14
Pemster 5.00   2012-12-25
SandraD 2.00   2010-07-05
shard527 4.00   2009-02-13
vanessanicole21 4.00   2011-05-24
Vnessa128 3.00   2012-01-21

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