Topics for Further Study
- Feminists often feel uneasy about the reconciliation between Kristine and Krogstad. While Nora is breaking free from the constraints of her marriage, Kristine is choosing to enter into one. Do you agree with some feminist critics who argue that Kristine's decision to reunite with Krogstad undermines Nora's quest for personal freedom? Explore the role of women in late nineteenth-century marriages and compare how Nora and Kristine each seek to define their identities within the social conventions of marital life.
- In an alternate ending that Ibsen was compelled to write, Nora looks at her sleeping children and realizes she cannot leave them. Instead of pursuing her freedom and self-discovery, she decides to stay in the marriage. Compare the two endings provided for this play. Considering the social and cultural context of the time, which ending do you believe more accurately reflects the realities of nineteenth-century European life?
- The Helmers' marriage can best be described as one built on deception. Torvald is unaware of Nora's true nature and loves the wife he believes he has. Similarly, Nora loves an illusion rather than reality. Throughout the play, these deceptions are gradually revealed, and they begin to see each other for who they truly are. The audience also gains insight into the reality of Victorian life. The ideal family, the decorated tree, and the holiday festivities all perpetuate the Victorian myth; but is it truly a myth? Examine the economic and social conditions of the nineteenth century. Charles Dickens's depiction of this society predates Ibsen's by less than fifty years, yet Dickens's view is often seen as particularly bleak and pessimistic. Do you agree, or is the artificiality of the Helmer household just as bleak as what is depicted in any Dickens novel?
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