What Do I Read Next?
- Joyce Carol Oates's short story, "The Lady With The Pet Dog," provides an intriguing contrast to how Nora addresses her marriage. This narrative is a retelling of the Chekhov story, but from the woman's perspective. Deception plays a significant role in this story, as Anna chooses to hide crucial events in her life. Her attempts to leave her marriage and create a new identity differ from Nora's because she internalizes these changes, avoiding the direct confrontation with her husband that Nora faces.
- In both William Shakespeare's Hamlet and Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, there exists a substantial gap between appearance and reality. If a character is defined by their words, actions, or what others say about them, then these plays offer fascinating opportunities to compare how different perceptions of personality influence the outcome of each play.
- Susan Glaspell's Trifles, written nearly forty years after A Doll's House, also explores the oppressive dynamics between men and women. The contrasting settings, particularly the dirt and poverty of the Wrights' home versus the decor of the Helmers', serve as an intriguing juxtaposition. Despite these differences, the female characters face similar struggles, and Mrs. Wright's method of escape presents an interesting counterpoint to Nora's.
- James Joyce's short story, "The Dead," can be compared to Ibsen's A Doll's House. Both stories depict a woman's struggle to gain emotional independence from a controlling husband. In each case, secrets and deception are part of the wife's past. Additionally, both feature Christmas as a backdrop for some of the events.
- In Ibsen's Ghosts, the author delves deeper into the consequences of a father's actions on his family. Similar to A Doll's House, this play uses naturalism to explain human behavior. The father's sins manifest in the son when he discovers he has inherited his father's venereal disease and that he is in love with his illegitimate half-sister. In A Doll's House, Dr. Rank also inherits his father's venereal disease.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.