Women’s suffrage and Feminism in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen By Marissa, Lora K, Julia, Jonathan, Rachel and Nimali

Short Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifiPIlAa1CY

only 3 min-5 min

1870’s● Play was written in Norway, in 1879● Described as “The feminist awakening of a

good middle class wife and mother”● Describes life of Nora Helmer, struggling to

find herself in a world controlled by male dominance

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Women’s rights● women were controlled by men● could not partake in any politics● men were breadwinners (no jobs)● role was to take care of children and

husband● house work (such as cook, clean, etc.)

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Henrik IbsenWhen he wrote this play, women were viewed as second class citizensThere were women at the time who were trying to break free from the social clashes between men and women (obtaining more rights)Some say these women, or other attempts to break the “societal norm”, inspired Ibsen to write A Doll’s House.L

InfluencesHis mother had a huge role in influencing Ibsen’s lifeshe was a painter, which encouraged Ibsen to be interested in arts in the first place

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InfluencesIt is believed that an event in Ibsen’s life truly inspired the writing of A Doll’s House.In 1870, Ibsen became interested in Laura Kieler, a woman who sent him a sequel of his play Brand called Brand’s Daughters. She visited him often in the summer of 1872. When she married a few years later, her husband fell ill and was advised to move somewhere warmer. Laura, like Nora, secretly borrowed money for the trip and falsified a note, and the bank refused payment. She told her husband the whole story which resulted in him demanding a divorce and removing the children from her. He only took her back after she spent time in a public asylum.M

Influences● Unlike Laura, Nora is the one who left the family and did

not tell her husband of the forged note. ● Torvald is seen as generous and sympathetic when she

says she is leaving in the end unlike Laura’s husband● Also both of their husband became ill enough where

they were in a money needing situation in the first place

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IndividualityNora really shows the idea of a woman leaving the traditional and normal expectations of the time period when she;

● talks back to her husband● leaves her husband

-trying to be her own individual and not solely someone’s “doll wife”“HELMER Before all else, you're a wife and a mother. NORA I don't believe in that anymore. I believe that, before all else, I'm a human being, no less than you--or anyway, I ought to try to become one” (Ibsen 2231).-Shows her thirst for individuality and self separation from her controlling husbandM

Nora’s rejection of marriage and motherhood scandalized contemporary audiences.

George Steiner claims that the play is “founded on the belief…that women can and must be raised to the dignity of man,” but Ibsen himself believed it to be more about the importance of self-liberation than the importance of specifically female liberation—yet his contemporary Steiner certainly disagreed, calling the play a “barbaric outrage” because of the feminism he perceived it as promoting.J

CriticsCritics agree that, until the last moments of the play, A Doll’s House could easily be just another modern drama broadcasting another comfortable

moral lesson.

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ReviewsMorgenbladet-A Doll’s House reviewed by Morgenbladet in Kristiania 10th December 1879.

“In undeniable opposition to this, Henrik Ibsen has always in his plays sought to unite a thorough structure with a complex characterization, and in the best of them, he has succeeded in fusing these parts into unities belonging to the most outstanding dramatic works of art of which modern literature can boast. Never has this fusion seemed to have succeeded so totally for him”J

ReviewsErik Vullum-A Doll’s House reviewed by Erik Vullum in Dagbladet in Kristiania 6th and 13th December 1879.

“Already from this short report, which has had to put all the many excellent details aside, one will receive an idea of what Ibsen has targeted, and how he has done it. "A Doll’s House" is the individual’s opposition against the demands of traditional religion and the way society is organised, carried out with a ruthless consequence which has never before been seen in our literature. With which artistic means this is accomplished, what there is in our society justifying such a work, and which effects a play like this last one from Ibsen will have on us, demand an article of its own”.Jon

ReviewsAmalie SkramA Doll’s House reviewed by the signature -ie (Amalie Skram) in Dagbladet in Kristiania 19th January 1880 (No. 15, 12th Volume).

“But the warning is that one should not mistake the problems. When the woman first has risen, she will never let herself be stopped again. Like Nora, she will let the duties that her doll-life gave birth to fall dead to the ground, because the work with her own, neglected self will absorb and annul everything else. Even a mother’s love is torn up with the roots and thrown away in pain, because the waters of the Deluge in the moment of wakening has passed over her soul and washed away everything that used to grow in there”.Jon

In both reviews, along with many others, they describe the tragic story, but are able to give positive feedback and strong recommendations for the play.

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Pictures

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Questions?!?!1. When and where was the play written?2. The play was described as “The feminist ____________ of a good

middle class wife and mother”3. What were the three MAIN expected jobs women had around this

time?4. Besides his mother, who mainly inspired Ibsen to write A Doll’s

House?5. What does George Steiner call the play due to the play promoting

feminism?6. Was there more positive feedback or negative feedback of Ibsen’s

play?

Works Cited page● http://www.gradesaver.com/a-dolls-house/study-guide/about/● http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll’s_House● https://www.google.com/search?

q=feminism+in+a+doll's+house&rlz=1C1TSNF_enUS512US512&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=I9VmUtD9A6OCyAHJqIHoBQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=MV5dhtTUsr0LsM%3A%3BeMOPwLS_T70NAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.buzzmag.co.uk%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2012%252F04%252FDHBhW9vv.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.buzzmag.co.uk%252Freviews%252Fa-dolls-house-stage-review%252F%3B443%3B312

● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifiPIlAa1CY● http://www.italki.com/entry/354495● http://ibsen.nb.no/id/11186622.0