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 * Title: A Doll's House **
 * Author: Henrik Ibsen **
 * Date of Publication:1879 **
 * Literary Period: Realism Victorian Era? **
 * Genre: Realism **

Victorian Era Norway. Although a woman presided over the head of Europe's most influential/powerful country women had no real power. Figure heads from wife to queen. The setting is the Helmer house. The relevance of the setting is its relation to the title. The residence is Nora's domain and confinement as she WILLFULLY fulfills the role of Torvald's doll.
 * Describe the setting and then explain the relevance of the setting. **

It's necessary for marriages and all relationships in general to have realistic expectations from each other.
 * Themes (These statements should be complete sentences and completely developed ideas) **

Depression stems from unmet expectations.

The feeling of empowerment can blind the person who recently gained their rights. In "A Doll's House" Ibsen shows Nora's foolish decision after gaining equal stance with her husband.

Nora and Torvald Helmer are a married couple with small children. Torvald considers Nora his "little skylark" which indicates his paternalistic relationship with her. The title "Doll's House" alludes to the situation of the mother, Nora. She has no real power over her life. Or rather she has no authority. In her relationship with Torvald her role can be juxtaposed with a doll in a doll house. The doll does what it is directed to do and it would be preposterous for a doll to control its actions. Moreover, a doll is confined to its house unless its authority allows it to exit. Evidence in the novel proves that Nora deeply loves Torvald despite her role as a doll; she breaks the law, does business with a loanshark, and spends years secretly working to pay the loan shark off for the money required to nurse her husband back to health. However the couple obviously has serious flaws if Nora knows she cannot tell her husband how she helped him. She cites his "pride" and "image" as the fatal issue. Eventually
 * Plot Summary (Please do not copy and paste. Simply list the high points of the novel) - Consider creating a visual flow chart or graph and posting it here. **

“I have been performing tricks for you, Torvald. That’s how I’ve survived. You wanted it like that. You and Papa have done me a great wrong. It’s because of you I’ve made nothing of my life” (68; sc. 3). Nora cannot blame the men for all her problems. It is never somebody else's fault that you fail to engage life. However, Nora is blinded and foolish and makes a stupid decision when she leaves. Helmer. You blind, foolish woman! This is the first time Torvald calls Nora a woman and not a "Skylark" or pet names along those lines. She is a woman for making an adult decision for the first time. One may argue that taking out the loan for Torvald was an adult decision; however that was still a childish decision since it was only to preserve the ignorant and unrealistic relationship they had. "How painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald to know he owed me anything!"
 * Memorable Quotes and their SIGNIFICANCE. **

Torvald and Nora's relationship is very artificial and unbalanced. Although they do have real love for each other Torvald views Nora as the Victorian Era woman complete with a

Nora has to hide macaroons from her own husband. Just like a child she has restrictions on candy and has to sneak it.
 * Describe the significance of the opening scene. **

Nora finally sees the façade that her relationship with Torvald is. Although the realization is tough she and the reader cannot blame Torvald solely. As Torvald failed to play the role of the knight in shining armor Nora experienced the harsh reality that she has no existence beyond being a doll. In the final scene Ibsen may have proven the final point: Nora, and other "dolls" cannot make their own decisions because they do not know how; not because they are inferior but because the years of fantastical role-play have dumbed down their self-reliance. Therefore, Nora's brazen decision to leave her children and husband is foolish and suicidal.
 * Describe the significance of the closing scene. **
 * Tone shifts are littered throughout the closing scene. **


 * List importance characters and their significance. **
 * Nora ** -submissive. Seems childish. Cause of the biggest plot device (she used a loanshark to have enough money to nurse her husband and secretly works to pay it back)
 * Torvald ** -Husband of Nora. Comfortable with (only) control and authority.
 * Christine ** -Manipulative and untrustworthy yet also brings honestly into the play when she orchestrates the revelations of the Hemler family secrets
 * Krogstad ** - seems bad at first but redeems himself when we realize his point of view: the forgery years ago hurts his name and prospects and he needs to provide for his family.
 * Dr. Rank is the Hemler's close family friend. He has a severe illness that has him wasting away. Symbolically Dr. Rank inherited the punishment from the sins of his father. **