The Plot in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House Essay - 1166 Words

The play A Doll House (1879), by Henrik Ibsen, has a realistic feel that compels the reader to identify with the main characters and the situation that they find themselves facing. The wife, Nora, is in all but one scene, and nearly all the scenes occur in a single room. She is the main character, and it is her unraveling and self-discovery that the reader is spectator to. Act I begins by introducing Nora Helmer. She enters the room carrying packages and eating macaroons. Noras husband, Torvald, enters the living room as Nora quickly hides her sweets from him. This interaction sets the world of the play, acting as the prologue. We learn that Torvald has forbidden her to eat macaroons, or any sweets, in order to keep her teeth†¦show more content†¦Nora shares with Mrs. Linde about the vacation they took to Italy and how it was her father who had paid their way. The reader is suspicious; Nora may be lying, and, in fact, the reader quickly finds that she is. When Mrs. Linde makes an off-hand remark about how na#239;ve and childish Nora is, Nora rushes to boast that in fact her father did not pay for their vacation but that she, Nora, had taken out a loan herself in order to save her husbands life. This is the beginning of the rising action, with the first complication following as the reader learns that Torvald does not know of Noras actions even after eight years of marriage. Nora goes a step further as questioning continues and admits to Mrs. Linde that shell keep the revelation of that secret from Torvald until such time as she needs it for leverage, such as when her looks and charm wear off. Just how important the `secret is to the play becomes evident in the chain of events surrounding the misunderstood Krogstads first visit to the Helmer home. Krogstad loaned Nora the money and now works at the bank with Torvald. His reputation was sullied years before for actions very similar to Noras. Nora begins to show the fragility of her fa#231;ade by wringing her hands and whispering to herself. Moments later, Nora thinks about Krogstad being dependent on Torvald and laughs out loud in front of Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde. It is the first sign thatShow MoreRelatedHerik Ibsen: Father of Modern Drama1459 Words   |  6 PagesCondor Mrs. Besnard IB English HL2 21 November 2013 Henrik Ibsen as â€Å"The Father of Modern Drama† Henrik Ibsen has long been referred to as the Father of Modern Drama, and such title has rightly been given so. Mr. Ibsen was one of the pioneer theatre dramaturges that began the Modernism Movement, primarily known as the Realism Movement. Modernism/Realism was a revolutionary idea back in Ibsen s time. 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She then struggles to hide it when the lender, Krogstad, threatens to reveal her crime to her husband, Torvald Helmer. Dr. Rank appears to play a minor role in the story but his illness is a highly underrated element. Dr. Rank plays an important role in A Doll’s House through h is companionship with Nora, his illness and his choices. Ibsen’s elaboration of Doctor Rank’s role is