A Doll's House

There are three women in this story: Nora, Kristine, and Anne Marie. What do their different experiences say about the pressures women faced at the end of the 19th century?

Every scene in the play takes place in the living room of Torvald and Nora’s house. Why do you think Ibsen chose to confine the action to this single room?

When this play was first performed, audiences pressured Ibsen to write a more conventional ending in which Nora almost leaves but ultimately stays to care for her children. Ibsen hated this ending and regretted allowing it to be performed. Instead of a conventional “happy ending,” try writing a scene that follows Nora’s first day outside her home. What do you think Nora might discover about the world after she leaves?

Why do you think Ibsen chose to have both Krogstad and Nora commit fraud? And why forgery rather than any other crime?

What does the character of Kristine say about the restrictions on women’s lives? How is Kristine shaped by a sexist world? How does her final choice compare to Nora’s?

Why did Ibsen include Dr. Rank in this play? What purpose does he serve? How do his actions and choices compare to Torvald’s and Krogstad’s?

Consider why Ibsen set this play during Christmas and New Year’s Day. What symbolic purpose does this time of year serve here?

What do you think happens to Nora’s children after she leaves? Write a scene from the adult lives of her children. How might their lives turn out differently than Nora’s? How might the way the world changed at the end of the 19th century also shape their lives and choices?