A Doll's House

1879 play by Henrik Ibsen


A Doll's House (also translated from Danish as A Doll House) is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879.[1] The play is set in a Norwegian town circa 1879.

List of characters change

 
Adeleide Johannessen in character as Nora, from a cigarette card of c. 1880–82
  • Nora Helmer – wife of Torvald, mother of three, represents the 19th-century wife, but leaves her family at the end of the play.
  • Torvald Helmer – Nora's husband, a newly promoted bank manager, who loves his wife but their marriage does not make her happy.
  • Dr. Rank – a rich family friend. He is terminally ill.
  • Kristine Linde – Nora's old school friend, widowed, is looking for a job.
  • Nils Krogstad – an employee at Torvald's bank and single father.
  • The Children – Nora and Torvald's children: Ivar, Bobby and Emmy (in order of age).
  • Anne Marie – Nora's former nanny, who gave up her own daughter to "strangers" when she became, as she says, the only mother Nora knew. She now cares for Nora's children.[2]
  • Helene – the Helmers' maid
  • The Porter – delivers a Christmas tree to the Helmer household at the beginning of the play.

References change

  1. Meyer (1967, 477).
  2. Byatt, A. S. (1 May 2009). "Blaming Nora". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 May 2017.