Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial Norway

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university exam

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theaters in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)Leaves Norway

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)Leaves Norway and the theater

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)Leaves Norway and the theaterLife of exile on the Continent

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)Leaves Norway and the theaterLife of exile on the ContinentTurn to reading drama

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)Born in provincial NorwayFails university examWorks for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)Leaves Norway and the theaterLife of exile on the ContinentTurn to reading dramaReturn to theater, with new drama

Ibsen, founder of modern drama

Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis)

Ibsen, founder of modern drama

Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis)Critique of political and religious authorities

Ibsen, founder of modern drama

Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis)Critique of political and religious authoritiesScandals at openings; censorship

Ibsen, founder of modern drama

Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis)Critique of political and religious authoritiesScandals at openings; censorshipDrama grapples with important problems of the

day

Ibsen, founder of modern drama

Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis)Critique of political and religious authoritiesScandals at openings; censorshipDrama grapples with important problems of the

dayIbsen is being translated and staged all over

Europe and soon all over the world

Ibsen in the English-speaking world

First translation into English by poet William Archer

Ibsen in the English-speaking world

First translation into English by poet William Archer

Finds strong supporter in George Bernard Shaw

Ibsen in the English-speaking world

First translation into English by poet William Archer

Finds strong supporter in George Bernard ShawThe Ibsen Campaign

A Doll’s House (1879)

The scandal of the ending (slammed door)“[From below is heard the reverberation of a

heavy door closing]”

A Doll’s House (1879)

The scandal of the ending (slammed door)“[From below is heard the reverberation of a

heavy door closing]”One producer forced Ibsen to write an

alternative ending

A Doll’s House (1879)

The scandal of the ending (slammed door)“[From below is heard the reverberation of a

heavy door closing]”One producer forced Ibsen to write alternative

endingRecent production has Nora return as well

Ostermeier, Nora

A Doll’s House (1879)

The scandal of the ending (slammed door)One producer forced Ibsen to write alternative

endingRecent production has Nora return as wellShaw, “Discussion Play”

A Doll’s House (1879)

The scandal of the ending (slammed door)One producer forced Ibsen to write alternative

endingRecent production has Nora return as wellShaw, “Discussion Play”Icon of Feminism

Mabou Mines Dollhouse

Ibsen’s World

Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankers

Ibsen’s World

Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankersWorld of bourgeois capitalism (Weber)

Ibsen’s World

Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankersWorld of bourgeois capitalism (Weber)Not set at the office or workplace

Ibsen’s World

Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankersWorld of bourgeois capitalism (Weber)Not set at the office or workplaceHome

Ibsen’s World

Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankersWorld of bourgeois capitalism (Weber)Not set at the office or workplaceHome“[comfortably and tastefully, but not expensively,

furnished]”

The Helmer Household (oikos)

Christmas treeNora: “how much?”Nora’s habits of tipping and spendingTorvald’s financial future and his thoughts on

debt

H: Supposing I borrowed a thousand crowns to-day, and you made ducks and drakes of them during Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a tile blew off the roof and knocked my brains out .

N: [Laying her hand on his mouth] Hush! How can you talk so horridly?

T: But supposing it were to happen—what then?N: If anything so dreadful happened, it would be all the same to

me whether I was in debt or not.T: But what about the creditors?N: They! Who cares for them? They're only strangers.T: Nora, Nora! What a woman you are. But seriously, Nora, you

know my principles on these points. No debts! No borrowing! Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt. We two have held out bravely till now, and we are not going to give in at the last. (5-6).

H: Supposing I borrowed a thousand crowns to-day, and you made ducks and drakes of them during Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a tile blew off the roof and knocked my brains out .

N: [Laying her hand on his mouth] Hush! How can you talk so horridly?

T: But supposing it were to happen—what then?N: If anything so dreadful happened, it would be all the same to

me whether I was in debt or not.T: But what about the creditors?N: They! Who cares for them? They're only strangers.T: Nora, Nora! What a woman you are. But seriously, Nora, you

know my principles on these points. No debts! No borrowing! Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt. We two have held out bravely till now, and we are not going to give in at the last. (5-6).

The Helmer Household

Money as Christmas tree ornament: “Oh, please do, dear Torvald, please do! I should

hang the money in lovely gilt paper on the Christmas-tree. Wouldn't that be fun? “

Nora’s thrift and industry

When Torvald gave me money for clothes, and so on, I never spent more than half of it; I always bought the simplest and cheapest things. . . . Well, and besides that, I made money in other ways. Last winter I was so lucky—I got a heap of copying to do. I shut myself up every evening and wrote far into the night. Oh, sometimes I was so tired, so tired. And yet it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man." (28)

Nora’s thrift and industry

When Torvald gave me money for clothes, and so on, I never spent more than half of it; I always bought the simplest and cheapest things. . . . Well, and besides that, I made money in other ways. Last winter I was so lucky—I got a heap of copying to do. I shut myself up every evening and wrote far into the night. Oh, sometimes I was so tired, so tired. And yet it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man." (28)

Nora’s thrift and industry

When Torvald gave me money for clothes, and so on, I never spent more than half of it; I always bought the simplest and cheapest things. . . . Well, and besides that, I made money in other ways. Last winter I was so lucky—I got a heap of copying to do. I shut myself up every evening and wrote far into the night. Oh, sometimes I was so tired, so tired. And yet it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man." (28)

Constellations of characters

1. Nora - Torvald2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad3. Dr. Rank

1. Nora - Torvald

Torvald’s “loathing of debt” (27)

1. Nora - Torvald

Torvald’s “loathing of debt” (27)Nora’s industry and frugality

1. Nora - Torvald

Torvald’s “loathing of debt” (27)Nora’s industry and frugalityHer disregard for creditors

Constellations of characters

1. Nora - Torvald2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Krogstad’s shady dealings

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Krogstad’s shady dealingsMrs. Linden: “His business is not the most

creditable, they say" (32).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Krogstad’s shady dealingsMrs. Linden: “His business is not the most

creditable, they say" (32). Dr. Rank: "a moral incurable" (33).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Krogstad’s shady dealingsMrs. Linden: “His business is not the most

creditable, they say" (32). Dr. Rank: "a moral incurable" (33). Krogstad: "I must try to recover my character"

(47).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Krogstad’s shady dealingsMrs. Linden: “His business is not the most

creditable, they say" (32). Dr. Rank: "a moral incurable" (33). Krogstad: "I must try to recover my character"

(47). Dr. Rank: “I have been auditioning my life

account—bankrupt" (80).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Mrs. Linden: “I must have work or I can’t bear to live. All my life, as long as I can remember, I have worked; work has been my one great joy.” (115)

.

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Mrs. Linden: “I must have work”She married for money

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad

Mrs. Linden: “I must have work”She married for moneyBecause her father left her nothing

Constellations of characters

1. Nora - Torvald2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad3. Dr. Rank

3. Dr. Rank

Nora: "You see, he suffers from a dreadful illness. He has spinal consumption, poor fellow. They say his father was a horrible man, who kept mistresses and all sorts of things—so the son has been sickly from his childhood, you understand." (67).

3. Dr. Rank

Nora: "You see, he suffers from a dreadful illness. He has spinal consumption, poor fellow. They say his father was a horrible man, who kept mistresses and all sorts of things—so the son has been sickly from his childhood, you understand." (67).

Inheritance

Nora inherited traits from father, who was not “unimpeachable” (Torvald)

Inheritance

Nora inherited from father, who was not “unimpeachable” (Torvald)

He suffered from slander

Inheritance

Nora inherited from father, who was not “unimpeachable” (Torvald)

He suffered from slanderNora might corrupt her children

Feminism

Feminism and bourgeois capitalism

Feminism and bourgeois capitalismCritique of law (wife cannot borrow without her

husband’s consent)

Feminism and bourgeois capitalismCritique of law (wife cannot borrow without her

husband’s consent)Critique of patriarchal paternalism

Feminism and bourgeois capitalismCritique of law (wife cannot borrow without her

husband’s consent)Critique of patriarchal paternalism