Ibsen mainly wrote poetic and historical dramas, it is though the Realist Cycle - twelve plays of modern life - that made him most famous. These plays were revolutionary in their style. Ibsen has been donned the Father of modern drama due to these plays and use of this style. We are so used to seeing realistic drama today that we may forget how ground breaking the concept would have been in Ibsen's day. Within these plays Ibsen aimed to not merely imitate the world around him:
Ibsen method was not to imitate Norwegian reality but to reinvent it: - as a metaphoric and histrionic space that could never exist in actuality. (Brian Johnston. Realism and A Dolls House. Available:http://www.ibsenvoyages.com/e-texts/doll/index.html)
Before Ibsen burst onto the scene most European Theatre fell into two categories romanticism, or the French 'well-made play.' The purpose of these plays though was to merely entertain. The acting style within these plays was unrealistic. These plays did not explore the more serious matters of life and did not trouble their selves with psychological insight. Ibsen introduced his audience to something new, something real. Ibsen's plays sparked a revolution in theatre. It led to an ascendancy of realistic theatre throughout Europe and America in the second part of the nineteenth century. This realistic theatre consisted of stories and characters that could be found in real life and pushed out idealised situations. This new wave of theatre also didn't contain unnaturally heroic characters and the typical happy ending. Characters in realistic theatre spoke in a naturalistic way and all of the dialogue was written in prose. During this period people were concerning their selves with more political and social issues :
there seems to be rejection of Romantic idealism; pragmatism reigned instead. The common man seemed to feel that he needed to be recognized, and people asserted themselves through action. (Edwin Wilson, Alvin Goldfarb (1999). Living Theatre: A History. .: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. Ch.14. )
This need led to more social and ethical issues needing to be depicted within theatre. Ibsen didn't just depict the simple need for change in A Dolls House though he showed that these changes were possible. The General philosophy of realism is that it advances the hope that people possess the reason and will to improve their situation and condition and to see their need for improvement.
Ibsen showed that Nora did not need to stay with Torvald at the end of the play, and had the choice to leave. This is why the play was so shocking in its day it interrupted the normality of society. There was also a growing interest in psychology during this period. This can be seen within A Dolls House as there is a strong focus on psychological insight and into characters nature and motives. Along with a focus on conflict between characters and the characters development within a play.
The realisitic nature of A Dolls House seems to have been adopted from concepts outlined by Aristotle (384-322 BC) in his Poetics. Ibsen follows most of the rules outlined by Aristotle in that the events of A Dolls House cover around about 60 hours (not the 24 outlined by Aristotle) and are confined to one place, the Helmer's apartment. These stipulations create a sense of reality and place a direct focus on the character's psychology within one confined and claustrophobic space. The use of Aristotle's rules intensify the sense of restraint and repression that is defined by the plot.
European theatre-goers were shocked by what they saw in A Doll's House. With it's realism being portrayed so brilliantly, its believable ordinary/everyday characters and its sense of looking through the key hole into a real marriage with real problems. It wasn't just that they weren't used to seeing this realistic style in the theatre it also addressed social issues. It's shock factor was that it addressed social problems that everyone knew existed but that were never addressed. These issues included the hidden aspects of marriage and the 'women question':
Many of the historical changes that characterized the Victorian period motivated discussion and argument about the nature and role of woman - what the Victorians called "The Woman Question." (Norton Anthology of English Literature. The Victorian Age/ The Woman Question. Available:http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/victorian/topic_2/welcome.htm)
Symbolism is used throughout the play by Ibsen and his use of metaphors seems to be key in the telling of the story and a great meaning to A Dolls House. The first apparent metaphor comes from the title, the doll in A Dolls House . In Act 3, Nora expresses to Torvald that both her Father and him have treated her like a doll-child and have played with her as if she has had no opinion of her own. She then expresses how they have committed "a great sin" against her in stopping her from growing up and maturing as she wishes. Torvald's pet names for Nora also symbolise the way he views her. Torvald's pet names for Nora are usually pre modified with "little" showing us he sees her as a child and as someone not on the same level as him. The responsibility for Nora's immature and stunted state does not wholly lie on Torvald. In Act 1 Nora acts like a spoilt and silly child and later on when she is dancing the Tarantella she acts as a captivating and decorative plaything for Torvald. Both of these acts are for the benefit of Torvald who wants her to need him. It isn't just Torvald who wants this arrangement Nora gains security from the arrangement also.
Some critics have viewed Torvald as another doll in A Dolls House as he is sheltered from the truth by Nora and Dr Rank, just as a child would be. It can also be viewed that Torvald is as restricted in his role as Nora is by hers. He uses her as decorative plaything and Nora uses him as a provider of money and security.
The pet names Torvald uses for Nora are symbolic of her role and revelation within the play. Torvald calls her "Little squirrel/skylark/songbird" . These names are symbolic of the way Torvald views her, as someone who isn't equal. What these names also symbolise though is Nora's need for freedom. All of the animals Torvald dons upon Nora are wild and do not belong in cages. Just as Nora wishes to not be in the restricted posession of Torvalds metaphorical cage.
Symbolism is present throughout A Dolls House Ibsen uses symbolism in order to add depth to the story and also to give the audience hints of what's to come. On the Tarantella Jennette Lee says that:
Coming in the natural course of the play, it seems a simple stage device, a mere feature of the fancy-dress ball, which, in its turn, is an episode of the play. But the tarantelle is not an ordinary dance. It is named for the tarantula, and its swift movement and dizzying rounds are measured to the victims of that poisonous sting. Round and round, in frenzied, hurrying course, swifter and swifter -- laughter and chatter and flight -- till they drop dead. Only a miracle may save them. (Jenette Lee (1910). The Ibsen Secret: A Key to the Prose Drama of Henrik Ibsen. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 8-19. )
As you can see from this description the Tarantella symbolises the whole of the play. It is important that Torvald tells Nora to practice this dance while he closes himself away in his office. "I shall hear nothing; you can make as much noise as you please." The fact that Nora is practicing this passionate dance alone illustrates her isolation within the marriage. She tries to distract with the dance though to stop him from opening Krogstad's letter and persuades him to watch her. The mythology of this dance is that it is done to rid herself of poison. Depending on which way the audience interprets the symbolism it can be seen that the poison is either the threat of Krogstad's letter, or the poison of lies and hypocrisy that depicts the Helmer marriage. Jenette Lee embodies this use of symbolism far better than I can:
The tarantelle is the symbol of Nora. Its wild, unresting movement is the tragedy of her nature -- light and frivolous on the surface, but concealing underneath a dread secret -- a wound that carries death in its train. It is the gruesome climax of Nora's doll life, and it is placed where the chief symbol of Ibsen's play is always placed, at the climax of the play. It is the culmination of the plot. The action approaches it and ebbs from it. It is a torch set at the apex, flaring both ways. (Jenette Lee (1910). The Ibsen Secret: A Key to the Prose Drama of Henrik Ibsen. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 8-19. )
Light is also used as a device by Ibsen. It is used most often in the play to symbolise Nora's state of awareness. When Nora is talking to Dr Rank and after Torvald exclaims he is man enough to take everything upon himself (Act 2) the light on stage begins to grow darker. This use of symbolism shows us two things. Firstly it shows us how Nora is using her sexual side to manipulate Dr Rank into giving her the money to pay off her outstanding loan. When Dr Rank confesses his true love for Nora though she brings in a lamp, expressing that he must feel ashamed of himself now the light has come. Another use of light by Ibsen is the use of the image of Dr Rank and Nora in a pool of light from a struck match. This pool of light does not include Torvald. This coming together through light expresses their bond together.
It can be noted as a symbol that the play begins on New Years Day. A day that is seen as a new beginning and a fresh start. At the beginning of the play both Nora and Torvald are looking forward to a fresh start. Torvald is starting a new job and Nora is looking for ward to being set free from her debt. The new start does not pan out as first anticipated though Nora's fresh start is due to her leaving her children and Torvald. Other New beginnings consist of Mrs Linde's and Krogstad's life of now being together. Also Dr Ranks death which can be seen as a moving on or an end depending on viewpoint.
It is interesting to note the ending of the play and the plays final stage direction of a door slamming shut. This final stage direction has come to symbolise the closing of the 19th century beliefs and the birth of Modernism even though Ibsen probably was not aware of this at the time.
A lot can be seen from the main themes of a play and Ibsen manages to pack quite a few into A Dolls House.
A main theme with the play is that of money and its role within the play is one of great importance. The very first interaction between the main characters Nora and Torvald are about money. Torvald uses money as a tool and a kind of weapon against Nora making her subservient toward him in order to gain money. Also her interactions with Dr Rank and money illustrates the way women in that period used their body in order to barter for money. The play illustrates that the person who controls the wealth controls the marriage or relationship. The play also illustrates how wealth gave men moral standing as the loan compromises Torvald's standing within society and puts him at the mercy of Krogstad.
Deception seems to play a huge part in the play and most of the characters seem to be engaged in some sort of deception. This Deception is usually apparent so that the character can gain acceptance and approval from society and others around them. Nora deceives Torvald about the smallest of things as she believes he cannot handle the truth about trivial matters or their marriage. Torvald also deceives Nora in that he tells her he would take upon his own shoulders any burden that fell upon her. This claim seems to be due to his constant fantasizing about their life together in general. Dr Rank also deceives Torvald in that he pretends there is nothing wrong with him even though he knows he is dying. This is due again to Torvald not being able to handle the truth or being able to deal with anything major, such as death.
A major and main theme with A Dolls House is that of the role of women. On Whether Ibsen was a feminist though Gail Finney says:
The question of Ibsen's relationship to feminism, whether one is referring specifically to the turn-of-the-century women's movement or more generally to feminism as an ideology, has been a vexed one. The view supporting Ibsen as feminist can be seen to lie along a spectrum of attitudes with Ibsen as quasi-socialist at one end and Ibsen as humanist at the other. (Finney, Gail. "Ibsen and feminism." The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Ed. James McFarlane. Cambridge University Press, 1994. Cambridge Collections Online. Cambridge University Press. 06 January 2010)
The theme of the role of women within the play is a major one. Ibsen's concerns with the equilibrium within society between men and women are brought up in A Dolls House. Women were not treated as equals with society at this time. This is made apparent by Isben in A Dolls House when Torvald reveals his horror of his employees thinking a woman (his wife) could of influenced his decision in any way about Krogstad's job. Women were in possession of their husbands or male superior during the days of A Dolls House and weren't given any monetary roles. They were also usually uneducated. Nora breaks both of these so called rules by taking out a loan and forging a signature. The character of Mrs Linde shows us that the jobs available to women were either clerical,teaching or domestic service. We can see from Mrs Linde's case how Ibsen presents womens work as dull and leaving them "empty" inside. Divorce was never an option in these days either. This is why Torvald would rather carry on a sham marriage as the stigma with divorce would be too great. This is why marriage can be seen as a way to trap a woman.
Ibsen though does not aim to solve the "women question" his aim was to shine a light on the problems and issues in society. The problems Ibsen shone his spotlight upon were ones that very few were brave enough to talk about. Ibsen leaves the solutions of these problems to others .
References
(Brian Johnston. Realism and A Dolls House. Available:http://www.ibsenvoyages.com/e-texts/doll/index.html)
(Edwin Wilson, Alvin Goldfarb (1999). Living Theatre: A History. .: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. Ch.14. )
Finney, Gail. Ibsen and feminism. The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Ed. James McFarlane. Cambridge University Press, 1994. Cambridge Collections Online. Cambridge University Press. 06 January 2010)
Jenette Lee (1910). The Ibsen Secret: A Key to the Prose Drama of Henrik Ibsen. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 8-19. )
(Norton Anthology of English Literature. The Victorian Age/ The Woman Question. Available:http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/victorian/topic_2/welcome.htm)
