Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906)

Born in provincial Norway

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

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) Born in provincial Norway Fails university exam Works for theaters in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo)

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) Born in provincial Norway Fails university exam Works for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo) Leaves Norway

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

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) Born in provincial Norway Fails university exam Works for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo) Leaves Norway and the theater Life of exile on the Continent

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) Born in provincial Norway Fails university exam Works for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo) Leaves Norway and the theater Life of exile on the Continent Turn to reading drama

Henrik Ibsen (1828 – 1906) Born in provincial Norway Fails university exam Works for theater in Bergen and Christiania (Oslo) Leaves Norway and the theater Life of exile on the Continent Turn to reading drama Return 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 authorities Scandals at openings; censorship

Ibsen, founder of modern drama Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis) Critique of political and religious authorities Scandals at openings; censorship Drama grapples with important problems of the day

Ibsen, founder of modern drama Controversial subject matter (divorce; syphilis) Critique of political and religious authorities Scandals at openings; censorship Drama grapples with important problems of the day Ibsen 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 Shaw The 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 ending Recent 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 ending Recent production has Nora return as well Shaw, “Discussion Play”

A Doll’s House (1879) The scandal of the ending (slammed door) One producer forced Ibsen to write alternative ending Recent production has Nora return as well Shaw, “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, bankers World of bourgeois capitalism (Weber)

Ibsen’s World Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankers World of bourgeois capitalism (Weber) Not set at the office or workplace

Ibsen’s World Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankers World of bourgeois capitalism (Weber) Not set at the office or workplace Home

Ibsen’s World Doctors, lawyers, real estate developers, bankers World of bourgeois capitalism (Weber) Not set at the office or workplace Home “[comfortably and tastefully, but not expensively, furnished]”

The Helmer Household (oikos) Christmas tree Nora: “how much?” Nora’s habits of tipping and spending Torvald’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 - Torvald 2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad 3. 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 frugality Her disregard for creditors

Constellations of characters 1. Nora - Torvald 2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad Krogstad’s shady dealings

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad Krogstad’s shady dealings Mrs. Linden: “ His business is not the most creditable, they say" (32).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad Krogstad’s shady dealings Mrs. Linden: “ His business is not the most creditable, they say" (32). Dr. Rank: "a moral incurable" (33).

2. Mrs. Linden - Krogstad Krogstad’s shady dealings Mrs. 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 dealings Mrs. 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 money Because her father left her nothing

Constellations of characters 1. Nora - Torvald 2. Mrs. Linden – Krogstad 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 slander Nora might corrupt her children

Feminism

Feminism and bourgeois capitalism

Critique of law (wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent)

Feminism and bourgeois capitalism Critique of law (wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent) Critique of patriarchal paternalism

Feminism and bourgeois capitalism Critique of law (wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent) Critique of patriarchal paternalism