By Henrik Ibsen

 Born in Norway  Grew up in poverty after his merchant father experienced bankruptcy  Failed a college entrance exam—became determined to be a writer  After writing 2 plays, hired as a playwright  Moved to Italy after the theater he managed went into bankruptcy  Became a popular playwright among critics and theatergoers

 Ibsen developed the modern realistic drama—a type of play unlike anything audiences had seen before  Characteristics included  Reflected ordinary language—written in prose, not verse  Depicts characters and situations as they really are  Addresses controversial issues and society’s assumptions  A Doll House focuses on the role and status of women in the late 19 th century

 Characteristics of – Romantic and Realistic Literature

 Mary Shelley ( Frankenstein )  Edgar Allen Poe ( Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pyme )  Nathanial Hawthorne ( Scarlett Letter )  James Fenimore Cooper ( Last of the Mohicans )

 Herman Melville ( Moby Dick )  Daphne DuMaurier ( Rebecca )

 Stephen Crane ( Red Badge of Courage )  Mark Twain ( Adventures of Huck Finn )  John Steinbeck ( Grapes of Wrath ; Of Mice and Men)

 A Doll’s House (1879)—controversial because it portrayed a woman whose actions were unacceptable for that time  Ghosts (1881) – hostile reception from the public due to Ibsen’s portrayal of realistic events and themes  Enemy of the People (1882) – written in response to the public’s hostile reception of Ghosts

 Typical plays of the time were modeled after the Romantic movement, where plays: 1. were “plot heavy” 2. had idealized storylines 3. endings were unfailingly happy  His later works defied the prevailing tastes in theater of the day

 In English, the title is traditionally A Doll’s House  Rolf Fjelde (translator of textbook version) takes issue with the title (hence the title that appears in the textbook)  How can this small change in a title change the manner in which the play might be perceived?

 Picture of Ibsen’s Grave Picture of Ibsen’s Grave  Tomb in Norway  Ibsen had the image of an arm holding a hammer on his tomb to symbolize the way in which his plays shattered illusions about life