A Doll's House

Henrik Ibsen, Michael Meyer

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781350116801
• Edition: 1

This revised Student Edition of Ibsen's popular play contains introductory commentary and notes by Sophie Duncan, which offer a contemporary lens on the play's gender politics and consider seminal productions and adaptations of the play into the 21st century. As well as the complete text of the play itself, this new Methuen Drama Student Edition includes a: · Chronology of the play and Ibsen's life and work
· Discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created
· Overview of the creation processes followed and performance history of the play, including recent performances such as a 2012 short film adaptation and a stage adaptation set in colonial Calcutta.
· Analysis of some of the major themes and specific issues addressed by the play, such as whether it's a feminist play and its author a feminist
· Bibliography of suggested primary and secondary materials for further study Ibsen's 1879 play shocked its first audiences with its radical insights into the social roles of husband and wife. His portrayal of the caged 'songbird' in his flawed heroine Nora remains one of the most striking dramatic depictions of the late 19th century woman.

A Doll’s House

Characters

Torvald Helmer, a lawyer

Nora, his wife

Dr Rank

Mrs Linde

Nils Krogstad, also a lawyer

Nurse, Anne-Marie

Maid, Helen

The Helmers’ Three Small Children

A Porter

The action takes place in the Helmers’ apartment.

Act One

A comfortably and tastefully, but not expensively furnished room. Backstage right a door leads to the hall; backstage left, another door to Helmer’s study. Between these two doors stands a piano. In the middle of the left-hand wall is a door, with a window downstage of it. Near the window, a round table with armchairs and a small sofa. In the right-hand wall, slightly upstage, is a door; downstage of this, against the same wall, a stove lined with porcelain tiles, with a couple of armchairs and a rocking-chair in front of it. Between the stove and the side door is a small table. Engravings on the wall. A what-not with china and other bric-à-brac; a small bookcase with leather-bound books. A carpet on the floor; a fire in the stove. A winter day.

A bell rings in the hall outside. After a moment we hear the front door being opened. Nora enters the room, humming contentedly to herself. She is wearing outdoor clothes and carrying a lot of parcels, which she puts down on the table right. She leaves the door to the hall open; through it, we can see a Porter carrying a Christmas tree and a basket. He gives these to the Maid, who has opened the door for them.

Nora Hide that Christmas tree away, Helen. The children mustn’t see it before I’ve decorated it this evening. (To the Porter, taking out her purse.) How much –?

Porter A shilling.

Nora Here’s a pound. No, keep it.

The Porter touches his cap and goes. Nora closes the door. She continues to laugh happily to herself as she removes her coat, etc. She takes from her pocket a bag containing macaroons and eats a couple. Then she tiptoes across and listens at her husband’s door.

Nora Yes, he’s here. (Starts humming again as she goes over to the table, right.)

Helmer (from his room) Is that my skylark twittering out there?

Nora (opening some of the parcels) It is!

Helmer Is that my squirrel rustling?

Nora Yes!

Helmer When did my squirrel come home?

Nora Just now. (Pops the bag of macaroons in her pocket and wipes her mouth.) Come out here, Torvald, and see what I’ve bought.

Helmer You mustn’t disturb me!

Short pause; then he opens the door and looks in, his pen in his hand.

Helmer Bought, did you say? All that? Has my little squanderbird been overspending again?

Nora Oh, Torvald, surely we can let ourselves go a little this year! It’s the first Christmas we don’t have to scrape.

Helmer Well, you know, we can’t afford to be extravagant.

Nora Oh yes, Torvald, we can be a little extravagant now. Can’t we? Just a tiny bit? You’ve got a big salary now, and you’re going to make lots and lots of money.

Helmer Next year, yes. But my new salary doesn’t start till April.

Nora Pooh; we can borrow till then.

Helmer Nora! (Goes over to her and takes her playfully by the ear.) What a little spendthrift you are! Suppose I were to borrow fifty pounds today, and you spent it all over Christmas, and then on New Year’s Eve a tile fell off a roof on to my head –

Nora (puts her hand over his mouth) Oh, Torvald! Don’t say such dreadful things!

Helmer Yes, but suppose something like that did happen? What then?

Nora If anything as frightful as that happened, it wouldn’t make much difference whether I was in debt or not.

Helmer But what about the people I’d borrowed from?

Nora Them? Who cares about them? They’re strangers.

Helmer Oh, Nora, Nora, how like a woman! No, but seriously, Nora, you know how I feel about this. No debts! Never borrow! A home that is founded on debts and borrowing can never be a place of freedom and beauty. We two have stuck it out bravely up to now; and we shall continue to do so for the few weeks that remain.

Nora (goes over towards the stove) Very well, Torvald. As you say.

Helmer (follows her) Now, now! My little songbird mustn’t droop her wings. What’s this? Is little squirrel sulking? (Takes out his purse.) Nora; guess what I’ve got here!

Nora (turns quickly) Money!

Helmer Look. (Hands her some banknotes.) I know how these small expenses crop up at Christmas.

Nora (counts them) One – two – three – four. Oh, thank you, Torvald, thank you! I should be able to manage with this.

Helmer You’ll have to.

Nora Yes, yes, of course I will. But come over here, I want to show you everything I’ve bought. And so cheap! Look, here are new clothes for Ivar – and a sword. And a horse and a trumpet for Bob. And a doll and a cradle for Emmy – they’re nothing much, but she’ll pull them apart in a few days. And some bits of material and handkerchiefs for the maids. Old Anne-Marie ought to have had something better, really.

Helmer And what’s in that parcel?

Nora (cries) No, Torvald, you mustn’t see that before this evening!

Helmer Very well. But now, tell me, my little spendthrift, what do you want for Christmas?

Nora Me? Oh, pooh, I don’t want anything.

Helmer Oh yes, you do. Now tell me, what within reason would you most like?

Nora No, I really don’t know. Oh, yes – Torvald – !

Helmer Well?

Nora (plays with his coat-buttons; not looking at him) If you really want to give me something, you could – you could –

Helmer Come on, out with it.

Nora (quickly) You could give me money, Torvald. Only as much as you feel you can afford; then later I’ll buy something with it.

Helmer But, Nora –

Nora Oh yes, Torvald dear, please! Please! Then I’ll wrap up the notes in pretty gold paper and hang them on the Christmas tree. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Helmer What’s the name of that little bird that can never keep any money?

Nora Yes, yes, squanderbird; I know. But let’s do as I say, Torvald; then I’ll have time to think about what I need most. Isn’t that the best way? Mm?

Helmer (smiles) To be sure it would be, if you could keep what I give you and really buy yourself something with it. But you’ll spend it on all sorts of useless things for the house, and then I’ll have to put my hand in my pocket again.

Nora Oh, but Torvald –

Helmer You can’t deny it, Nora dear. (Puts his arm around her waist.) The squanderbird’s a pretty little creature, but she gets through an awful lot of money. It’s incredible what an expensive pet she...