A Doll's House

"A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen is a play written in the late 19th century. The narrative revolves around Nora Helmer, a seemingly carefree woman whose life takes a turn as hidden truths and societal expectations surface, challenging her marriage and self-identity. The characters’ interactions, especially with Nora's husband Torvald, set the stage for exploring themes of gender roles, independence, and the moral complexities of societal norms. The opening of the play introduces the domestic setting of the Helmer household during Christmas time. Nora is seen in high spirits, eagerly preparing for the holiday and her husband's promotion at the bank, revealing her playful relationship with Torvald. As she interacts with him and her friend Christine, hints of Nora's deeper struggles emerge, particularly regarding a secret loan she has taken to save Torvald's life. This sets up a tension as her past actions and their consequences loom, laying the groundwork for the emotional and ethical dilemmas that will unfold later in the narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Henrik Johan Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and the most influential playwright of the 19th century, as well of one of the most influential playwrights in Western literature more generally. His major works include Brand, Peer Gynt, Emperor and Galilean, A Doll's House, Ghosts, An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, Hedda Gabler, The Master Builder, and When We Dead Awaken. Ibsen is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare, and A Doll's House was the world's most performed play in 2006.