Characters
Who is introduced as a happy wife and mother?
Nora Helmer
What social class are the Helmers?
Upper middle class
Who said "you are a woman" (1118)?
Torvald
What do Torvald's pet names for Nora symbolize?
The superficial and stereotypical roles within their marriage / Torvald is just misogynistic
What is the main theme of the play?
Gender roles and expectations
Who is Nora's husband who works at a bank and what was his former profession?
Torvald Helmer a lawyer
When Torvald asks her, what gift does Nora say she wants for Christmas?
Money wrapped up in gold paper and put on the Christmas Tree
Who said, "I want you to make sure that I am going to keep my subordinate position in the bank" and why was it so important to him?
Krogstad
What do the macaroons Nora buys suggest?
Her small acts of rebellion against Torvald's rules secrecy and deception.
How would you describe Nora's role?
Predefined as a wife and mother- caregiver denied individual rights to money , work, property
Who is Nora's childhood friend who is looking for a job?
Mrs. Linde
What is Krogstad's motivation for blackmailing Nora?
He wants to keep his job at the bank as he has children to support
Who said "one has to live, Doctor" (1129)?
Mrs. Linde
What does the Christmas Tree represent?
The outward appearance of happiness and normalcy in the Helmer household.
What would you describe as Nora's self discovery?
She realizes that she could leave Torvald and live her own life.
Who is Dr. Rank?
A family friend- rather likes Nora!
What was the date (month and day) when Nora's father died? Why is this significant?
September 29th
Who said "Well, well—macaroons. I thought they were banned around here" (1130)?
Dr. Rank
What does the juxtaposition of Nora decorating the Christmas Tree while criticizing Krogstad symbolize?
Her conflicting roles: she is engaged in a traditional, domestic activity but is also dealing with the secretive issue of fraud
What part does deception have in the play? Characters/ Themes
Deception as seen by Nora, Torvald, Krogstad, Dr. Rank.
Who is Nils Krogstad? (Details of his role in the plotline)
He works under Torvald, and he blackmailed Nora, threatening to reveal she committed fraud
List all of the nicknames Torvald calls Nora in Act 1 (hint: there's 4)
Lark, squirrel, wastrel, songbird
Who said, "it's wonderful to be alive and happy"? Why was this seen as inappropriate at that moment in the play?
Nora, Kristine was alive but unhappy- her husband had died.
What does Torvald mean when he refers to Krogstad as a symbol of "poison"?
Torvald views him as morally contaminated, symbolizing the threat Krogstad poses to Torvald's social standing and reputation.
In what year was the play originally written and when did the ending have to be revised?
1880: Ibsen had to rewrite his play with a less controversial ending in order to get it produced in Germany. Multiple subsequent productions would also only produce the show with the alternate ending, but it is rarely used today.