DatM/ADH Techniques
There are many character contrasts in ADH (Nora v Kristine, Dr. Rank v Torvald, Nora v Krogstad, etc).
What technique is this?
foil characters
In which country does A Doll's House take place?
Norway
Why does Nora take out the loan in A Doll's House?
to fund a trip to Italy to help her husband recover from an illness
Who said this?
You know what Nietzsche once wrote—at least I think it was Nietzsche? That we can never entirely possess that female soul.
Roberto
Which genre does Dorfman shift to in the final scene of Death and the Maiden?
Postmodern theatre
What does the motif of knitting vs embroidery represent in A Doll's House?
appearances/aesthetics vs practicality, domesticity
Who wrote the titular song "Death and the Maiden" as it appeared in the play?
Schubert
What is "phantasmagoric" in the final scene of Death and the Maiden, and why?
the lighting, to make Roberto's appearance ambiguous
What hyperbolic word (in our class translation) does Nora use to refer to what she "hopes" will happen when the truth comes out?
a miracle
What did Paulina discover when she was released from her captivity and she went to find Gerardo at his house?
He was having an affair with another woman
The audience knows that Nora forged her father's signature and took out a secret loan while Torvald remains ignorant. This is an example of what technique?
Dramatic irony
What is the name of the restrictive rule that prevented women from engaging in financial transactions in the context of A Doll's House?
The Napoleonic Code
With whom does Nora speak at the beginning of Act 2, and about what?
the maid, Anne-Marie, about how she had to leave her child to take care of Nora
Who said this, and in which scene?
"People can die from an excessive dose of the truth."
Gerardo, Act 3 scene 1
Her father
What is an example of an absolute word/phrase that Gerardo repeats in the play, helping Dorfman illustrate his commentary on how Gerardo is ignorant to the damage experienced by people like Paulina?
irreparable, beyond repair
What years were ADH and DatM written?
1879, 1990
What detail does Paulina plant in her recording in order to trick Roberto into revealing the truth? Be specific
Changed the name "Stud" to "Bud"
Who says this, and in which scene?
I have learned to act prudently. Life, and hard, bitter necessity, have taught me that.
Mrs. Linde, Act 3
What was the social code that dominated the society surrounding A Doll's House, enforcing such norms as "a wife must be obedient" and "appearance should be flawless"
Victorian
Gerardo frequently drifts off in his lines, indicated by an ellipses or dash, to mimic his hesitation in committing to an answer.
What technique is this?
aposiopesis
What dictatorship is alluded to in Death and the Maiden, and what government report is alluded to?
Pinochet; the Rettig Report
What illness does Dr. Rank have?
spinal tuberculosis or "spinal consumption" which he contracted from his father's immoral, promiscuous lifestyle.
Who said this, and in which scene?
"That I have loved you as deeply as anyone else has? Was that horrid of me?"
Dr. Rank, Act 2
How does Nora respond to Torvald when he says this in Act 3? (must be close-ish to get the points)
Torvald: Nora, I would gladly work for you night and day, and endure sorrow and hardship for your sake. But no man can be expected to sacrifice his honour, even for the person he loves.
Nora: Millions of women have done it.