1. & A DOLL’S HOUSE Henrik Ibsen A comparison and analysis of…
A POISON TREE William Blake

2. From Torvald’s speech in Act III from A Doll’s House
“From this moment, happiness is not the question; all that concerns us is to save the remains, the fragments, the appearance.”
From Torvald’s speech in Act III from A Doll’s House

3. Krogstad Torvald The narrator Nora Friend… Foe… Wrath…
CHARACTERS FROM A DOLL’S HOUSE …and what they represent in ‘A POISON TREE’
The narrator
Nora
Friend…
Foe…
Torvald
Wrath…
Krogstad

4. Analysing the titles… A Doll's House A Poison Tree metaphors
- Nora’s words
- Dr Rank’s words
A Doll's House
A Poison Tree
Use of “a…” refers to general situations
Use of simple words allows reader to guess the content…

5. “I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald
“I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you wanted it like that. You and father have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life…our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as ay home I was father’s doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls.”
A Doll’s House ACT III – Nora’s speech

6. “At the next fancy-dress ball I shall be invisible…there is a big black hat – have you never heard of hats that make you invisible? If you put one on, no one can see you.”
A Doll’s House ACT III – Dr.Rank’s speech

7. THEMES…
Unreliability of appearances
Sacrificial role of women
Definition of freedom
Deception

8. threat posed by Krogstad’s revelations
poison of deception and hypocrisy that characterises the Helmer marriage
A Poison Tree
Represents the wrath (the blackmailing) that grows over time.

9. Symbolises Krogstad blackmailing Nora due to the loan
A POISON TREE…
By William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
Nora’s perception
Torvald or stereotypical female
Symbolises Krogstad blackmailing Nora due to the loan

10. Nora’s fear of Torvald finding out about the loan
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.
…links to the theme deception
…could be Nora’s playing the role of a wife i.e. doing whatever Torvald wanted her to do

11. And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright;
Personification
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
Represents Nora’s relationship with Torvald

12. …suggests that Nora is now “free”
Krogstad or the foe “stole” all of Nora’s happiness
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
Light
- new beginning
…suggests that Nora is now “free”
stereotypical portrayal of females
- Torvald

13. Free. To be free, absolutely free
Free. To be free, absolutely free. To spend time playing with the children. To have a clean, beautiful house, the way Torvald likes it.
A DOLL’S HOUSE – ACT I – Nora’s speech