W ARM - UP Answer the following ?s that relate to our study of A Doll’s House: 1. What do dolls look like? What do people do with dolls? 2. What do dolls’ houses look like? How are they different from real houses? 3. If someone is described as a “father figure,” what traits would you expect this person to have? If someone is described as a “mother figure,” what traits would you expect this person to have? 4. What is the difference between the way you would move when ballroom dancing versus the way you would dance at a club? 5. How is Christmas Eve different from Christmas Day night?

A D OLL ’ S H OUSE

B ACKGROUND Norwegian drama first published in When it was first presented in Copenhagen, Denmark, it was very controversial. Ending of the play was even changed in some of the places that it was performed. Considered scandalous. Ibsen completely shattered what audience’s expectations of a play and of a housewife. Represents the change from a period known as Romanticism to a period known as Realism.

Late 18 th century Response to the spirit of revolution Folklore, mythology, epics Emphasis on feelings Emphasis on the external Appreciation of nature, beauty Characters tend to be “larger than life”- nobility, royalty, etc. Mid-19 th century Response to Romanticism Modern, “everyday” Emphasis on thought Emphasis on the internal Appreciation of intellect, truth, and the commonplace Characters tend to be “everyman” RomanticismRealism