Henrik Ibsen's three-act play "A Doll’s House" was first performed in 1879. The play was met with both incredible success and immediate criticism for its, at the time, highly controversial views on marriage and family. Whereas critics claimed "A Doll's House" threatened to dismantle traditional Victorian values, fans found its realistic, complex depictions of individuals and families relatable, inspiring, and refreshing. "A Doll’s House" is significant for the way it deals with the fate of a married woman, who at the time in Norway lacked reasonable opportunities for self-fulfillment in a male-dominated world, despite the fact that Ibsen denied it was his intent to write a feminist play.
Set in a Norwegian town circa 1879, in "A Doll's House", housewife Nora hides her financial problems from her husband Torvald. When Torvald learns of her deceit, he becomes angry. Disgusted by his selfishness and after realizing that she is no longer content to be anyone’s “doll wife", Nora ...
