Analyse the plot and sub plot of 'A dolls house' by Henrik Ibsen

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©               Daniel Bascombe, Drama Miss Carr

Exploration notes Plot and Subplot

        As another year goes by I am now writing a piece of coursework for AS drama, this particular piece will be about a not so well known play called ‘A dolls house, written by Henrik Ibsen. In particular I will by studying carefully and analysing the plot and subplot of the play. The play was wrote in the 1800’s and was first performed in Copenhagen during the winter of 1879. Most of Ibsens plays were based around the issues during that era, as was a dolls house covering forgery, feminism, freedom, independence, love?, stereotypes, and duty all in the main plot. The subplot covered issues like; loneliness, widowed, manipulation, deception/secrets and the new woman. To convey the issues there where two characters in the main plot, these were Nora and Torvald (the husband and wife living in the “dolls house”. As the story unravels we discover many different things but we also find out that Nora is in every scene to show how she has adapted to living her lifestyle and how she is slowly moving out of it and into another. Torvald is also in most scenes but always seems to be in his office hard at work trying to earn money for Nora and the family, as most families would be in this century. Then there are two other characters running the subplot these are Mrs Linde and Krogstad both of these convey how Nora’s life could be if she were to separate from he husband, Torvald, showing how hard it is to be a part of society. Mrs Linde feels that Nora leads the perfect lifestyle with a happy family where as Nora feels that Mrs Linde has the better lifestyle, being free.

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        The features of the subplot are shown via the main plot, this is to show a variety of problems that are going on throughout the play. This airs the contrast of characters between Mrs Linde and Nora in ways of; marriage and the materialistic views of each other highlighting yet more topics. In addition to this as the play goes on Nora and Mrs Linde are slowly reversing lifestyles and by the end of the play the lifestyles are completely reversed. What’s more if Ibsen had just the main plot without the subplot the play would not be as powerful ...

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