You have already read the whole act and understand the characters. You will now be in charge of creating the most significant pieces of text of a particular interaction/relationship/scene. So, think about: what do you make obvious and what do you make subtle? The words are very important. Ibsen was considered a master of the language, but body language and tone are also important, so how do you play the character? Also, be sure to jot down answers to each of the following questions so that you can explain them to the class.
Nora and Torvald:
What is the subtext?
What is the tone Torvald uses with Nora?
Does Nora enjoy the role she has?
Is Nora a spendthrift?
If this play were staged modern-day, what pet names would be used for Nora?
Christine and Nora:
What is the tone that Christine uses with Nora?
How do they look/act differently from one another?
What is Nora’s tone as she explains her “difficulties” to Christine?
What is the significance of Nora’s mention of dreaming of a wealthy gentleman? Does one exist?
What is Nora’s feeling about this thing she has done for Torvald?
How is Nora’s character further revealed in the info she reveals to Christine and how she reveals it?
Dr. Rank, Nora, Christine:
What is Dr. Rank’s tone?
What is the significance of chatter about Krogstad and his morality?
How does Nora come across differently in this scene than when interacting with Torvald? What’s different?
What is revealed about Nora’s honesty/deception?
Nora and Krogstad:
What inconsistencies exist in what Nora says to Krogstad?
What complicating factors exist in the dynamic/interactions between Krogstad, Nora, Torvald, and Christine?
How will you play Krogstad? Is he a villain? Is he pitiable? What motivates him?
Nora questions the validity of laws. What is her argument about laws and what they should be?
How might you play Nora in her conversation with Krogstad? What is her body language and tone?
Nora and Torvald (end of act)
How are Nora’s actions (and words) in this scene different from how she acts at other parts of the Act?
Nora is standing behind Torvald’s chair for some of this scene and moving around the room for some. Why did Ibsen include this in stage directions and how might that staging be significant to what is being discussed and how the audience perceives it?
What ironies exist in the dialogue here? Is Torvald aware of the irony?
How would you characterize Nora in regards to Torvald here? Is she manipulative? Needy? Sincere? Fearful?
Consider the idea of Naturalism in this scene and how Ibsen includes it.
ACT I QUESTIONS:
Guidelines:
You have already read the whole act and understand the characters. You will now be in charge of creating the most significant pieces of text of a particular interaction/relationship/scene. So, think about: what do you make obvious and what do you make subtle? The words are very important. Ibsen was considered a master of the language, but body language and tone are also important, so how do you play the character? Also, be sure to jot down answers to each of the following questions so that you can explain them to the class.
Nora and Torvald:
What is the subtext?
What is the tone Torvald uses with Nora?
Does Nora enjoy the role she has?
Is Nora a spendthrift?
If this play were staged modern-day, what pet names would be used for Nora?
Christine and Nora:
What is the tone that Christine uses with Nora?
How do they look/act differently from one another?
What is Nora’s tone as she explains her “difficulties” to Christine?
What is the significance of Nora’s mention of dreaming of a wealthy gentleman? Does one exist?
What is Nora’s feeling about this thing she has done for Torvald?
How is Nora’s character further revealed in the info she reveals to Christine and how she reveals it?
Dr. Rank, Nora, Christine:
What is Dr. Rank’s tone?
What is the significance of chatter about Krogstad and his morality?
How does Nora come across differently in this scene than when interacting with Torvald? What’s different?
What is revealed about Nora’s honesty/deception?
Nora and Krogstad:
What inconsistencies exist in what Nora says to Krogstad?
What complicating factors exist in the dynamic/interactions between Krogstad, Nora, Torvald, and Christine?
How will you play Krogstad? Is he a villain? Is he pitiable? What motivates him?
Nora questions the validity of laws. What is her argument about laws and what they should be?
How might you play Nora in her conversation with Krogstad? What is her body language and tone?
Nora and Torvald (end of act)
How are Nora’s actions (and words) in this scene different from how she acts at other parts of the Act?
Nora is standing behind Torvald’s chair for some of this scene and moving around the room for some. Why did Ibsen include this in stage directions and how might that staging be significant to what is being discussed and how the audience perceives it?
What ironies exist in the dialogue here? Is Torvald aware of the irony?
How would you characterize Nora in regards to Torvald here? Is she manipulative? Needy? Sincere? Fearful?
Consider the idea of Naturalism in this scene and how Ibsen includes it.