a doll's house
To view a work of art separately from it's environment, ignoring the context, will often undermine important aspects of the work. However, embracing the context will allow one to appreciate the full scope and depth of the piece. In order to fully absorb and understand it, one must consider factors in the artist's life and surroundings, i.e. the context. Henrik Ibsen created A Doll's House between 1878 and 1880. Like any significant work of art the context not only influenced the play, but were essential parts of it. Norway, in the early 19th century, was united with Sweden, who maintained seniority in the relationship. Norway's crown was based in Sweden, and most Norwegians felt thier freedom was restricted. The linguistic difference that existed prohibited any cultural merging. A good example being the relationship between Denmark and Norway, the latter being a colony of Denmark's until 1814. During the Danish rule of Norway, there was a cultural synthesis involving literatur!e. This influence was still prominant during Ibsen's time and throughout his work. During the early part of the 19th century a patriotic movement materialized, mainly sparked by a student named Henrik Wergeland. He studied and popularized neglected folklor
A Euro- romantic movement around the middle of the century produced many Norwegian artists including Andreas Munch, Bjornstjerne Bjornson, and Vinje. The play is not nearly the social phenomenon it was at the time, but it's content, like that of all great art, can be a lesson to us still. Ibsen's supporters eventually outnumbered his critics, and A Doll's House, with the original ending, made him artistically, socially, and financially successful. This movement centered around a restored appreciation for Norway's! non- material resources, including the painters, musicians and folklorists. One actress refused to participate unless the ending was changed, citing that she would never leave her children. What you call Freedom, I call freedoms, and what I call the battle for Freedom is nothing but the continuous pursuit of the idea of Freedom. Nasjonalromantikken, or national romaticism, became a widely popular idea, in part because of Wergeland's writings. Ibsen was not pleased with the nationalism of the foreigners he traveled with. It swiftly became common knowledge that this was the woman that Nora was based on, and Laura'a life was all but ruined. She leaves her husband, and her children, in the search for individuality and freedom. Ibsen was not suggesting anyone do anything. He offended many when he commented on this in a poem to a Swedish lady he knew, referring to "A herd of German wild pigs, almost tamed. But any concern for Nora's (or Norway's) personal being was purely superficial. Ibsen expressed much concern and regret upon learning what effect his play had had on her, but by then there was nothing to be done. " When in Rome, Ibsen began work on a play titled Et Dukkehjem.
Common topics in this essay:
Doll's House,
House English,
Norway Sweden,
Intelligence Norway,
Denmark Norway,
Laura Kieler,
Italy Germany,
,
Trondheim Cathedral,
Novel' Kielland,
doll's house,
writers continued,
woman nora,
19th century,
rule norway,
denmark norway,
political freedom,
seeing writing,
henrik ibsen,
norwegian artists,
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Acceptance Essays
