A Doll's House, Part 1: Dramatic Elements and Characterization

What types of evidence support inferences about characters in a play? Select three options.

A,C,D

Which elements of a play are considered literary elements? Select three options.

A,C,E

Which statement best describes the dramatic structure of the play A Doll's House?

B

Which elements of a play are considered technical elements? Select three options.

B,C,D

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Mrs. Linde: Listen to me, Nora dear. Haven't you been a little bit imprudent? Nora: [sits up straight] Is it imprudent to save your husband's life? Mrs. Linde: It seems to me imprudent, without his knowledge, to— Nora: But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him was to live in the south. Do you suppose I didn't try, first of all, to get what I wanted as if it were for myself? I told him how much I should love to travel abroad like other young wives; I tried tears and entreaties with him; I told him that he ought to remember the condition I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent to me; I even hinted that he might raise a loan. That nearly made him angry, Christine. He said I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices—as I believe he called them. Very well, I thought, you must be saved—and that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty— Mrs. Linde: And did your husband never get to know from your father that the money had not come from him? Nora: No, never. Papa died just at that time. I had meant to let him into the secret and beg him never to reveal it. But he was so ill then—alas, there never was any need to tell him. Mrs. Linde: And since then have you never told your secret to your husband? Nora: Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now. Which statement best compares Nora and Mrs. Linde's traits?

A

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Really! Did a big dog run after you? But it didn't bite you? No, dogs don't bite nice little dolly children. You mustn't look at the parcels, Ivar. What are they? Ah, I daresay you would like to know. No, no—it's something nasty! Come, let us have a game! What shall we play at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we'll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first. Must I hide? Very well, I'll hide first. [She and the children laugh and shout, and romp in and out of the room; at last NORA hides under the table, the children rush in and out for her, but do not see her; they hear her smothered laughter, run to the table, lift up the cloth and find her. Shouts of laughter. She crawls forward and pretends to frighten them. Fresh laughter. Meanwhile there has been a knock at the hall door, but none of them has noticed it. The door is half opened, and KROGSTAD appears, he waits a little; the game goes on.] Krogstad: Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer: Nora: [with a stifled cry, turns round and gets up on to her knees] Ah! what do you want? Krogstad: Excuse me, the outer door was ajar; I suppose someone forgot to shut it. Nora: [rising] My husband is out, Mr. Krogstad. How do the stage directions in brackets affect the meaning of the text?

A

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: Nora! [Goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear.] The same little featherhead! Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds today, and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a slate fell on my head and killed me, and— Nora: [putting her hands over his mouth]. Oh! don't say such horrid things. Helmer: Still, suppose that happened, —what then? Nora: If that were to happen, I don't suppose I should care whether I owed money or not. Helmer: Yes, but what about the people who had lent it? Nora: They? Who would bother about them? I should not know who they were. Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle. Nora: [moving towards the stove]. As you please, Torvald. Helmer: [following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here? Which lines support the inference that Torvald sometimes treats Nora like a child? Select three options.

A, C, E

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle. Nora: [moving towards the stove]. As you please, Torvald. Helmer: [following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here? Nora: [turning around quickly]. Money! Helmer: There you are. [Gives her some money.] Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time? Nora: [counting]. Ten shillings—a pound—two pounds! Thank you, thank you, Torvald; that will keep me going for a long time. How do the stage directions in brackets affect the meaning of the text?

B

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle. Nora: [moving towards the stove]. As you please, Torvald. Helmer: [following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here? Nora: [turning around quickly]. Money! Helmer: There you are. [Gives her some money.] Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time? Nora: [counting]. Ten shillings—a pound—two pounds! Thank you, thank you, Torvald; that will keep me going for a long time. Helmer: Indeed it must. How does the author use the character of Torvald Helmer to explore a social issue?

B

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: [calls out from his room]. Is that my little lark twittering out there? Nora: [busy opening some of the parcels]. Yes, it is! Helmer: Is it my little squirrel bustling about? Nora: Yes! Helmer: When did my squirrel come home? Nora: Just now. [Puts the bag of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.] Come in here, Torvald, and see what I have bought. Helmer: Don't disturb me. [A little later, he opens the door and looks into the room, pen in hand.] Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again? Nora: Yes but, Torvald, this year we really can let ourselves go a little. This is the first Christmas that we have not needed to economize. Helmer: Still, you know, we can't spend money recklessly. Nora: Yes, Torvald, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn't we? Just a tiny wee bit! You are going to have a big salary and earn lots and lots of money. Helmer: Yes, after the New Year; but then it will be a whole quarter before the salary is due. Which inference about Nora does this passage best support?

B

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: And when she heard you had been appointed manager of the Bank—the news was telegraphed, you know—she travelled here as quick as she could. Torvald, I am sure you will be able to do something for Christine, for my sake, won't you? Helmer: Well, it is not altogether impossible. I presume you are a widow, Mrs. Linde? Mrs. Linde: Yes. Helmer: And have had some experience of book-keeping? Mrs. Linde: Yes, a fair amount. Helmer: Ah! well, it's very likely I may be able to find something for you— Nora: [clapping her hands] What did I tell you? What did I tell you? Helmer: You have just come at a fortunate moment, Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde: How am I to thank you? Helmer: There is no need. [Puts on his coat.] But today you must excuse me— Rank: Wait a minute; I will come with you. [Brings his fur coat from the hall and warms it at the fire.] Which element in this passage tells the reader who the characters are?

B

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: What are little people called that are always wasting money? Nora: Spendthrifts—I know. Let us do as you suggest, Torvald, and then I shall have time to think what I am most in want of. That is a very sensible plan, isn't it? Helmer: [smiling] Indeed it is—that is to say, if you were really to save out of the money I give you, and then really buy something for yourself. But if you spend it all on the housekeeping and any number of unnecessary things, then I merely have to pay up again. Nora: Oh but, Torvald— Helmer: You can't deny it, my dear little Nora. [Puts his arm round her waist.] It's a sweet little spendthrift, but she uses up a deal of money. One would hardly believe how expensive such little persons are! Nora: It's a shame to say that. I do really save all I can. Helmer: [laughing] That's very true,—all you can. But you can't save anything! Nora: [smiling quietly and happily] You haven't any idea how many expenses we skylarks and squirrels have, Torvald. Based on this passage, which statement is the best inference about Torvald's character?

C

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Krogstad: I had left the date blank; that is to say, your father should himself have inserted the date on which he signed the paper. Do you remember that? Nora: Yes, I think I remember— Krogstad: Then I gave you the bond to send by post to your father. Is that not so? Nora: Yes. Krogstad: And you naturally did so at once, because five or six days afterwards you brought me the bond with your father's signature. And then I gave you the money. Nora: Well, haven't I been paying it off regularly? Krogstad: Fairly so, yes. But—to come back to the matter in hand—that must have been a very trying time for you, Mrs. Helmer? Nora: It was, indeed. Krogstad: Your father was very ill, wasn't he? Nora: He was very near his end. Krogstad: And died soon afterwards? Nora: Yes. Krogstad: Tell me, Mrs. Helmer, can you by any chance remember what day your father died? —on what day of the month, I mean. Nora: Papa died on the 29th of September. Krogstad: That is correct; I have ascertained it for myself. And, as that is so, there is a discrepancy [taking a paper from his pocket] which I cannot account for. Nora: What discrepancy? I don't know— Krogstad: The discrepancy consists, Mrs. Helmer, in the fact that your father signed this bond three days after his death. How does the conflict in this passage develop the social issue of gender inequality?

C

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Come here. [Pulls her down on the sofa beside her.] Now I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of. It was I who saved Torvald's life. Mrs. Linde: "Saved"? How? Nora: I told you about our trip to Italy. Torvald would never have recovered if he had not gone there— Mrs. Linde: Yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds. Nora: [smiling] Yes, that is what Torvald and all the others think, but— Mrs. Linde: But— Nora: Papa didn't give us a shilling. It was I who procured the money. Mrs. Linde: You? All that large sum? Nora: Two hundred and fifty pounds. What do you think of that? Mrs. Linde: But, Nora, how could you possibly do it? Did you win a prize in the Lottery? Nora: [contemptuously] In the Lottery? There would have been no credit in that. Mrs. Linde: But where did you get it from, then? Nora: [humming and smiling with an air of mystery]. Hm, hm! Aha! Mrs. Linde: Because you couldn't have borrowed it. Nora: Couldn't I? Why not? Mrs. Linde: No, a wife cannot borrow without her husband's consent. Nora: [tossing her head] Oh, if it is a wife who has any head for business—a wife who has the wit to be a little bit clever— Based on this passage, which statement is the most accurate inference to make about Nora?

C

Read the passage from A Doll's House. [SCENE: A room furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagantly. At the back, a door to the right leads to the entrance-hall, another to the left leads to Helmer's study. Between the doors stands a piano. In the middle of the left-hand wall is a door, and beyond it a window. Near the window are a round table, arm-chairs and a small sofa. In the right-hand wall, at the farther end, another door; and on the same side, nearer the footlights, a stove, two easy chairs and a rocking-chair; between the stove and the door, a small table. Engravings on the walls; a cabinet with china and other small objects; a small book-case with well-bound books. The floors are carpeted, and a fire burns in the stove. It is winter. A bell rings in the hall; shortly afterwards the door is heard to open. Enter NORA, humming a tune and in high spirits. She is in outdoor dress and carries a number of parcels; these she lays on the table to the right. She leaves the outer door open after her, and through it is seen a porter who is carrying a Christmas Tree and a basket, which he gives to the maid who has opened the door.] Nora: Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed. [To the porter, taking out her purse.] How much? Why does the author of the play include the first paragraph of stage directions?

C