A Doll's House

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

A Doll’s House: Act IV, Scene I

At the end of the play, Nora chooses to leave her husband and family and embark on a quest for self-understanding. This ending, which was particularly radical at the time of the play’s premiere, leaves the audience to formulate their own opinions on Nora’s next experiences as a newly and self-proclaimed emancipated woman in 19th-century Norway.

For this activity, you will be working in small groups to write the next scene of A Doll’s House. Your scene should take place the day after Nora leaves Torvald. The scene should be short (4-5 minutes), include other relevant characters (e.g., Torvald, Kristine, Krogstad, Doctor Rank, Anne Marie, the maid and/or the children), and should answer the following questions:

• Where did Nora choose to go after leaving her home?
• Does she choose to tell anyone about leaving Torvald? If so, who?
• How does she feel about her choice?
• What are her future plans?

After writing your scene, cast the roles among your group members and perform for your classmates. As a class, discuss the scenes presented; are any factors in Nora’s decision to leave common between groups?