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A Doll's House

Series: Modern Plays
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( 167,347 ratings, 8,923 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen's groundbreaking realist play premiering in 1879, challenges Victorian norms through the story of Nora Helmer. Having secretly borrowed money to fund her husband's recovery, Nora faces the shattering revelation that changes her marriage and self-perception forever. This contemporary adaptation by Simon Stephens, premiered at London's Young Vic in 2012, brings fresh subtlety and urgency to Ibsen's timeless examination of identity, marriage, and societal expectation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This edition is ideal for readers interested in classic drama with enduring social themes, those engaged in feminist literature and gender studies, and lovers of modern theatrical adaptations that bring historical texts into the present day.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

I think I'm a human being before anything else. I don't care what other people say. I don't care what people write in books. I need to think for myself.

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House premiered in 1879 in Copenhagen, the second in a series of realist plays by Ibsen, and immediately provoked controversy with its apparently feminist message and exposure of the hypocrisy of Victorian middle-class marriage.

In Ibsen's play, Nora Helmer has secretly (and deceptively) borrowed a large sum of money to pay for her husband, Torvald, to recover from illness on a sabbatical in Italy. Torvald's perception of Nora is of a silly, naรฏve spendthrift, so it is only when the truth begins to emerge, and Torvald appreciates the initiative behind his wife, that unmendable cracks appear in their marriage.

This compelling new version of Ibsen's masterpiece by playwright Simon Stephens premiered at the Young Vic Theatre, London, on 29 June 2012. It was updated with minor changes in 2013.

Series: Modern Plays

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Simon Stephens's version receives praise for its agility, sensitivity, and contemporary relevance. Critics highlight its clear, spirited approach and subtle touches, making the characters' struggles feel modern and immediate. The adaptation is noted for its insightful, often sharp humour and for delivering a powerful portrayal of Nora's transformation, with reviewers from the Guardian, Telegraph, Evening Standard, Metro, and Financial Times commending its resonance and vitality.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781472526410

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 August 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Methuen Drama

Contributors:

  • Adapted by Simon Stephens
  • Translated by Simon Stephens

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 113g

Pages: 120

About the Author

Simon Stephens has been the recipient of both the Pearson Award for Best New Play 2001-2 for his play Port, and the Olivier Award for Best New Play 2005 for On the Shore of the Wide World. His recent plays include Harper Regan (National Theatre), Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith/Royal Exchange, Manchester), Pornography (Traverse and Birmingham Rep), Wastwater (Royal Court and Wiener Festwochen), The Trial of Ubu (Hampstead Theatre) and Three Kingdoms (Lyric Hammersmith).

Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) was a Norwegian playwright and poet whose realistic, symbolic and often controversial plays revolutionised European theatre. He is widely regarded as the father of modern drama. His acclaimed plays include A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, An Enemy of the People and The Pillars of the Community.

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