I & S - Doll's House context (Norway) (1 Viewer)

[luridlysteph14]

So I'm making a thread here for all contextual discussion about Norway in the 19th century pertaining to A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen.

All chatter is welcome, even if it's "OMG I LOVES NORWAY LOLZ! (followed by a relevant example ... from the 19th century, of course.)

Okay, so aside from the alliegance with Napoleon, independance from Sweden &c, what are your thoughts on 19th Norway?

Any historical information here is welcome, and it would be appreciated by all studying Ibsen this year.

Go ahead!

 

[SiN3m]

we're doing 'Doll's House' atm...

I hate the sexism jeez then again it was the same in all 19th century texts i guess...

I'd like to have known more about Krogstad though...


oh and btw GO THE VIKINGS (centuries earlier i know but you know what? I DNT CARE )

 

[luridlysteph14]

Okay, information I have so far (minus dates, for the most part. Sorry.) is as follows:

- Attacked by Britain in the early 1800's
- Entered into an allegiance with Napoleon (same war that the militia in Langton’s P&P are fighting in)
- Mass Starvation, similar to the Depression in Australia. Main staple food was fish.
- 1814 they elected the Danish Crown prince
- 1905 Declared Independence from Sweden & developed a constitution based on France & the USA
- War between Sweden & Norway
- Norwegian Romantic Nationalism Cultural movement was headed in the literature department by Henrik Ibsen (national Norwegian pride, yo)
- The Norwegian language was developed

 

[luridlysteph14]

I was thinking deeper than "cold" although that si fairly obvious. I was thinking along the lines of, "The top third of Norway, during winter, has almost no sunlight during the*day*. This could contribute to sadness, depression, desperation etc."

Sweden, for instance, has the highest suicide rate in the world, andof course it peaks around Christmas.

I haven't actually SEEN the play. I suppose it's only relevant for interprettation and easier understanding. However, anyone, if you know anything to contribute to make it a little easier for others, if it's no skin off your backs?

 

[wendus]

i love that play, honestly i do. so let's add a bit of depth here shall we.
can't remember much about norway itself, but in that region in the 19th century there was that post-Darwinian biology theory going around - i.e. man belongs in order of nature and has no connection with gods, etc.

 

[wendus]

lol, well it's in the back section of our book... not entirely sure how it all fits in though.

 

[Sventina]

Honestly, I don't think that much of Norway's history is relevant to the play. You won't have time in the essay to have a historical discussion anyway.

It is more useful to know a couple of facts about Ibsen, his views on women and the play's reception in Norway and other countries.