Discover the play that shook the foundations of modern drama, ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen, and read the complete script online for free.
When Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House premiered in Copenhagen in 1879, it ignited a controversy that reverberated across Europe and beyond. More than a play, it was a cultural detonation. This groundbreaking work of realism shattered the idealized conventions of 19th-century theater and launched a fierce, enduring debate about marriage, gender equality, and individual identity. The story of Nora Helmer—a wife who seemingly lives in a state of childish delight, only to reveal a secret strength and a shattering disillusionment—became the defining drama of women’s emancipation and the search for self.
The plot unfolds over three tense days in a well-appointed Christiania (Oslo) apartment. As her husband Torvald prepares for a new position as bank manager, Nora anxiously guards a secret: years earlier, she illegally forged her father’s signature to secure a loan needed to save Torvald’s life. Her lender, Nils Krogstad, is now an employee at Torvald’s bank and, facing dismissal, uses Nora’s secret to blackmail her. Nora’s desperate attempts to manage the crisis collide with Torvald’s rigid, paternalistic worldview, leading to a confrontation that exposes the hollow foundation of their “perfect” marriage and culminates in one of the most famous exits in stage history.
A Doll’s House remains a cornerstone of world literature and a permanently relevant piece of social criticism. Ibsen’s genius lay not in providing answers, but in asking the essential question: does an individual, particularly a woman, have the right to prioritize her own self-discovery over societal and familial duties? The play’s power lies in its psychological realism, its meticulously constructed plot where past actions explode in the present, and its unflinching portrayal of a woman waking up to the fact that she has been living a performance.
On this page, you can engage with this revolutionary text. We offer the complete play in a respected English translation for online reading and study.
Book Info
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | A Doll’s House (Et dukkehjem) |
| Author | Henrik Ibsen |
| Year of Publication | 1879 |
| Genre | Realist Drama, Problem Play |
| Language | English (Translation from Norwegian) |
| Legal Status | Public Domain |
| Format | Online Reading |
Read A Doll’s House Online
Enter the Helmer household on a fateful Christmas. Begin reading this landmark drama by exploring the first act interactively below.
This preview introduces Nora, Torvald, and the unsettling arrival of Krogstad, but the play’s devastating climax and iconic final scene are available in the complete script for our subscribers.
A subscription unlocks this pivotal work and our extensive library of classic drama and literature. Study the plays that changed the world in a clear, accessible digital format.
About A Doll’s House
Ibsen called his later plays “dramas of ideas,” and A Doll’s House is the quintessential example. Every character, symbol (the Christmas tree, the tarantella dance, the locked mailbox), and line of dialogue serves the central exploration of truth, freedom, and identity.
Nora’s Transformation: From Doll to Human
Nora’s journey is the spine of the play. Initially, she performs the role of the charming, frivolous “skylark” or “squirrel” that Torvald expects. Ibsen gradually reveals this performance as a survival strategy within a marriage where she is not taken seriously. The crisis with Krogstad acts as a catalyst, forcing her to see the legal and social vulnerability of her position, Torvald’s essential selfishness, and her own unpreparedness for the world. Her famous declaration that she must try to “educate” herself and that she is “first and foremost a human being” marks a seismic shift in theatrical history.
Torvald Helmer: The Pillar of Society
Torvald is not a cartoon villain but a product and enforcer of his society’s values. He genuinely believes in his role as the benevolent protector and moral guide of his wife. His horror at Nora’s forgery is less about the legal danger and more about how it damages his reputation and shatters his idealized image of her. His reaction reveals a love conditional on her remaining his “doll.” He represents the patriarchal system Ibsen critiques.
Supporting Characters as Mirrors
- Kristine Linde: Nora’s old friend represents a contrasting path. Worldly, weary, and pragmatic from a life of hard necessity, she seeks not freedom from responsibility, but meaningful work and partnership. Her reunion with Krogstad offers a subplot about second chances and marriage based on mutual need and honesty.
- Nils Krogstad: The antagonist is also sympathetically drawn. A socially stigmatized man fighting for his job and his sons’ respect, he mirrors Nora’s own desperate act and societal powerlessness. He is a reminder of the harsh economic realities outside the doll’s house.
- Dr. Rank: The family friend quietly in love with Nora represents the shadow of inherited disease and death. His frankness about his condition contrasts with the lies in the Helmer marriage, and his departure prefigures Nora’s.
The “Discussion” and the Slammed Door
Ibsen revolutionized drama by making the play’s climax a verbal confrontation, a “discussion,” rather than a physical event. The final scene, where Nora and Torvald sit down for their first honest conversation, is the dramatic high point. Her analysis of their marriage is clinical and devastating. The sound of the door slamming as she leaves was heard around the world, symbolizing the shattering of old forms and the uncertain, necessary step into a new age.
Why Read A Doll’s House Today?
The play’s questions are unresolved. Debates about work-life balance, gender roles in marriage, and the individual’s duty to self versus family continue unabated. Nora’s dilemma is universal: the struggle to be seen and respected for one’s full humanity.
As a piece of drama, it is a model of tight, purposeful construction where every detail pays off. To read A Doll’s House is to witness the moment modern theater was born and to engage with a work of art that still has the power to provoke, unsettle, and inspire over a century later.
FAQ
Can I read A Doll’s House for free?
Yes, you can read the first act for free via our interactive preview. Access to the complete three-act play requires a subscription.
Did Ibsen write this as a feminist play?
Ibsen said he was writing a humanist drama about the need for individuals of both sexes to be free. However, its immediate and lasting impact was as a foundational feminist text, as it explicitly detailed the legal and psychological oppression of women within the bourgeois family.
What is the significance of the title?
A “doll’s house” is a child’s toy where everything is small, perfect, and arranged for play. Nora realizes she has been a doll-wife in Torvald’s doll’s house, and that their children have been her dolls. The title condemns the infantilization and lack of authentic life within such a marriage.
Is the ending happy or sad?
It is intentionally ambiguous and challenging. It is tragic for the broken family, but it is potentially hopeful for Nora’s future as an individual. Ibsen offers no easy resolution, forcing the audience to grapple with the consequences.
Can I read it on my phone?
Certainly. Our platform displays playscripts clearly on any device, making it easy to follow dialogue and stage directions on your smartphone or tablet.