A Study of the Significance of Mrs. Linde and Krogstad's Confrontation in Act III to the Plot Development and Thematic Ideas of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House Anonymous College

As one of the leaders of the realist movement in drama, Henrik Ibsen earned his reputation for creating plays that accurately depict the details of ordinary peoples' lives. The first two acts of A Doll's House are safe territory, following the accepted conventions of dramatic writing in Ibsen's portrayal of life in a lavish Victorian household. The third and final act, however, features a groundbreaking breach of tradition, as it ignores both the conventional rules drama and the social conventions of its era. While many critics have discussed Nora Helmer's shocking decision to abandon her household in the play's final scene, the overlooked beginning of the third act is a pivotal turning point in the play's progression. The meeting between the characters of Mrs. Christine Linde and Nils Krogstad launches the plot into its memorable unresolved climax, offers a suspenseful twist for the play's audiences, and breaks a few gender stereotypes as well.

Critics and audiences alike have praised Ibsen for his memorable, three-dimensional ensemble characters throughout his vast body of work. While A Doll's House is first and foremost a character study of Nora Helmer and her marital relationship with Torvald,...