Description

This revised Student Edition of Ibsen’s popular play contains introductory commentary and notes by Sophie Duncan, which offer a contemporary lens on the play’s gender politics and consider seminal productions and adaptations of the play into the 21st century.

As well as the complete text of the play itself, this new Methuen Drama Student Edition includes a:

* Chronology of the play and Ibsen’s life and work
* Discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created
* Overview of the creation processes followed and performance history of the play, including recent performances such as a 2012 short film adaptation and a stage adaptation set in colonial Calcutta.
* Analysis of some of the major themes and specific issues addressed by the play, such as whether it’s a feminist play and its author a feminist
* Bibliography of suggested primary and secondary materials for further study

Ibsen’s 1879 play shocked its first audiences with its radical insights into the social roles of husband and wife. His portrayal of the caged ‘songbird’ in his flawed heroine Nora remains one of the most striking dramatic depictions of the late 19th century woman.

Publisher Review

Ibsen's great feminist drama * Daily Telegraph * Many a husband reeled back in horror after the premiere of Ibsen's marriage-shaking play in 1879. The fellow was actually challenging the sacred values of family life by suggesting a woman could break free of the marital gilded cage. What next? They will want the vote. * Daily Express * Ibsen's drama is a powerful statement of his radical beliefs about gender, the folly of idealism and the nature of modern love. In essence, it is the story of woman who wakes up to reality. * Evening Standard * Ibsen caused a storm with the notion that women were as entitled as men to think and live for themselves. * Jewish Chronicle *