Read "A Doll's House" in the Book Club

[Information transcribed fromWikipedia]

Characters

• Nora Helmer - Protagonist, wife of Torvald, mother of three, hiding her progressive womanhood under the facade of the "ideal 19th century wife," exposed in controversy by the end of the play.
• Torvald Helmer - Nora's husband, a newly promoted banker, suffocates but professes to be enamoured of his wife.
• Dr. Rank - Rich family friend, who is secretly in love with Nora. He is about to die.
• Kristine Linde - Nora's old school friend, widowed, seeking employment.
• Nils Krogstad - Employee at Torvald's bank, single father, pushed to desperation. A supposed scoundrel, he is revealed to be a long-lost lover of Kristine.
• The children (Ivar, Bobby and Emmy)
• Anne Marie - Nora's old nanny, now cares for the children.
• Helene - The Helmer's maid.
• The Porter - Delivers a tree to the Helmer household.

A Doll's House challenges the traditional roles of men and women in a Victorian marriage. It was considered scandalous at the times, to the point that Ibsen was required to write an alternate ending at the risk of losing a cast member.