"A Doll's House" is set in Norway during Christmas Eve and Day in 1879. Many Christmas traditions are featured throughout the play, and references are made to food, gifts, parties and other rituals that were common to the region and the period. Research Christmas traditions of Norway and the 19th century, then bring a selection of treats to class to accompany your presentation. Macaroons would make a delicious treat, enjoyed best while creating your own version of one of Nora's paper Christmas decorations. An accompanying paper might ask why Ibsen chose to set his play during Christmas and discuss the significance of these Christmas traditions to the actions of the play.
Communication and the written word are important motifs in "A Doll's House"; letters, calling cards, forged documents and heated conversations fuel the play's plot. Re-write a scene from "A Doll's House" that focuses on forms of communication and set it in the present day. How might a modern-day Dr. Sank communicate his impending death without his black-marked calling cards? Instead of tampering with the mailbox, how might Nora try to hide Krogstad's communication from her husband, and how would Krogstad communicate his blackmail in the first place? Cast friends or local actors in the roles and film this modern-day scene, then play the results for your class.
In Act Three, Torvald and Nora return from a party where Nora has danced the Tarantella, a wild Italian folk dance that we see her rehearse briefly in Act Two. While the Tarantella could refer to a regal, romantic dance performed by a couple, Nora dances the wild, passionate and frantic solo form of the Tarantella, which was believed to cure people bitten by spiders. Research the history and folklore surrounding the Tarantella and find the connections between the themes of the play and nature of the dance. Compile a selection of video clips showcasing different interpretations of the Tarantella, or burn a CD featuring different music composed specifically for the Tarantella.
The evocative title of Ibsen's drama and its theatrical format can inspire a creative, educational project. Make a set of paper dolls, including at least four of the major characters, and design a backdrop that resembles the set. Creating your own set of dolls will require research into the clothing of the period, as well as a basic understanding of costume design. How will your clothes tell the character's story? How would Nora's costumes in Act One differ from her outfit in the final scene? Include a tab at the bottom of the dolls that can be folded up and used as a base. Turn a shoebox on its length and paste the set design in the background, then set the dolls in the back for a diorama presentation.