A Well Made Play

Activity/ Question Time

Examples of Dramatic Conventions in A Doll's House

Nora: Mmm! He's home (hums as she crosses to the table)

Torvald: (from the study) Is that my little lark twittering away out there?

Nora: (opening packages) Yes it is!

(Ibsen 12).

This scene is a stereotypical honey I'm home scene. Ibsen structured the dialogue of the characters so the audience know the marital positions in their home.

Examples of Dramatic conventions v. The opposite of dramatic conventions

What is a Dramatic Convention?

A dramatic convention is like a theatrical rule. Each and every play follows this formula that has the same beginning middle and end. Usually it also has the stereotypical protagonist and antagonist.

Ibsen's use of Dramatic Conventions

Ibsen’s endings

Ibsen did not want the average well made play because he felt that that was boring and so he wanted to change it up.

In A Doll House Ibsen’s end the story with Nora Leaving his Husband and kids.

“(the sound of a door shutting is heard from below)”

Ibsen’s endings became very popular that subverted another tradition of Ibsen’s realist drama

Ibsen’s life

THE END

The Protagonist gets what he/she wants and everyone lives happily ever after.

CLIMAX

IN "A DOLL'S HOUSE'?

LOL

The Protagonist has only one option to get what they want and Antagonist gets their way.

INCITING INCIDENT

CLASS DISCUSSION

Figure out what the Protagonist wants.

Introduction of the Protagonist and Antagonist

Nora confessing her "big secret" to Ms. Linde.

Can you name an inciting incident?

Protagonist: character that will do whatever it takes to get what they want; the one who audience "wants to win".

Antagonist: character who gets in the way of Protagonist getting what they want.

What About in "A Doll's House"?

GOOD GUY AND BAD GUY

Protagonist: Nora Helmer

Antagonist: Nils Krogstad

Want: To keep her big secret

GAME TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ibsen’s mother was remarried

Characters in his plays often mirror his parents

Ibsen had sympathy for women, which would later be portrayed in his writings

What elements does a well-made play consist of?

What is a well-made play?

Stereotypical Endings

a play constructed according to a predetermined pattern and aiming at the neatness of plot and theatrical effectiveness but often being mechanical and stereotyped.

Always has the protagonist getting what he or she wanted

Great reveals take place

Reconciliation between the protagonist and the antagonist and everything goes back to normal

Ibsen's Use of Dramatic Conventions and the Well- Made Play

By: Sharece Netter

Daniella Odutola

Jose Varges