Act 3 of A Doll's House

Today we went over the first paper for ENGL 190 and then finished watching the 1973 version of A Doll's House (dir. Patrick Garland).   What amazing acting we saw!

Just a reminder that we will be at the Writing Center (HU 002) on Wednesday!

Here are a few questions for your journal.  Which one response will you expand into the first paper?

-- What do you think that the characters Nora and Torvald will do after the play ends?  Why?

-- Here are some ideas from other people:
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/stage/what-happened-to-nora-after-she-walked-out-20140806-1009o0.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-dolls-house-part-2-the-return-of-nora/

This is a podcast: http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/06/05/dolls-house-part-two

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/upstaged-blog/jonesing-for-nora-a-short-history-of-a-dolls-house-sequels
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/07/theater/newsandfeatures/nora-the-killer-doll.html

https://www.marxists.org/archive/eleanor-marx/1891/dolls-house-repaired.htm

Which seem most plausible to you?  Which seem implausible?  Why?

I've gone a little overboard.  Here are a few more questions!

-- What do you make of Nora's decision?  Is it credible to you?  Why?  Why not?

-- In Act 3, the film follows Ibsen's play very closely.  Why do you think that it is?

-- How does Act 3 follow from the previous two acts?

-- How do the previous two acts prepare one for Act 3?

-- What does it mean for a marriage to be a "true marriage"?  What do you think that Nora means?  Do you agree with her?  Why?  Why not?

-- Discuss the impact of Anthony Hopkins and Claire Bloom's acting on your understanding of Act 3.

-- Discuss the impact of the non-verbal elements in Act 3 (especially in the opening scenes) on your understanding of Act 3?

-- Compare the last scene of the version we saw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMa0ZARfZBM)  with these two versions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GWNXrcxsoM (Janet McTeer as Nora and Owen Teale as Helmer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtSGp72hoXE&t=1s (Jane Fonda and David Warner play the couple)
This is not the final scene, but it is Hattie Morahan and Dominic Rowan's version:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByErzXGfGao&list=PLIaYH-bIMRr-W4nRxGPDsJtGXcv-Tr_wu&index=5

How does each actor(s) interpret the scene?  Which help you understand Ibsen's play more fully?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of each version?

Note, as Guardian drama critic Michael Billington points out, "Simon Stephens's new version [starring Hattie Morahan and Dominic Rowan] tilts the balance even further against Torvald by depriving him of his potentially redemptive last line."  Discuss the impact of taking out Torvald Helmer's last line.  Consider how Anthony Hopkins delivers it.