Above is a picture from a more recent production of A Doll House with Steve Toussaint as Dr. Rank and Hattie Morahan as Nora. Below is a picture from a Seattle production with a relatively young Dr. Rank.
Good evening :)
Tonight's class was jam-packed, but I think that we managed to do as much as we could. I like that Ms. Pandya showed us some of the key sources for literary research, including JSTOR and the e-books. Here is the link to our course page at the library by the way: http://libguides.
I also liked that we were able to watch and discuss the rest of A Doll House! We may discuss the play and film a little more next week, but the main reading will be August Wilson's Fences. We will also discuss how to approach the upcoming paper.
Before I send the questions, I want to quickly post a few links.
The first is a link to last week's questions: http://en202.blogspot.com/
Next is a link to other versions of A Doll House: http://en202.blogspot.com/
My entry on the relationship between theater and film is here: http://en202.blogspot.com/
And here are tonight's questions:
What are your thoughts on the relationship between theater and film and/or video? Should every play be made available on video? Or is theater best experienced in the theater? Why? Why not? Is it better for one to see an adequate Nora and Torvald live or to see Claire Bloom and Anthony Hopkins perform these roles on film? Why? Why not?
If you've attended plays, discuss the difference between watching a filmed version of a play and a live version in a theater.
What does film add to a play? (Note the variety of camera angles in the last scene of the film as well as film's ability to depict places we don't see on stage.)
Last week I mentioned Kohlberg and Gilligan's theories of moral development. Here are links to information about them.
I am adding Erikson's theory as well: http://web.cortland.edu/
Use one of these theories to discuss the characters in A Doll House. If you are familiar with other theorists, you may use them as well.
What do you think is the climax of A Doll House? Why?
Where do you see foreshadowing used in the play? Why?
Where do you see false closure used? Why?
How do Act 2 and Act 3 build on Act 1?
Did you expect Nora to do what she did at the end of the play? Why?
What do you think of Ibsen's ending? Is it credible? Why? Why not?
Why is A Doll House worth continuing to read, stage, and watch?
Is it time for a new film version? Why?
How would you stage this play today at MC? Consider how other directors have handled this task. Here is a link to a review of a German director's production: http://www.villagevoice.com/
If you were to show another scene from the film, which one would you show? Why?
Discuss how Nora handles Dr. Rank's confession. Does this scene have an effect on her? Why?
Discuss how Torvald handles Nora's leaving him. Does this scene have an effect on him--or him as he is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins? Why?
Do you think that Nora and Torvald will reunite? Why? Why not?
And, as promised, here are links to sequels to A Doll House. Which works for you? Why?
Let me know if you have questions about the journal or the upcoming paper!
See you next week--or at my office time!
Dr. Szlyk
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