Ibsen Fan-girlism

I told myself that I would update this on the first of February- that I would at least blog once a month. But alas, February 1 passed and I failed to write a blog post. I also failed to read very much, but I did at least read some pretty damn worthwhile literature.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Ibsen.

I am an Ibsen fan girl. I love him so much that I can even forgive him for occasionally using the grammatically incorrect “that” instead of “who” (mostly because I blame the translator). I like Ibsen because he is real, and clever, and he writes plays, and he has good last words, and he has an interesting view of Victorian ideals in the home and related to death, and because he’s hot shit.

This month (where “this month” is not actually “this month,” but rather “last month,” meaning January), I reread A Doll’s House and also read Hedda Gabler for the first time.

Quick Summary (non lol catz):

A Doll’s House: Nora eats macaroons. Husband Torvald scolds his “squirrel” for being a sweet tooth. Nora asks for mo monies. Nora meets old friend (Mrs. Linde). Nora tells Mrs. Linde she borrowed money from Krogstad to bring her husband to Italy to make him stop being ill. Krogstad says “Yo, Nora, you didn’t get your dad’s signature for the loan. That’s illegal!” Nora flips out. Krogstad threatens to tell Torvald, who is his boss at the bank. Nora flips out. Torvald finds out and flips out at Nora. Nora realizes she’s an independent woman and decides she doesn’t need a man to flip out on her. Door slam.

Hedda Gabler: Hedda shamelessly uses her dumb husband. Her old flame, Eilert Loveborg writes a beast book, with the help of Mrs. Elvested, who loves him. It pwns Hedda’s husbands future book, even though Eilert is a drunk. Eilert gets drunk and loses his manuscript. Hedda’s husband finds it and gives it to Hedda.  Eilert comes to Hedda to flip out after a night of drunken debauchery. Hedda gives him a gun and tells him to kill himself. He does, sort of, but does a wimpy job of it. Hedda burns the manuscript, because it’s Elvested and Eilert’s “baby” and then kills herself. Gun shot.

I actually read them both twice. Because I’m an Ibsen fan girl like that (and…um…because I obsessively study for English tests).

Speaking of English tests… You know what annoys me?

(What, Jackie, what annoys you?)

English teachers who miss major symbolism in works of literature. Take A Doll’s House. There’s this character in the play named Dr. Rank. His name is ironic on many levels. He is a doctor, so thus, a well-educated man. His name is Rank, which should mean “high ranking” or prestigious or something. But then, he is essentially treated as worthless by the other characters. He is considered a friend when a friend is needed, but the main couple in the play (Nora and Torvald) don’t care for more than a few seconds when he announces his imminent death by leaving calling cards with black Xs in the at the house. This highly ranked man is treated as if he does not matter. That’s Ibsenian irony for you.

But no, my English teacher does not understand this. My English teacher insists on calling him Dr. Stinky.

The frustration that I feel over the caliber of English classes in the American education system cannot be conveyed in words. Stinky. Really. Grr.

Another thing, too.  The title. For an assignment on the book, I was asked to explain why A Doll House is the more “appropriate” and “correct” title. Here is my answer:

I disagree with the statement that A Doll House is a more appropriate title, and the opinions of most people in the academic community support my stance on the issue of the title. The title A Doll’s House is used in most of the modern translations and most of the historic translations of Ibsen’s play. Most scholars (including William Archer, Paul Walsh, and Michael Meyer), agree that this is the more appropriate title. According to Egil Tornqvist, one of the most popular Danish scholars of our time, the Norwegian title, “Et Dukkehjem,” literally translates to “a small, cozy, neat home.” However, as this makes quite a poor title indeed, A Doll’s House is typically used. Thus, it cannot be said that the widely held opinion is that A Doll House is more appropriate than A Doll’s House.

So yeah. Not a great question.

Alas, though. This has been a complete bitching post. I really do adore A Doll’s House, and it is only for this reason that I become rather annoyed by people who get things wrong about it. It’s a fricking beast play. I listened to the audio book version from librivox last year and absolutely loved it (and I believe, blogged about it). Rereading it (twice) was just as fun.

Hedda Gabler is probably my favorite play by Ibsen, just because I absolutely adore Hedda. She’s such a manipulative, crazy bitch. It’s amazing. I at times find myself wanting to be like her. And then I realize she’s crazy. But I still kind of want to be her.

Gabler is the Ibsen play that most focuses on the themes of suicide. Essentially, Eilert kills himself because he has lost his greatest work and shamed himself by becoming drunk after long-term abstinence. Then, Hedda kills herself because Eilert did not kill himself heroically (his gun shot from his breast pocket into his stomach), her husband is working with Mrs. Elvested and no longer focusing on her, and she is failing at manipulating. The largest reason, however, is that her friend Judge Brack knows that she gave Eilert the gun that led to his death, and thus can control her with the threat of telling the police.

Hedda does not like to be controlled.

I think that the way that Ibsen thought about death is very interesting. In The Master Builder, the main character kills himself (maybe) by jumping off a tower after he is no longer the master builder anymore. Also, in A Doll’s House, Nora, on multiple occasions, states that she is not courageous enough to commit suicide, even though she might be involved in a huge scandal. Also, Dr. Rank, when Nora does not accept his love, essentially allows himself to die, as he is at that point, “worthless.”

Thus, in Ibsen’s works, it is clear that any character who fails to be courageous or fails to be worthwhile typically dies, usually at their own hands. I think this is interesting, and I intend to write my English research paper on it this year.

I read Looking for Alaska by John Green on Alaska Young Day. 'Twas just as awesome as usual.

I also read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in January, to prepare for AcaDec. All I have to say is

Old man on boob.

Total Book Count: 6 (eep)

Nonfiction: 0 (0% eep)