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INTRODUCTION

“The Doll's House” is a short story by Katherine Mansfield, written in the year 1922. The story reveals the extent to which class consciousness has wreaked havoc in the social set up, so much so that the other children are discouraged from talking to the children from the lowest of the social classes

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THEME

  • The Sacrificial Role of Women. In A Doll's House, Ibsen paints a bleak picture of the sacrificial role held by women of all economic classes in his society. ...
  • Parental and Filial Obligations. ...
  • The Unreliability of Appearances. ...
  • The constrictive nature of gender roles. ...
  • Deceit. ...
  • Reputation. ...
  • Marriage

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SUMMARY

  • It is a touching story that man-made barries have unjustly divided the society.The Burnell family has cultural and class distinction with Kelveys family.Mrs. Hay has sent a doll’s house to the Burnell’s children.It is a beautiful doll’s house.

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CHARACTERS

  • Kezia Burnell
  • The youngest Burnell sister, Kezia is more independent and thoughtful than both Isabel and Lottie
  • Isabel Burnell
  • The older sister of Lottie and Kezia, Isabel is bossy and wants to be the first to brag about the doll’s house to the other girls at school
  • Lil Kelvey
  • The older sister of Else and the daughter of the village’s “spry washerwoman,” Lil is often mocked by the other girls at school. 
  • Else Kelvey
  • The younger sister of Lil, Else is a shy, quiet, and mysterious child. 
  • Aunt Beryl
  • The aunt of Isabel, Lottie, and Kezia Burnell, Aunt Beryl is the sister of Mrs. Burnell and lives with the family in their country home.
  • Lena Logan
  • A friend of Isabel’s and one of the first two girls invited to see the doll’s house.
  • Emmie Cole
  • Another friend of Isabel’s who is invited with Lena Logan to see the doll’s house first.
  • Lottie Burnell
  • The middle Burnell daughter and sister to Isabel and Kezia. 
  • Willie Brent
  • Willie Brent writes a letter to Aunt Beryl threatening to come to her front door if she doesn’t meet him in Pullman’s Bush later that night. 

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MINOR CHARACTERS�

  • Jessie May
  • Another girl who goes to the village school with the Burnells and the Kelveys. She dares Lena Logan to approach the Kelveys and ask Lil if she will be a servant when she grows up.
  • Pat
  • Pat is the Burnell family handyman. He brings the doll’s house into the courtyard and picks up the Burnell girls from school.
  • Mrs. Burnell
  • Mother of Isabel, Lottie, and Kezia. When

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SHORT QUESTIONS ANSWERS

  • Question:-Comment on the significance and appropriateness of the title “The Dolls house “
  • Answer:- The title of the story is very significance and apt. The whole story revolves round Mrs hay’s gift. A doll house she has spent sometime in the house of the Burnells. As a token of love and affection ,she sends this unique gift to the child. The children are very happy to receive it. It is are big beautiful Doll house.
  • Question:- How did the Doll’s house look like?
  • Answer:-The Doll’s house was very beautiful little house, It was are dark,oily spinach green it had solid little chimneys gulled onto the roof. They were painted red and white. The gleaming door and had yellow varnish it was like a little slab of toffee. A board streak divided the four windows.

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LONG QUESTIONS ANSWERS

  • Question:-Write a note on the author attitude towards Kelveys and Burnells girls?
  • Answers:-Katherine Mansfield is known for he psychological realism. Her writing is very suggestive.
  • In The Doll’s House she portrays a heart rending narrative of the cruelty of children infected by adult prejudice. Kelvyes family Lil and are shunned by everybody as a line of class and cultural distinction. they are daughter of a washer women and a prisoner Mrs.Hay has gifted a doll’s house to the Burnell girls.The whole school expect the Kelvey’s girls is invited to see this rare doll’s house But Lil and Else have been denied. When Kezia Burnell asks her month to give permission to show into the Kelveys.she bursts into anger.

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  • Question:-Briefly describe the picture of the society portrayed by the narrator.
  • Answer:-“The Doll’s House” presents a picture of the society of the rich and the poor.There are hih ups who look down upon the poor.They are orthodox and have a sense of caste,colour and cultural discrimination. There are doctors.store-keepers and the milkman.They are excited to shoe t to their classmates.They invite all except for the Kelveys.The Kelveys’s children ae hated by all.Their mother is a washer women who cleans the clothes of others.The children wear the clothes given by the other people.They look ridiculous in the strange dresses.Their father is in the prison.The rich children make fun of the poor.Lena Logan traunts that Lil will become a servant when she grows up.

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CONCLUSION

  • At the end of A Doll's House, Nora makes the ultimate assertion of her agency and independence by walking out on her husband and her children in order to truly understand herself and learn about the world.