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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of A Doll’s House is tense and precarious. Although the play takes place during the holidays, the cheerful atmosphere initially conjured by the setting does not last long. The majority of the play’s plot centers on the question of whether and how Nora’s husband Torvald will learn that she once took a loan to save his life by forging her father’s signature. Thus, the audience is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Nora’s secret to be found out and the aftermath that will ensue.
The troubles Nora faces are realistic and timely for Ibsen’s contemporaries, and therefore the problems in A Doll’s House are easily recognizable (making it possible to empathize with all of the characters involved—even Torvald, to a degree). The problems of money, class, and especially gender are explored with somber seriousness, and it is clear that audiences were deeply touched by Ibsen’s handling of these topics by the fact that, during the play’s initial production, hosts of parties would send out invitation cards banning A Doll’s House as a subject of conversation. The mood in the play’s final act grows impossibly tense as the conflict reaches its pinnacle, and with Nora’s slamming of the door the audience is left utterly unmoored in the wake of her decision.
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