Courage and Cowardice in A Doll's House, Ghosts and Hedda Gabler

All successful drama consists of conflict, whether between or within characters. Henrik Ibsen's work, A Doll's House is no exception. Ibsen's play studies Nora's early courage and her confirmation of that courage at the end of the play. Nora's strength of character in forging her father's signature on a loan, and the repercussions of that act, provide much of the driving force for the drama. But Nora's great choice remains until the last act. She …

…by the consequences of that decision, forced to reinforce their choice again and again. Each play builds on half of the pair, whether it be courage in A Doll's House and An Enemy of the People or cowardice in Ghosts and Hedda Gabler, though the other half always makes inroads, trying to swerve the characters' course. It is Ibsen's talent at setting up these conflicts and posing the difficulties that make him a great dramatist.