Boyesen, Hjalmar. A Commentary on the Works of Henrik Ibsen. New York: Russell & Russell, 1973. 

Originally written in 1894, this is a collection of literary criticism for contemporaneous plays looking at A Doll’s House through the lens of the question, “Why is marriage a failure?” 

Egan, Michael, ed. Ibsen: The Critical Heritage. Boston: Routledge and K. Paul, 1972. 

This collection contains a review of A Doll’s House written by Arthur Symons in 1889. Symons praises Ibsen for creating art (in the form of his plays) that does not merely “[hold] the mirror up to nature.” 

Gray, Ronald. Ibsen, A Dissenting View. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1977. 

Gray proposes a negative view of Ibsen, contrary to much of the critical acclaim that Ibsen garnered later in life. He consults other Ibsen critics and ultimately condemns Ibsen’s works. 

Lebowitz, Naomi. Ibsen and the Great World. Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1990. 

Lebowitz argues for Ibsen’s significance in the world and emphasizes the spiritual nature of his work. She states that much of Ibsen’s work is parody, and that his deep insights place him among the world’s great thinkers, despite his bourgeois associations and characters. 

Lee, Jennette. The Ibsen Secret. Seattle: University Press of the Pacific, 2001. 

One chapter of this collection discusses symbolism in A Doll’s House. Lee discusses how Ibsen willingly gives the audience the plot and symbols but hides a deeper meaning. He argues that to understand the play, one must first understand the character of Nora. 

Lyons, Charles R. Henrik Ibsen: The Divided Consciousness. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1972. 

Lyons discusses how one’s aspirations and capabilities are separated from one’s ideals and reality in many of Ibsen’s plays. The book offers a look at the divide between how capitalists and Communists often interpret Ibsen. 

Marker, Frederick. Ibsen’s Lively Art. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 

Marker argues that Ibsen’s plays can only truly be interpreted through live production. Without the directors and actors, the deeper meaning underlying Ibsen’s realist plays eludes the reader. 

McFarlane, J., ed. The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. 

This book explores the life and work of Ibsen chronologically and thematically. Sixteen chapters explore different aspects of his plays and a list of reference material closes the companion. 

Weigand, H. J. The Modern Ibsen: A Reconsideration. Salem, New Hampshire: Ayer, 1984. 

Originally published in 1925, Weigand offers critical studies of Ibsen’s plays, including A Doll’s House. His book is often recognized as one of the best critical studies of Ibsen. 

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