TWD Journal 1

Characters constantly face boundaries in literature.  These boundaries can take many shapes: internal or external, physical or emotional, real or imagined... Consider what types of  boundaries Ibsen creates in Act 1.  Who faces what type of boundary, how (stylistic aspect) does the author establish the boundary,  and how do the characters respond to the boundary? 

1. A social boundary is formed when the servants are gossiping about Werle. The servants "gossip", which implies that they keep their opinions between eachother without confronting Werle about how they feel. By keeping the servants opinions to themselves, they do not cross a boundary of possibly angering Werle.

• A HIRED WAITER: "Say, Pettersen, there's an old guy here who- (119)
• PETTERSON: "What the hell- somebody coming now!" (120)
• While gossiping, a hired waiter tells Petterson that there is another person there, who could possibly hear what Petterson and Jenson were talking about. The fact that Petterson becomes startled, highlights the fact that Petterson and Jensen do not want to cross over the social boundary.

   2.  A social boundary is formed when Warle; who is of high status, could be having possible relations with   his housekeeper. People of certain statuses were expected to hold relationships with those of the same social status. By a wealthy, high class man having a relationship with a low class women would cross a social boundary of expectations.

• JENSON: "Is it really true what people say, that there's something between them?" (119)
• PETTERSON: "Lord knows."
• JENSEN: "I heard he was a real goat in his day"
• The fact that other people also gossip about a possible relation between Warle and Mrs. Sorby suggests that the situation is a big deal to people.

  3. A boundary between different perceptives between Jhalmar and Gregers appears on page 123 when Hjalmar spoke about how he thought Gregers had something against him, when Gregers did not. This boundary could have been the separation between the men that lasted 16/17 years.

• HJALMAR: "In any case, I'm grateful that you asked me here, Gregers, because it proves you no longer have anything against me. (123)
• GREGERS: (Astonished) "How could you think that i had anything against you?"