Plot

In its simplest terms, the plot is the story line of a play. However, a plot is never a collection of random incidents strung together; instead, it is a carefully selected series of incidents (actions) that are presented in an order that is designed to create—and then resolve—a conflict.

The ordering of the incidents can be as important as the incidents themselves. In a play, the incidents are almost never told in the order in which they occurred. Even in a history play, the events can be told from several perspectives so that some characters know certain facts before others do.

In //A Doll’s House//, Ibsen presents surface incidents in a straightforward, chronological manner. However, he uses his characters to reveal important information about earlier incidents. These revelations build tension in the play because some characters obtain information that others do not have, and that information changes the dynamics of the play.