A Doll's House is loosely based on the life of Laura Kieler, a good friend of Henrik Ibsen. Laura wrote to Ibsen asking him to recommend her book to an editor, hoping that the money from the sales would pay the debt to find a cure for her husband, Viktor’s, TB. Ibsen did not feel that it was his place to intervene, however. When Viktor found out about Laura's loan, he divorced her and committed her to an asylum. After two years in an asylum, Laura returned to her family and became a well known Danish author.

Ibsen wrote A Doll's House while Laura was committed to the asylum. He made a few changes for dramatic and political effect. In the play, Nora does not return to Torvald. In Laura's story, Viktor ended the marriage and committed her. In the play, Nora is the one who makes the choice to leave her husband even after he calls after her.