Katherine Mansfield - The Doll’s House

A Video Talk

The Dolls House

This brilliant short story set in Karori, NZ, is deceptively simple, evocative and deeply memorable. It has become a New Zealand classic, often studied in schools and universities. Join a little group of children in a Kiwi playground, and see for yourself that painted doll’s house and “the little lamp”. It is a close to perfect example of what a short story ought to be, creating a whole little world, moments of drama and pathos, vividly real characters. Watch if yourself and understand why.

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“It is the unbearable poignancy of that last line, ‘I seen the little lamp’, that continues to haunt.”
― Margaret Drabble

Katherine Mansfield’s short story The Doll’s House was first published in a UK weekly newspaper in 1922. It is a simple tale – the Burnell children have been given a doll’s house and want to show off their new plaything to the other children at the school. Their school in Karori is a social melting pot and the children have been given strict instructions, by snobbish parents, not to mix with the Kelveys, children of the town washerwoman, and a man who might, or might not, be in prison.

Gradually all the children are invited to admire the glamorous new doll’s house, which is particularly admired because in its tiny dining room is a little amber lamp that looks as if it has been filled with oil, ready for lighting. Although the two Kelvey girls, Lil and Else, have been excluded from the treat. But Kezia Burnell has something more of independence than her sisters and one day, swinging on the gate, she sees the Kelvey girls walking along the road and, on an impulse, invites them in to look.

This brilliant short story has become a New Zealand classic, often studied in schools and universities. It is a close to perfect example of what a short story ought to be, creating a whole little world, moments of drama and pathos, vividly real characters.

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Image- The Dolls House illustration by Jo Blake, https://www.beehiveillustration.com/illustrators/jo-blake/illustrator

Comments (2)

  1. Heather Grant

    I also have another book on Katherine Mansfield entitled “Catherine Mansfield – The Woman and the Writer” by Gillian Goddy who was born in Rotorua, a town detested by Katherine!!! I haven’t read it for a long time but will now reread it.

    Love Katherine Mansfield’s short stories particularly the ones set in New Zealand.

    Looking forward to seeing the video.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I don’t know that book about her. Yes, she hated the smell of Rotorua!
      I hope you enjoy tomorrow’s talk.

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