A Doll's House (White Album)

[TotalInformation]

TOTAL INFORMATION ANALYSIS: The original title concept behind The BEATLES (White Album) was "A Doll's House." "A Doll's House" was a play by 19th-century Dutch author Henrik Ibsen. The play was about an elaborate deception, including forgery, engaged in by a woman in order to save her husband's life.

Excerpts of some relevant dialogue:
---------------------------------------------------------

Nora: It was I who saved Torvald's life.

Mrs. Linde: "Saved"? How?

[...]

Nora: . . . a wife who has the wit to be a little bit clever--

[...]

Mrs. Linde: Listen to me, Nora dear. Haven't you been a little bit imprudent?

Nora (sits up straight): Is it imprudent to save your husband's life?

Mrs. Linde: It seems to me imprudent, without his knowledge, to--

Nora: But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him . . . Very well, I thought, you must be saved--and that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty--

[...]

Mrs. Linde: And since then have you never told your secret to your husband?

Nora: Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know . . .

Mrs. Linde: Do you mean never to tell him about it?

Nora (meditatively, and with a half smile): Yes--someday, perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now. Don't laugh at me! I mean, of course, when Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him; then it may be a good thing . . .

[...]

--------------------------------------------------------
So, Nora deceived Torvald to save his life, just as John, George, Ringo, Faul et al deceived the Beatlemania-afflicted fans in order to save their lives (i.e., to keep them from committing suicide).

The play is set over a few years later and takes place over a few days , as the whole deception is falling apart. Intrigue is piling on intrigue, spinning out of control . . . Think how much a metaphor this is to the BEATLES at the time. Tara Browne had been killed to keep the cover-up going . . . who else?

My guess is Lennon and Harrison corroborated on this concept, in India and perhaps beforehand.

And the play ended with the deception being revealed and the marriage ending. Is that how far John and George intended to take it? To reveal the deception and dissolve the band?

If so, it would seem they were overruled, ultimately leaving the public with a 'white' album, seemingly about nothing in particular . . .

All text from translation provided by Project Gutenberg.

Original color illustration for album cover, as later recycled for a foreign release:

[TheWatusi]

whos head is that right below johns? yoko?

this was going to be the original cover, right?

[TotalInformation]

Realizing that The BEATLES (White Album) was in the early stages Doll's-House-as-metaphor-for-Faul concept album puts both of these songs in a revealing light.

FAUL was the analog for the Nora character, the perpetrator of the deception, when he was singing 'Ob-la-di Ob-la-da.' Read the play and you'll see how Nora dances around and sings, living in denial and singing like everything is fine. . . . la-la-la . . . people still fall in love . . . la-la-la, ob-la-di, la-la-la ,life goes on, you know.

Another thing that Nora does is stuff herself with macaroons! Savoy Truffle is a direct answer to Ob-la-di. ("We all know Ob-la-di bla-da.")
Nora is being told not to stuff herself as
Faul is being told not to gorge himself on fame.

[TotalInformation]

TIA: And here's another bit of dialogue I found intriguing. The translation I read used the word "replacement" instead of successor. This may not be as relevant to the metaphor Lennon (et al?) was drawing, but I include it nonetheless:
----------------------------------------------------------
Nora (putting her hands on his shoulders): Dear, dear Doctor Rank, death mustn't take you away from Torvald and me.

Rank. It is a loss you would easily recover from. Those who are gone are soon forgotten.

Nora (looking at him anxiously). Do you believe that?

Rank. People form new ties, and then--

[...]

Nora. Oho!--you don't mean to say you are jealous of poor Christine?

Rank. Yes, I am. She will be my successor in this house. When I am done for, this woman will--
-------------------------------------------------


-- NOTE this post was originally part of the initial post on the thread; which has since been tweaked and expanded.--

[Perplexed]

Wow, TI!
Amazing stuff.