What was the sound effect at the end of Ibsen's A Doll House that was shocking to 19th century audiences?

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The question asks about the sound effect at the end of Ibsen's A Doll House that shocked 19th century audiences. 
Option A: 'A crying infant.' This would be emotionally provocative, but it does not align with historical accounts of the play's final moment, where the shock was tied to a different mundane yet dramatic sound.
Option B: 'A closing door.' This is the widely cited ending sound: Nora's slam of the door as she leaves Torvald, signaling a radical break with social norms and provoking real public and critical shock in the era for its audacious realism and existential implication.
Option C: 'A slow knock on the front door.' A knock implies potential return or interruption, but the final moment in the play is more definitive and transformative than a knock, and thus this option misses the actual dramatic device used.
Option D: 'A long, loud wail from a grieving husband.' This would frame the ending as a melodramatic outburst from Torvald, which contradicts the historical portrayal of Nora's departure as the focal, seismic act rather than a paternal or wailing reaction from him.
In summary, the options above explore a range of dramatic devices. The ending of A Doll House is generally described as Nora’s departure marked by a door closing on her marriage and domestic role, rather than a baby’s cry, a knock, or a husband’s wail. The door’s closing carries symbolic weight about autonomy, gender roles, and the collapse of the domestic façade, which is why it stands out in discussions of the play’s reception among 19th-century audiences.

What was the sound effect at the end of Ibsen's A Doll House that was shocking to 19th century audiences?

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