A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen tells the story of a woman Nora Hemler as she tries to hide her “secret betrayal” from her husband, Torvald Hemler. This story according to Ibsen is based on a true story which he calls a “modern tragedy” and is set in the nineteenth century, in a highly patriarchal and Christian society when women were treated almost as children. They could not vote, nor handle financial matters; a woman’s duty was to marry, take the husband’s name, and like her children; should be seen not heard. Nora as the protagonist was the opposite. She is an impulsive, happy, and carefree woman, who tends to act on a whim, as can be seen from a conversation with husband, when he reprimands her that a home should not be founded on borrowing …show more content…
Though she is not aware of trying to create a perfect home like a doll house, her greed pushes her to act on a whim and borrow money from Mr. Krogstad to save her husband, whom she lies to that her father provided the money. She may have taken the decision out of love to save her husband’s pride, but the outcome was bound to be horrendous. She is portrayed as an independent woman, who however was inexperienced in the ways of the world, judging by how she was so quick in her judgment of trusting Kristina with her “secret”. While she may be trusting with Kristina, the same could not be said of her relationship with her husband and when she finds herself in a dilemma of facing the truth with him or leaving her marriage, she becomes withdrawn and edgy as the urge to tell the truth weighs down heavily on her. She not only borrows money, she lies and forges her father’s signature, because she knew that the loan would not be given to her without any male surety. In the end, she is torn between leaving her kids and starting an independent life and according to Daniel J. Brooks, “our social values, as in Ibsen’s time, teach us that no true mother leavers her …show more content…
He spends a lot of time in his study and is known to have only one friend-Dr. Rank. He seems stiff, and hardly interacts with his children. Whilst he is the financial guardian of his family, he seems himself as their personal guardian. He is in love with his wife even though he constantly berates and speaks to her like a child, in a demeaning tone, but she does not seem to mind. He constantly reminds her that she is the daughter of her father saying, “You’re an odd little one. Exactly the way your father was. You’re never at a loss for scaring up money; but the moment you have it, it runs right out through your fingers; you never know what you’ve done with it. Well, one takes you as you are. It’s deep in your blood…”(1.802) In the play, he had just gotten a new job as the manager in a bank, and constantly berates his wife. He harbors the deep secret that his wife may have gotten her philandering ways from her father. He is afraid that she may have caught the moral disease from her father. However, according to Paul Rosefeldt, “Torvald Hemler is another example of a failed father. He has little to do with his children. …he states that the place is only fit for a mother. When Nora’s crime is revealed, he gives in to Krogstad’s demands, making him even more hypocritical than Krogstad. He becomes a father of lies and disguise, polluting his own children” (85 and when hit
to discover and educate herself. She must strive to find her individuality. That the perception of woman is inaccurate is also supported by the role of Torvald. Woman is believed to be subordinate to the domineering husband. Instead of being the strong supporter and protector of his family, Nora's husband is a mean and cowardly man. Worried about his reputation he cares little about his wife's feelings and fails to notice many of her needs. The popular impression of man is discarded in favor of a more realistic view, thus illustrating society's distorted views. Ibsen, through this controversial play, has an impact upon society's view of the subordinate position of women. By describing this role of woman, discussing its effects, and predicting a change in contemporary views, he stressed the importance of woman's realization of this believed inferiority. Woman should no longer be seen as the shadow of man, but a person in herself, with her own triumphs and tragedies. The exploration of Nora reveals that she is dependant upon her husband and displays no independent standing. Her progression of understanding suggests woman's future ability to comprehend their plight. Her state of shocked awareness at the end of the play is representative of the awakening of society to the changing view of the role of woman. "A Doll's House" magnificently illustrates the need f...
Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, considers a very delicate situation experienced by a Scandinavian family in 1879. Nora Helmer, the main character and adored wife of Torvald faces a life-altering dilemma. She has to decide whether to remain with her obsessive husband in his sheltered home, playing the part of a doll, or take the initiative to leave and seek out her own individuality.
Most of us live a life where we do what we want and when we want without anyone telling us how to live our lives. This wasn’t the case in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, where he illustrates to us how one woman lives a life through her father and husband. Throughout the play we see how a once childish like woman gains her independence and a life of her own. Ibsen shows us a very realistic play that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seem to have it all. While in reality their life together is simply empty until Nora stands up for herself and starts to build her own life.
"A Doll's House", written in 1879, is one of the most famous works by playwright Henrik Ibsen, the founder of modern realistic prose drama. It tells the story of a nineteenth century bourgeoisie woman who breaks the chains of society that determine her role in life in order to find herself. The female protagonist Nora lives a perfectly comfortable and seemingly carefree life until her husband Torvald Helmer falls ill. She is forced to forge a signature on a contract that would enable her to borrow enough money from a lawyer named Nils Krogstad to travel to southern Italy to save his life. When Torvald finds out what she did and becomes infuriated rather than grateful for the wife who loves him enough to save his life, Nora realizes that his love for her is not as deep as his self-pride. At the end of the play, Nora deserts her husband so that she may pursue a life with meaning and happiness.
In Ibsen’s play, “fatherhood, ordinarily associated with the authority and stability of patriarchy, is associated with abandonment, illness, absence, and corruption” (Rosefeldt). Torvald, Krogstad, Nora’s father, and Mrs Linde’s father all display tendencies that clash with the western stereotypes of patriarchal figures. Torvald, for all of his talk of the corruption that poisons homes, is willing to comply to Krogstad’s demands when he learns of his wife’s forgery. He blames Nora’s actions on her “father’s flimsy values”(Ibsen 845), and tells her “The thing must be hushed up at any cost”(Ibsen 845). He believes that Krogstad’s unwillingness to admit to and atone for his mistakes has destroyed his home and the lives of his children and yet in this moment is preparing to do the exact same
He is a smug bank manager. With his job comes many responsibilities. He often treats his wife as if she is one of these responsibilities. Torvald is very authoritative and puts his appearance, both social and physical, ahead of his wife that he supposedly loves. Torvald is a man that is worried about his reputation, and cares little about his wife's feelings.
Nora is a dynamic character. When the play begins Nora is viewed and presented as a playful and carefree person. She seems to be more intent on shopping for frivolous things. But, as time goes on it becomes apparent that Nora actually has a certain amount of seriousness in her decisions and actions in dealing with the debt she incurred to save Torvald’s life. Nora’s openness in her friendship with Dr. Rank changes after he professes his affections toward her. Her restraint in dealing with him shows that Nora is a mature and intelligent woman. Nora shows courage, not seen previously, by manipulating her way around Krogstad and his threats to reveal her secret. After feeling betrayed by Torvald, Nora reveals that she is leaving him. Having
Although the two men were friends from their college years, Torvald feels no remorse laying him off. This displays how driven Torvald is to be the boss and be respected. His reputation is important to him, but often a strong facade hides an insecure mind. Torvald is insistent in being called Mr. Helmer because he needs to feel esteemed in order to alleviate his self-doubt. However, he acts more like a child in that he always needs to be recognized in a certain manner and be the center of attention. Torvald is in fact a weak person and not a strong husband because he lets money and the desire for dominance drive his actions. On the other hand, the struggle for power reveals surprising aspects of Krogstad. Despite blackmailing Nora and having a bad reputation due to an unlawful act committed years ago, he has good intentions. Krogstad is not the cold-hearted antagonist Ibsen depicts him to be. He is, in fact, just concerned with the welfare of his family. A good reputation ensures success in their
After reading “The Doll House” and “Trifles”, the idea of females being inferior to men is portrayed. Both plays, are in a much older time period. But from a feminist view, females are still sometimes given the doubtful role in today’s society. Both plays, are very different, but much alike in the ways the females are treated, never taken seriously, nor are they appreciated.
A Doll 's house is one of the modern works that Henrik Ibsen wrote. He was called the father of modern drama .He was famous for writing plays that related to real life. A Doll 's House is a three-act play that discusses the marriage in the 19th century. It is a well-made play that used the first act as an exposition. The extract that will be analyzed in the following paragraphs is a dialogue between Nora and the nurse that takes care of her children. This extract shows how she was afraid not only of Krogstad blackmail, but also of Torvald 's point of view about those who committed any mistake. Torvald says that the mothers who tell lies should not bring up children as they are not honest . Nora is also lying to her family and to Torvald. So she is afraid because she thinks she maybe 'poisoning ' her own children. The analysis of this extract will be about of Nora 's character, the theme, and the language in A Doll 's House.
Ibsen’s A Doll’s House was written in 1879 in a style of realism, which depicted life more truthfully without idealized literary elements. A Doll’s House conveys Ibsen’s concern for women’s rights. It portrays Nora, a woman who appeared as an ideal woman in the society doing activities such as creating a beautiful home and meeting the needs of her husband and children. From a dramatic event that broke her marriage, she finally realized the truth that she was a doll-like figure and left the house to seek her own identity.
We see a woman who is making a bold action against gender inequality and the position society and culture has given her. As for Nora, we see in this first conversation that she seems entirely dependent on Torvald for her money, her food, and her shelter, despite the fact that she is keeping a secret. This secret is the kernel of her individuality and her escape from the doll’s house. While it is easy to paint Helmer as a tyrant and Nora as the naïve wife who suffers under his control, one must not forget that torvald is not aware of any damage he is causing. His greatest sin is perhaps his ignorance. The shock he shows at Nora’s revelation shows that he has no awareness that there is anything wrong with the status balance in his
Nora Helmer defiantly says, “I’ll try to discover who’s right the world or I,” (Ibsen 1773). A true hero chooses to reject the status quo and take a stand for what they believe is right. Nora wasn’t content with her polished life, causing her to not only take a stand against her manipulative husband but to also set an example for all women, helping the fight for female independence. A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, illustrates Nora Helmer as a flawed heroic character through her self motivations and determination to change the household as well as the female stereotype, thus enunciating the theme of femininity and marriage. Nora’s blatant transition from a compliant housewife to a resilient
At times, Nora can seem quite childish in her talk and behavior, asking for money and hiding macaroons from Torvald. Likewise, Torvald speaks to Nora as if she is a child. So, who is to blame? Does Nora act like a child because Torvald treats her like so? Or, does Torvald treat Nora like a child because she is immature? We already know that Nora was responsible enough to seek out a loan without help from the man in the house. That alone says Nora is more independent than she portrays at times. Again, given the time, Torvald most certainly sees himself as a higher being than his wife. Her whole life Nora has been controlled by men, “When I was at home with papa… if I differed from him I concealed the fact, because he would not have liked it. He called me his doll-child, and he played with me just as I used to play with my dolls. And when I came to live with you-” (Act 3, line 280). “I mean that I was simply transferred from papa’s hands into yours.” (Act 3, line 282). She went from being a doll-child to a doll-wife; living her whole life in a dollhouse. Nora has made nothing of her life and she blames her father and her husband. The characters of Nora and Torvald and the difference between men and women of the time is supportive of Student Learning Outcome #2: Communicate effectively about literature and its function in the context of
As the play progresses we see that the woman characters are stronger than the male ones. Ibsen has really succeeded to portray how much more woman sacrifice themselves in both society nowadays and in the play. “Helmer: No man can be expected to sacrifice his honour, even for the person he loves. Nora: millions of women have done it.” This quotation in act three is particularly powerful as it perfectly represents the actions that all the female characters have done. For example, Mrs Linde abandoned her true love, Krogstad, who was poor so she could marry a rich man so that she would be able to take care of her penniless mother and her two brothers. In this case love was sacrificed. In the play the nanny is not seen as a very important character in the play as she is not present often. However, without her Nora would not be here today. The nanny abandoned her own children to work for Nora’s family so that she could earn a living. Throughout the first two acts Nora sacrifices her true self so that she can be the perfect stereotypical housewife for her husband. She lives to please the ones around her instead of being true to herself and being happy. She also protects her husband by endangering herself when getting the loan from Krogstad. Nora’s abandonment of the children at the end of the play can also be considered as an act of self-sacrifice. Despite Nora’s eternal love for her children, she thought that she corrupted them and that it was best to leave them is in their best interest as she firmly believes that the nanny will be a better mother to