Nora's Role Play Analysis

Role play is a big part of “A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen because all the characters pretend to be someone there not instead of being their selves. The one who stands out the most though is Nora. It’s almost like she lives two different lives because of how differently she acts. Nora is claimed to be Torvald’s childish, loving wife and is unknowingly a strong, independent woman. She was known as the playful, trophy wife by everyone at the beginning of the play, but as the play goes on she is shown as a self-empowering, eager woman. To many people, Nora’s first impression was most likely a money-loving, childish wife. She seems to just want money from her husband and when she was asked by her husband what she wanted for Christmas her response was “money”. Nora also acts childish so her husband, Torvald, treats her like one. Torvald treats Nora more like a house pet instead of his wife. Nora may

Nora is not only Ibsen’s vessel to show women’s strong character, but serves the purpose of showing women as equal human beings. Nora also helps point out that there might some aspects of society which might be incorrect besides the perception of women as the less sharp sex; the law of those days for example. All of these are shown with Nora’s possession of a secret life. In the surface she appears as a beautiful, fun toy to her husband, father, and even to her friend Mrs. Linden, but it is only when they find out of her secret life when they start to appreciate her for more than a beautiful girl that she is. That second life of hers allows Nora to show that she can work, that she can withstand enormous amounts of pressure, and that she is capable to do things when she is determined. It is this secret life that eventually leads to her being freed from that doll house, as she calls it, and ultimately allows her to leave without being afraid to study and learn about herself and