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Decisions that Nora made in a dolls house
Decisions that Nora made in a dolls house
Critical essay on a dolls house by ibsen
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In this question, I will be discussing the thesis “A decision which a person makes often reveals a great deal about the individual’s character.”
My first discussion will be Nora in “A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. Nora is the wife of Trovard, who has previously worked as a barrister, but has been promoted to a bank manager. From the decision that Nora makes of getting a loan from Krogstad, presents her as someone who is considerate and caring/concerned. We can argue that Nora is considerate of the way in which she handles her secret concerning the loan. She keeps the secret from Trovard since she does not want to hurt his ego and feeling. She says “…how humiliating and painful it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence…It would upset our mutual relations altogether” (Ibsen, 2008: Act 1). This indicates how she considers upholding the ego of her husband together with their marriage. Nora is also caring from the effort she makes to ensure that the husband gets what the doctor recommended, a trip to the south (Act 1). She goes ahead to get a loan that haunts her later on in the play.
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Laertes is a brother of Ophelia, and the father is Polonius. Shakespeare presents Laertes as a loving person. This is shown by the decision he makes to avenge his father’s dead who had been killed by Hamlet. We are told that when Laertes makes it to Elsinore (Shakespeare, 81-83), he is so infuriated by his father’s death that he sets out to find the murderer. By the virtue of setting forth to avenge his father’s death shows just how much Laertes loved the father. Moreover, Laertes is presented as a gullible person. Claudius takes advantage of Laertes’ situation to manipulate him and fulfil his selfish gains of killing Hamlet (p.83). Laertes easily gets into the trap when he gets into fencing with
A major difference between Laertes and Hamlet is that Laertes didn't procrastinate in his attempt at revenge. He went right to it with the encouragement of Claudius. His hastiness is what gets him killed in the end. Because Laertes doesn't think long about getting his revenge gives the reader reason to compare Laertes to and think about Hamlets' struggle to decide weather [H-50] revenge is the right thing to do. [SS -1] He contemplates through the whole play on weather [H-50] to kill Claudius or not, leaving the reader with the sense that Hamlet is very careful when making decisions. [Doesn't this point deserve more discussion?
Structure – The work is formatted to be a play. It has three acts, each beginning with stage directions.
One of the foils important to the play is Laertes. Although Laertes does not appear often in the play, he brings much to the plot and to Hamlet's character. These two are similar in many ways. They both seem to be about the same age, are well educated, and gentleman. One main thing that they have in common is they both are seeking revenge for their father's deaths. Both of their fathers were unnecessarily killed. Hamlet's father was killed by his father's brother for the crown and his wife, and Hamlet killed Laertes' father over mistaken identity. It was the revenge of these two that made up the plot of the story. Because of Laertes, the two could finally fulfill their revenge in the battle at the end that killed both Hamlet and the new king. If Laertes had not challenged Hamlet, the king would have died by some other way; however, the king died by poisoning just as he had killed his brother.
Throughout the play, Laertes is as an extremely caring member of his family. His strong emotions for family have an opposing side to it, a shadow that has repressed feelings of anger which cause him to add to the disaster in Denmark. An example that depicts this is when Laertes attempts to request more rites for Ophelia’s funeral. After he is denied, he starts a commotion by calling the priest “churlish”, explaining that Ophelia will be “A ministering angel” while the priest will “liest howling”(5.1.217-218). His compliments to Ophelia shows how much he loved her, while his nasty insults to the priest show his repressed rage. While this is occuring, Hamlet hears Laertes’s mention of Ophelia during the commotion and throws himself into a brawl with Laertes. It is the conflict built up from there that causes Claudius to target Laertes as his next weapon to kill Hamlet with. Laertes’s deep anger for Hamlet makes himself the best candidate for Claudius’s manipulation. Once Laertes’s sides with Claudius, he shows his dark intent by requesting Claudius to not “o'errule me to a peace”(4.7.58). On the day of the duel, Laertes undergoes a confrontation of his shadow while he clashes with Hamlet. His realization of his shadow comes too late into the duel when both Hamlet and Laertes are struck by poison, as this happens he declares that he is “ justly killed with mine own treachery (5.2.337).” In the moments that he is still alive, he dismisses his shadow and ends the circle of murder by announcing the true nature of Claudius. Laertes’s repressed anger guides the play into the duel where many deaths occur including Hamlet’s.
To see Laertes as a foil for Hamlet, you must first examine the similarities. The most obvious are the age and sex of the characters. Hamlet and Laertes are both of the relative same age, and they are both males. Their fathers are both dead. Laertes' father's murder was committed by Hamlet. While speaking with his mother, Hamlet, "Thrusts his rapier through the arras" (692). Polonius is behind the arras. He kills him. Hamlet's father is also murdered. According to the ghost, "'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, a serpent stung me. So the whole ear or Denmark is by a forged process of my death . . . the serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown" (648). The ghost tells his son to, "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (648). This causes Hamlet to become revenge oriented. Laertes is also driven to revenge due to his father's death. Due to this revenge, the men both are stabbed by a poisonous sword, which kills them both.
We can see that his actions are both uncalculated and without caution as he begins frantically yelling at the King without even considering the affect that this could have on him in the future. Secondly, because of Laertes’ emotions towards his dead father he can be easily manipulated to give in to other people’s plans. As the King is unfolding his plans to kill Hamlet, he needs to get Laertes on board so he says, “Laertes, was your father dear to you/ Or are you like the painting of a sorrow/ A face without a heart” (4.7.107-109). Wrongly, the King knowingly plays into Laertes’ impulsiveness and emotions as a way to gain control of him and achieve his purpose. Finally, Laertes gives in to his impulses as he has a one-track mind. An example of this is when he says, “Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric/ I am justly kill’d with mine own treachery” (5.2.296-297). Despite the potential harm Laertes could incur he still continues to blind himself from the facts and sadly, this results in his death. Therefore, by letting his impulses and emotions control his actions he has achieved his goal of avenging his father’s death but at the greatest expense one could pay; the expense of his own
Basically Hamlet's character is going through a tough time, he’s upset, disgusted, depressed, moody, and also indecisive.Laertes foils Hamlet’s character. He is the son of Polonius and the brother to Ophelia. He is described as a passionate and a quick of action person. The most important thing about him is that he is a doer not a thinker. Being quick on his feet to problems is what got him killed. Laertes warns his loving sister about Hamlet but also boys in general “ My bags are already on board. Farewell, my sister. Please write often. As for Hamlet, and his attentions to you, Do not take them to seriously. They are like violets in the spring, Fast-blooming and sweet, but not long-lasting” ( Act I, Scene 3). The beginning of the play he leaves Denmark and goes to France. Due to the killing of Ophelia and Polonius he returns back and seeks revenge. Claudius and Laertes team up and plot to kill Hamlet.Hamlet and Laertes has a lot of similarities and differences. They are different because Hamlet gets forced to be sent away while Laertes wanted to get sent away. Hamlet is more of a responsible person while Laertes is more bold and reckless. Laertes provide contrast to Hamlet's character. They are similar in multiple ways starting with the love they had for
Laertes is looking to seek revenge on Hamlet for killing his father and eventually his sister later in the play. "I dare damnation. To this point I stand, that both the worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes, only I 'll be reveng 'd Most throughly for my father." (4.5.132-135). Laertes is very different in the way he is going about seeking revenge, he is willing to kill any and everybody with no hesitation to revenge his father’s death unlike Hamlet, who is contemplating throughout the play on if he should or shouldn’t kill the necessary people in order to seek revenge.
The Character of Laertes in Hamlet Though seeming to simply be a minor character, Laertes is of great importance in the play, Hamlet, and much more than one would initially believe, due to his extensive inner conflict. He is good, loyal, and honorable, seeming to possess the greatest virtue of all the characters, yet he still is doomed to die along with the other characters, precisely because of his great virtue. As Scene Two begins, in the first lines which Laertes speaks in the play, he requests that King Claudius allow him to return to his duties in France. This is important from the viewpoint that it demonstrates his dislike for the King and his wish to be away from the questionable circumstances of his marriage and subsequent ascension to the throne, a wise decision, and an attempt to remain apart and above the world, as the Greek ?superman?
In the play A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, Nora and Torvald’s marriage seems to have been torn apart by Krogstad’s extortion plot, but in reality their marriage would have ended even without the events in the play. Torvald’s obsession with his public appearance will eventually cause him to break the marriage. Nora’s need for an identity will ultimately cause her to leave Torvald even without Krogstad’s plot. Lastly the amount of deception and dishonesty between Torvald and Nora would have resulted in the same conclusion sooner or later. In this essay I will argue that Nora and Torvald’s relationship would have ended even without Krogstad’s extortion plot.
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
Polonius, the father of Laertes was hiding in, Hamlet’s mothers room. Shortly after, Hamlet accidentally stabs Polonius thinking it was the king. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes is very quick to avenge his father’s death. Laertes says “Let come what comes; only I’ll be revenged/ Most thoroughly for my father (4.5.133-134). In other words, Laertes does not mind any obstacles that may come by, as long as he is getting revenge, that is all that matters. Eventually, King Claudius reveals to Laertes that Hamlet admits to the murder of his father. Claudius is doing this so Laertes can be the hands of his dirty work as he is unable to kill Hamlet himself. Upon finding out that his father was killed by Hamlet, Laertes now has an urge to kill Hamlet no matter what terms; he is desperately willing to kill Hamlet that he will do so in a church. “To cut his throat I’ the church” (4.1.128). Laertes is rather anxious to kill Hamlet than hesitant. Moreover, the relationship between Polonius and Laertes is an unfamiliar one. In the past, Laertes goes off to France and his father sends to spy on him. Polonius tells a servant to spread rumors about his son. ““And, in part, him”; but you may say, “not well/ But, if’d be he I mean, he’s very wild/ Addicted so and so…”” (2.1.17-19). It is unclear whether Polonius trusts his
”(153) It becomes clear that the parallels presented throughout the play are there to further illuminate the flaws of Hamlet’s character. Laertes is a hot-headed man looking for revenge. His father was killed by Hamlet and his sister was driven insane due to the series of events that took place because of Hamlet. Like Hamlet, Laertes wants to avenge his father by killing the man who killed Polonius.
To which Nora replies, “Sprendthifts—I know” (Abcarian, Klotz, and Cohen 165). In this scene not only is Nora practically begging Torvald to give her money, but then he constantly replies a belittling fashion. Torvald knows he is her only way of being able to have money and squeezes every bit of satisfaction out of having her beg him to give her some cash. Ibsen points out the imbalance of power in this scene by portraying Torvald as having the upper hand. In another part of the act, we catch on to the obvious fact that Nora is submissive but alongside has a manipulative demeanor.
Nora Helmer was a delicate character that had been pampered all of her life, by her father, and by Torvald. She really didn't have a care in the world. She didn't even have to care for the children; the maid would usually take care of that. In every sense of the word, she was your typical housewife. Nora never left the house, mostly because her husband was afraid of the way people would talk. It really wasn't her fault she was the way she was; it was mostly Torvald's for spoiling her. Nora relies on Torvald for everything, from movements to thoughts, much like a puppet that is dependent on its puppet master for all of its actions. Her carefree spirit and somewhat childish manners are shown throughout the play with statements such as, "Is that my little lark twittering out there?" (1). "Is it my little squirrel bustling about?" (2). A lark is a happy, carefree bird, and a squirrel is quite the opposite. If you are to squirrel away something, you were hiding or storing it, kind of like what Nora was doing with her bag of macaroons. It seems childish that Nora must hide things such as macaroons from her husband, but if she didn't and he found out, she would be deceiving him and going against his wishes which would be socially wrong.