Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

392 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gender roles in marriage scholarly

Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

In Henrik Isben's A Doll's House, he makes the observation that women in contemporary society posses no independent self unrestricted from the male's image of them; Isben accomplishes this through the character relationship between Torvald Helmer and his wife Nora.

Henrik Isben sought to show the psychological complexity of realism underneath the surface of a typical urban bourgeoisie or professional class family. Thus in doing so, brings out the central conflict between the idealistic Torvald and this underlying theme demonstrated through Nora.

Ultimately, it is because of Torvald's completely inflexible and self-righteous attitudes towards life and his moralistic values, that Nora is driven from her role of submisiveness in his game of male dominance to seek her own identity.

Hel. (walking about the room). What a horrible awakening! All these eight years-she who was my joy and pride-a hypocrite, a liar-worse, worse-a criminal! The unutterable ugliness of it all! For shame! For shame! ...(62)

It is only when she has found this sense of a self that she had been denying and sacrificing all these years, that she can truly begin to love others.

Hel. Before all else you are a wife and a mother.

Nora. I don't believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a

reasonable human being just as you are-or, at all events, that I must try and become one. (68)

This game which she had been playing with her father before, and now with the close-minded Torvald, she finally realizes, is the "Dolls House" she's been living in for all her life, never finding out who she truly is.

Nora. But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your

doll wife, just as at home I was Papa's doll child; and here the children

have been my dolls. I thought it was great fun when you played with me,

Show More
Related

  • "A Doll's House"

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a juvenile game of hide and seek that Nora plays with her children she displays her childlike behavior but this also seems to articulate that what is happening between her and Torvald is a game. She hides the truth from Torvald in order to safeguard his excellent name, as it would apparently be her duty to honor him in that manner. Nora seems to enjoy this game with her children because she considers them to be great fun and sh...

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Becoming Independent in A Doll's House

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen illustrates through an intriguing story how a once infantile-like woman gains independence and a life of her own. Ibsen creates a naturalistic drama that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seam to have it all, but in reality their life together is empty. Instead of meaningful discussions, Torvald uses degrading pet names and meaningless talk to relate to Nora. Continuing to treat Nora like a pampered yet unimportant pet, Torvald thoroughly demonstrates how men of his era treat women as insignificant items to be possessed and shown off. While the Helmer household may have the appearance of being sociably acceptable, the marriage of Torvald and Nora was falling apart because of the lack of identity, love, and communication.

    Read More

  • Greek Culture During The Archaic Age Of Ancient Greece

    1493 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Archaic Age of Ancient Greece, circa 776-500 B.C.E., the population growth in Ancient Greece called a need for more food supplies, and this demand was met by trade, establishing colonies, and by warfare to seize more land (Making Europe 71). According to Kidner, the Archaic Age “brought a revival of culture, the economy, and political significance to Greece” (71). As Greece began to overpopulate, methods for dealing with the overpopulation had to be found, once of these methods was to import food, which caused an expansion of Greek commerce and production of trade goods (Making Europe 71). Another solution to the overpopulation of Greece was to find new land somewhere else, and during the colonization that lasted from 750-550 B.C.E., Greeks colonized coastal cities because they wanted access to trade routes across the sea (Making Europe 71). The revival of Greek trade also brought Near Eastern culture into Greece, including new styles or art. According to Kidner, “Greek sculpture assumed a very Egyptian look, and Greek pottery depicted many eastern designs…and Greek potters and sculptors soon used designs from their own myths and legents”

    Read More

  • Female Sexuality

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sexual promiscuity by women has been looked down upon throughout history, in and out of literature, but in Cathy Ames’s case, it made her superior. In the Steinbeck novel of the battle of good v. evil, as a young girl, her mother finds Cathy in her barn being fondled by a couple boys older than her. She also seduces her teacher and leads him to committing suicide, due to the emptiness he feels when she refuses to marry him. At a very early age she realizes she can control men, easily, and continues with this for the rest of the novel (Steinbeck).

    Read More

  • The Struggle for Identity in A Doll’s House

    1479 Words  | 3 Pages

    The inferior role of Nora is extremely important to her character. Nora is oppressed by a variety of "tyrannical social conventions." Ibsen in his "A Doll's House" depicts the role of women as subordinate in order to emphasize their role in society. Nora is oppressed by the manipulation from Torvald. Torvald has a very typical relationship with society. He is a smug bank manager. With his job arrive 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.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Nora In A Doll House

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Effects Cellphones Have on People

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    The second effect is the communication between family and friends. For example, 65% of people who have cell phones say that the phones ...

    Read More

  • Free Essay - Mrs. Linde and Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House

    551 Words  | 2 Pages

    Then, we have Nora, who on the same token saves her husband (Torvald’s) life, which portrays again, the trend of women sacrificing for their families. They both

    Read More

  • A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Henrik Ibsen created a world where marriages and rules of society are questioned, and where deceit is at every turn. In A Doll’s House, the reader meets Nora, a housewife and mother trapped in her way of life because the unspoken rules of society. Nora and the people around her decieve each other throughout the entire play, leading up to a shocking event that will change Nora and her family lives forever. Ibsen uses the theme deceit to tell a story filled with lies and betrayal.

    Read More

  • Portrayal of Gender Roles in the 19th Century in Ibsen's A Doll's House

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    “A Doll’s House” gives the reader a firsthand view at how gender roles affected the characters actions and interactions throughout the play. The play helps to portray the different struggles women faced during the 19th century with gender roles, and how the roles affected their relationships with men as well as society. It also helps to show the luxury of being a male during this time and how their higher status socially over women affected their relationships with women and others during this time period. Torvald Helmer starts off the story with a new job as a bank manager. He has a wife, Nora, who does not have a job in the workforce since that was the man's role.

    Read More

  • Gender In A Doll’s House And The Importance Of Being Earnest

    2000 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nora engages in a mutually dependent game with Torvald in that she gains power in the relationship by being perceived as weak, yet paradoxically she has no real power or independence because she is a slave to the social construction of her gender. Her epiphany at the end at the play realises her and her marriage as a product of society, Nora comes to understand that she has been living with a constr...

    Read More

  • A Feminist Perspective of A Doll's House

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...dlike mentality and needs to grow before she can raise her own children. Her defiance of Torvald, when he refuses to let her leave, reflects her epiphany that she isn't obligated to let Torvald dictate her actions. The height of Nora's realization comes when she tells Torvald that her duty to herself is as strong as her duty as a wife and mother. She now sees that she is a human being before she is a wife and mother and she owes herself to explore her personality, ambitions, and beliefs.

    Read More

  • A Doll's Character Analysis

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    She is a heroic character for her positive development and maturation over the course of the play. Vocalizing for all the women that enjoy independence, her character describes the feeling of being trapped as the primed and proper doll of the household that wishes to break free of her societal responsibilities. In the beginning, Nora is an easily manipulated wife who is made to never dabble in her husband’s affairs. This is due to the belief that women aren’t made to interfere with male dominated business matters. She also endures his seemingly harmless pet names that are actually used as an intimidation technique to make her feel more submissive. Torvald states, “Is that my squirrel rummaging around?” (1728). His subtle technique of using unconventional animals such as squirrels to make her feel inferior, reveals his dominating nature. Torvald’s actions are not only controlling but they are also selfish. Nora, on the other hand, secretly helped save her husband’s life by borrowing money to fund a trip in order to improve his ill health. She did so without seeking recognition and to simply help her husband, which is what a true hero does. The play also outlines the fact that women tend to sacrifice more when they dedicate their whole

    Read More

  • Greek Influence On Roman Civilization

    584 Words  | 2 Pages

    The resourceful Rome benefited from Carthaginian’s genius of constructing supreme quality of naval ships that led to the fall of the Carthaginian Empire validating their superpower nature. Furthermore, it was Greece who civilized Rome, who adapted the Greeks influence on literature, religion, philosophy, and Art. Although no previous mention of Greece, the founder of a democratic government, adopted by the Roman Republic, which the citizens could vote for their leaders in the Assembly. Therefore, it was evident that the basic foundation of the Roman society and thoughts were originated by the Greeks.

    Read More

  • How Cell Phones Effect Our Everyday Lives

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ling, Richard Seyler. The mobile connection the cell phone's impact on society. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann, 2004. Print.

    Read More

More about Torvald Helmer of Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

Open Document