A Doll House : Critical Review

Henrik Ibsen uses several different stylistic devices in A Doll’s House. The author’s choice of writing this piece as a play is to emphasize interactions between various

In the beginning, Nora and Torvald's relationship appeared to be a good marriage according to the principles of the time. However, this marriage was based on fairly different and unequal roles. Torvald is a banker and he holds the power of the house as a man. He is very much concerned about his status and value in the society. Nora is a housewife who is supposed to take care of her husband and children. Torvald understands that Nora needs his guidance with every decision she makes and he treats

Much of Nora’s change and growth is shown in Act III. As the party begins to die down, Torvald takes Nora and tells her how he feels towards her.

An important occasion in which Nora questions her personality, and comes to the realization that there needs to be a change in her life is when Krogstad confronts her knowledge of a dirty business she had done in the past with Mr. Krogstad. She forged her father’s signature, in order to obtain access to money he had in the bank. She is worried about what Mr. Krogstad would do to affect her family, as he was warning her that if he

Regardless of Krogstad’s motive to keep his job, his harsh measures lead to the ruin of Nora and Torvald’s marriage. Although, it’s questionable how personally responsible he is. Highlighting Krogstad’s responsibility is evident in the following actions. First, Krogstad approaches Nora at a Christmas Eve gathering and request that Nora uses her influence over Torvald to secure his job. Furthermore, he suggests that he can force her to help him. Korvald blackmails Nora by revealing; “Your father died on the 29th of September. But look here: he has dated his signature the 2nd of October…Can you explain it…what’s just as peculiar is that the words "October 2nd" as well as the year, are not in your father's handwriting” (Ibsen 1570). Second, as Nora fails to keep Krogstad’s job, he confronts her with news of a letter written for Torvald that outlines her actions. Krogstad knows that Torvald will do anything to maintain his respectability, even re-employing Krogstad in a better job than he had before. Lastly, Krogstad does send the letter. However, shortly after he and Mrs. Linde

Torvald, Nora’s, is a bank manager and he is not respectful to his wife in general. Mrs. Kristine Linde is a good friend of Nora. She is in a tough time and ask Nora for help. The first important event is that Krogstad asked Nora to persuade Torvald to maintain Krogstad’s job. Nora used to borrow amount of money from Krogstad and forged her dad’s signature.

Ibsen details the parallels between Nora and Krogstad as they both committed their crimes for love. Thus, in the first conversation between Nora and Krogstad, Ibsen establishes Krogstad as the cunning antagonist and the extremity of Nora’s crime to build up the climax of the play whilst continuing to portray Nora as childish.

However, it doesn't justify the rest of her lies to her friends and husband. Her deceptive actions then cause problems to stir up in her relationship with Torvald. Krogstad warns Nora that if Torvals fires him, he will take her down with him. Nora then tries to convince Mrs. Linde to persuade Krogstad to not inform Torvald about the situation, however once Krogstad is confronted by Mrs. Linde she tells him to expose Nora. Two letters are sent to the Helmer residence both addressed to Torvald. He comes to learn about Nora's forgery and loses his mind and yells and is shamming her for her actions. In the end, everything that Nora had acquired with Torvald, everything she bragged about, was taken from her because of her deceptive nature in the

Nils Krogstad, the play's antagonist, uses some serious villainous tactics over the course of the play. He tries to threaten and blackmail Nora, into getting his job back. Nora borrowed money from Krogstad but used a fake signature. Krogstad found out and is now about to lose his job. “...if I lose my position a second time, you shall lose yours with me.” (Krogstad 30) Krogstad has figured if he can blackmail Nora, then he can keep his job and she can keep her family.

She cleverly manipulates the men around her while, to them, she seems to be staying in her subordinate role. In all three acts of the play Nora controls many situations and yields the most power.

Nora is married to Torvald Helmer who is the new manager of the bank. During his health crisis, he befriended Dr. Rank who reveals that he has a love interest for Nora Helmer. While Torvald was sick, Nora forged a contract in her fathers name to get a loan from Nil Krogstad which later came back to bite her. Once Krogstad found out the Nora's husband was the new manager, he blackmailed

A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen examines the controversial point of persuasion of love and marriage that emphasis marital vows and women’s roles, during the nineteenth century. Where feminism lurks throughout the entire play. Through this play, I shall show you what I perceived what the writer Ibsen presumption of the equivalence among men and woman, and the idea of feminism. Where Women have a specific purpose, to hold up their husbands, took charge of their children, and do what each are told. Things as work, politics, and decisions, were taboo for the women and left up to the men. Where Woman struggle to see one 's own individuality, while in a destructive dead end marriage. The relationship among characters Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Kristine Linde, and Nils Krogstad. At a time when it was unheard of women contemplating leaving their husbands, let alone borrowing money. Nora, the leading character of the play, appears to resemble a middleclass homemaker. A Jubilant and laid-back woman. Who, indeed, would resemble a doll, a "squirrel," a songbird?(pg.1281) Her aim in life is to be happy for her husband 's sake, for the sake of the children; to talk, dance, and flirt with them.”(pg.) Torvald 's use of baby talk when talking to his wife that prevents Nora from any intellectual achievement. The place of lies and deceit. “A Doll 's House” A Doll characteristic

Later in the play things start getting complicated for Nora. Her husband Torvald had become Mr. Krogstad boss at work, and Torvald wanted to fire Mr. Krogstad. This is when Mr. Krogstad starts to blackmail Nora. He wants Nora to stop Torvald from firing him. If she does not, Mr. Krogstad was going to tell Torvald her secret. This should have been the perfect time for Nora to tell the truth to her husband, but she believed that telling Torvald the truth will ruin their relationship. Nora says to her friend Mrs. Linde “Torvald, with all his masculine pride – how painfully humiliating for him if he ever found out he was in debt to me. That would ruin our relationship. Our beautiful, happy home would never be the same” (Iben 802)

In “A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen was created during 1800s time period. This play helps shine a light on the gender roles of the 1800s while also creating a twist that was uncommon for this period. During this time period, women were left home to oversee the domestic duties, while men went to commuted to work (Hughes). Men were seen as physically superior but morally inferior to women; which is also portrayed within this book (Hughes). This play marks the beginning of Henrik Ibsen’s realist period, which he explored the ordinary lives of small-town people (Kirszner and Mandell 881). This “modern tragedy” helped make Ibsen famous internationally because of the real-life story it captured (Kirszner and Mandell 882). Henrik Ibsen uses an array of literary devices to help keep the reader captivated from beginning to end. Three of the most prominent literary devices used by Henrik Ibsen are symbolism, foreshadowing, and an array of themes. These literary devices help transform a basic play into a complex story of lies and deception.

Just how important the `secret' is to the play becomes evident in the chain of events surrounding the misunderstood Krogstad's first visit to the Helmer home. Krogstad loaned Nora the money and now works at the bank with Torvald. His reputation was sullied years before for actions very similar to Nora's. Nora begins to show the fragility of her façade by wringing her hands and whispering to herself. Moments later, Nora thinks about Krogstad being dependent on Torvald and laughs out loud in front of Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde. It is the first sign that