Nora tells Torvald, “You and [me] I both would transform ourselves to the point that…I have stopped believing in miracles” (Kirszner and Mandell). Henrik Ibsen’s ending for his play, “A Doll House” must stay the same, or many integral parts of Nora’s story would not have any intrinsic value. Although the description of Nora’s character at the beginning of Act I as an irresponsible spender and her husband calls her “my squirrel” (Ibsen 6). The conclusion of the play showed that people can grow and how the character of Nora Torvald developed through Ibsen’s writing. What eventually bewildered Nora’s friends and family was her abrupt exit from their lives. The play illustrated her personal growth even though others did not understand leaving was the next phase in her maturation process. The ending of the play represents …show more content…
Later in the play, Helmer had received a follow-up note, explaining how Krogstad’s life has changed for the better, and he no longer felt the inclination to disclose Nora’s fraud to the authorities (Ibsen 246). With the risk of exposure diminishing, Helmer exclaims, “Yes, yes, it’s true. I’m saved” (Ibsen 245). His elation that he is no longer subject to Krogstad’s blackmail causes an immediate response of joy, yet he never sincerely considered the toll that the blackmail had wrought on Nora’s well-being. After Helmer’s obvious exclusion of Nora in his celebration, she replies to his discourtesy: Yes, but you were so very right. I’m not up to the job [raising children]. There’s another job I have to do first. I have to try to educate myself. You can’t help me with that. I’ve got to do it alone. And that’s why I’m leaving you now. (295) Nora had finally made the decision to determine her fate; distancing herself from the idyllic life her husband had foreseen for
I don’t believe that Nora could not think for herself. She took a loan to help pay for a trip for her and her sick husband. She knew to forge her recently deceased father’s signature to obtain the loan. And she worked in secret from her husband to pay the loan back. She was naïve to think forgery was not a crime because it was done out of love for her husband, but she did it without thinking she would get caught. She would not have gotten caught if Krogstad didn’t get in his own trouble and proceed to blackmail her. So it makes sense that when she has her anagnorisis and realizes that her husband won’t give her the “miracle” of forgiving her and that she doesn’t even love him, that she chooses to leave him. The only part that does not make sense to me was that she left her husband and her children. As a mother I would never leave my child. But I was fortunate not to have my daughter until I was 28 years old, and had lived and experienced much, and had plenty of time for self-discovery and selfishness. I
The enforcement of specific gender roles by societal standards in 19th century married life proved to be suffocating. Women were objects to perform those duties for which their gender was thought to have been created: to remain complacent, readily accept any chore and complete it “gracefully” (Ibsen 213). Contrarily, men were the absolute monarchs over their respective homes and all that dwelled within. In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, Nora is subjected to moral degradation through her familial role, the consistent patronization of her husband and her own assumed subordinance. Ibsen belittles the role of the housewife through means of stage direction, diminutive pet names and through Nora’s interaction with her morally ultimate
Nora was guilty of one thing. Loving her husband. "Dear Nora, I forgive you this fear you're in. although it really is an insult to me. Yes, it is! It is an insult to think that I am scared of a shabby scrivener's revenge. But I forgive you, for it's such a beautiful
A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, portrays the complicated marriage of Nora and Torvald Helmer. In numerous ways Nora is treated like a child or “doll” by her husband, and in turn, Torvald takes care of her physically, emotionally, and financially. While Nora is stuck in a patriarchal society, until she had a change at the play’s end, she played along and never had an objection. Nora’s sudden realization to start a new life and leave her family not only proves she is irresponsible, but also she does not know what she will face in the real world, and she cares about herself more than her own children.
Throughout the entirety of the play, Nora's conformity is shown through the conventional lifestyle of Nora and her husband. Her calculated actions are determined by the need to maintain this image placed upon her as wife and mother. As a wife, she worries
The role of being a husband in both A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen and Fences by August Wilson is failed to a certain extent due to the fact that they cannot meet the expectations of their wives. By failing to do so, they both damage their relationships. In Fences, we learn that Troy Maxon’s failure as a husband started when he cheated on his wife, Rose, with another woman, who soon became pregnant with his child. In A Doll’s House, Nora would do anything to save her husband, Torvald, but that that feeling wasn’t mutual, and in the end, Torvald shows Nora who he really is, someone she did not expect him to be.
Write a paper that explains how history is portrayed in a particular play emphasizing what a certain historical event, personage, or situation enables the playwright to communicate. Discuss what effect the playwright's transformation of historical reality has on an audience.
On the social standpoint, this justifies Nora’s reasoning for leaving
During the final scene Nora explains how Helmer has treated her as his “doll-wife, just as at home I was papa’s doll-child” as her life was transposed from one male’s hands to another’s (83). While it may seem that Nora is blaming the male figures within her life she understands that just like hers their roles have been passed down generation from generation with no regard for the consequences one might endure for following such rigid guidelines. And the only way she believes to stop living a predetermined life is to completely remove herself from Helmer and their children because as Nora declares “you (Helmer) are not the man to educate me into being a proper wife” because he simply does not understand the very nature of their relationship has been predetermined and that does not allow for any free will from either party (83). Helmer most likely grew up with a family dynamic very similar to the one he employs and justly continues with it because it is the only thing he knows and it is what he believes to be expected of him, he is as much of victim of society’s roles as Nora
Nora is motivated throughout the story to be according to her "free," however, she does not only want to be free of the loan she is owning to Krogstad, she wants to be free from her father and husband's control. Throughout the story, Nora feels as if she has always been treated like a doll child first by her father and then by her husband and is never given the opportunity to evolve as an individual and become a woman who has the potential to be independent and forceful (Yuehua 83). The perfect example her attempt to fulfill her potential as a woman is when she first borrows the loan from Krogstad by forging her dying father's signature. Although she knows her act is wrong and against the law, she still goes on with a naïve challenge to Krogstad during their encounter about the forged signature
In A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen focuses on the importance of women's roles and freedom in society. Widely regarded as a feminist paean, the play features two major female characters; the most prominent of whom, Nora Helmer, shatters her position as a subservient, doll-like female when she walks out on her husband and children with a flagrant "door slam heard round the world." Nora’s evolution, though inspiring, should not overshadow another crucial woman in the play: Mrs. Kristine Linde. Both women attain freedom in a society dominated by the adherence to conservative marital roles, but do it in different ways. While Nora reaches her consciousness and slams the door on her shackling domicile, Mrs.
Surname 1 Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Outline: Historical Analysis of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Thesis statement: In the play, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the marital predicaments of Nora illustrates a realistic societal problem that was prevalent in Europe during the 19th century regarding marriages and the role of women in the society. Introduction
A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, portrays a young married woman, Nora, who plays a dramatic role of deception and self-indulgence. The author creates a good understanding of a woman’s role by assuming Nora is an average housewife who does not work; her only job is to maintain the house and raise the children like a stereotypical woman that cannot work or help society. In reality, she is not an average housewife in that she has a hired maid who deals with the house and children. Although Ibsen focuses on these “housewife” attributes, Nora’s character is ambitious, naive, and somewhat cunning. She hides a dark secret from her husband that not only includes borrowing money, but also forgery. Nora’s choices were irrational; she handled the
A Doll’s House was published in Norway in 1879 by Henrik Isben. He is known as the father of Modern Theatre. He is also referred as the father of realism. The play is very interesting because of the funny dialogue, the unique characters, and Ibsen 's view of the place of ladies in the public eye. The main characters of the play is Nora Helmer and her husband Torvald Helmer. Imagine what it would be like to live in a doll 's home? It 's a house in which you are controlled and have no energy to settle on any solid choice; It 's a house in which you are a play thing for another person 's amusement. This sounds a ton like an awful marriage, so it 's a house in which your husband holds the satchel strings, in a manner of speaking, and abandons you with no influence over your family 's accounts. In fact, your husband keeps you on a tightrope. Such is the perceived life of Nora Helmer.
Nora wanted to protect and do what was best for her family, but when things are done based on lies things usually turn out bad. A marriage should be based on love and trust. If there is no