A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

Although Nora is secretive about the crime she committed, which is forging her father’s name in order to borrow money; she does it to save her husband. During Act I when Nora is speaking to Mrs. Linde about someday revealing to Torvald about the secret loan Nora exclaims: “One day I might, yes. Many years from now, when I’ve lost my looks a little. Don’t laugh. I mean, of course, a time will come when Torvald is not as devoted to me, not quite so happy when I dance for him, and dress for him, and play with him.” (Act I, pg. 12). This quotation shows that even early on in the play Nora understands the reality of her marriage, and her existence to Torvald. Therefore, Act I is merely an introduction to the overall overarching theme of independence. Act I shows the obedient side of Nora, until later scenes when she reveals her independence. Torvald attempts to oppress his wife, but his actions do not stop Nora’s independent thoughts from forming.

Firstly, Nora and Torvald have different opinions regarding money: he upholds that borrowing is never an alternative to financial problems, but acknowledges that Nora does not follow this rule. Torvald believes she cannot help her tendency of over-spending, describing it as a hereditary condition: "It is in the blood; for indeed it is true that you can inherit these things, Nora." (p 9). She has been content to maintain her secret of borrowing money from Krogstad without her husband’s consent. This allows her husband to think of her as a possession and an expense, as "One would hardly believe how expensive such little persons are." (p 8). This becomes the main source from which the play 's tension originates. This is essential, as Nora’s terror of Torvald uncovering this secret causes her to weave an increasingly unstable web of lies, which subsequently collapses around her

A Doll 's House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that has been written to withstand all time. In this play Ibsen highlights the importance of women’s rights. During the time period of the play these rights were neglected. Ibsen depicts the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband during the 19th century. Nora is the woman in A Doll House who plays is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsen 's plays: "The common denominator in many of Ibsen 's dramas is his interest in individuals struggling for and authentic identity in the face of social conventions. This conflict often results in his characters ' being divided between a sense of duty to themselves and their responsibility to others." All of the aspects of this quote can be applied to the play A Doll House, in Nora Helmer 's character, who throughout much of the play is oppressed, presents an inauthentic identity to the audience and throughout the play attempts to discovery her authentic identity.

Mr. Krogstad, a former employee of Torvald is the leading antagonist in A Doll House. He clearly has an agenda and a lust for power. Krogstad’s lust for power gives the reader a sense of subtle rage because Krogstad only wants what’s best for him and his family but he exploits Nora for his own gain. Krogstad advances the plot by controlling Nora through a loan, while illuminating both main characters, and reinforcing the themes of confusion and lost love.

When Krogstad threatens to expose the truth, Nora must use her craftiness to distract Torvald and sway him into letting Krogstad keep his job. Unfortunately, she is not able to change his mind, but she does succeed in diverting his suspicions of her motives. She praises him and lulls him into a false sense of security by telling him that "[n]o one has such good taste as [he has]" and then goes on to ask him if he could "take [her] in hand and decide what [she is] to go as" for the dance. She confesses to him that she "can't do anything without [him] to help [her]". These statements lead him to believe that he is the one to "rescue" her, when it is in fact Nora who is trying to rescue him from dishonour. Later on, when Krogstad puts a letter in Torvald's mail, explaining everything that Nora has done, Nora uses her charms once more. She pretends that she has forgotten the tarantella so that Torvald will spend all his time with her and think nothing of the mail that awaits him. Nora truly believes that by deceiving her husband, she is protecting him from worry. Because of Nora's deception, the person that Torvald believes her to be is quite different from the person she actually is. He believes that she is a "spendthrift," infatuated by expensive things when in reality, she saves her money to pay back Krogstad and buys cheap clothing and gifts. Torvald

Nora was just the toy in their marriage. Nora was just like the Christmas tree, an ornament that charmed others. She must always be on watch with her behavior, as it could ruin Torvald’s image. When Torvald becomes sick, Nora paid it. However it was just a loan and now she must pay the money back. Nora must keep it a secret though because if Torvald finds out about it, he would be infuriated. It would ruin their marriage and drastically destroy it. Torvald cannot accept the fact that his wife, a woman, helped him. Furthermore, it is illegal for a wife to obtain a loan without the consent of her husband. This shows the power of Torvald over Nora or the power of men over women. In the end their marriage or bond was broken. . However, it was ironic in the end as the lies, that Nora created, did destroy their marriage but not in the way we would expect. Torvald did think about ending it but when he saw that the signature that Nora forged was handed back to them, Torvald calmed down. “His behavior makes Nora realize that, in their eight years of marriage, he has never looked on her as a human being but only as a doll, and she leaves him in order to learn to become a person in her own right” (Doll’s House). Nora finally severed all ties with him.

A Doll House was written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879. There are two woman in the play, Nora and Mrs. Linde who have some differences, but also share some similarities. Nora is married to Torvald Helmer, they have three children together. Miss. Linde is a widow an took care of her younger siblings and her now deceased mother. Nora and Mrs. Linde are different in the way they have lived the past couple of years and how at the end of act three they are changing their lifestyles by either going from independent to a dependent life or from a dependent to an independent lifestyle. Through these differences, they also share a similarities in the way they have cared for a family member, they are proud of this accomplishment, marry for money, work hard to earn money, and both ultimately were willing to sacrifice themselves for their families. Even though Nora and Mrs. Linde live different lifestyles, they both took care of a loved one and feel proud and happy for what they did.

Henrik Ibsen showed the meaning of "woman" in the 1800's to be wonderfully empty-headed. They were to take care of the children, and keep the house clean. Particularly wealthy women had maids and nannies to assist them. This led to a life of comfort and status for Nora Helmer, and it is idea that is sacrificed in A Doll's House to give Nora the room she needed to grow.

Henrik Ibsen, in his play “A Dollhouse,” sets the stage and opens the curtain so we can have a front row view of Nora’s life. The time is the nineteenth century, and the critical attitude towards women’s role was one of male dominance. During this time, women were expected to stay at home, take care of the children, and attend to the spouse. Nora, is portrayed by Henrik Ibsen as a toy or a doll, as a child, and as a mother and wife. As we perambulate through Nora’s life we will try to ascertain why the greatest miracle did not happen in her life.

“A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen, was written in such a period of time when women were struggling in search for their identity. His play reflects the position of women in society during the 19th Century, the way they were portrayed, and his belief that women should be given the right to build up their own individuality. Moreover, in this play, men are apparently in the overwhelming position where they are seen to exhibit power in controlling women so that their own identity and societal position may be held, and recognized by the general public. Nora Helmer is the main character in the play who takes on the role of a victim. By employing ideas from sociologists and psychologists, Nora’s struggle for identity, how other’s attitude towards her motivates and drives her to gradually develop her own sense of self can be more fully understood.

As we are humans we love the repeated events of life. As evidenced in our most loved literature and shows. The great everlasting mask of what is really behind everything or what really is there. Continuously asking why again, again, and again, never satisfied. Nora from A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen provides one of the favorite themes linking her to the Showgirls of Las Vegas, the stuffed animals that roamed the land in the past, and Edna from The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Illusion is what seems to binds people but, is the illusion reality or fantasy or both?

Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828 to a wealthy family, however, when he was just eight years old his family went bankrupt, and they lost their status in society. Ibsen knew how the issue of money could destroy a person’s reputation in no time at all. That is how he makes the characters in this play, A Doll’s House, so believable. Nora and Mrs. Linde, the two main female characters in the play, have had issues in the past of how money and forgery ruined their lives. Nora forged her dead father’s signature to get a loan. They play revolves around her struggle with her fear of being found out. Nora and Mrs. Linde are only just two examples on how money has impacted them. In the novella A Doll’s House, Ibsen uses the motifs such as money to

Social movement of women liberation toward equal rights and independence has been a big subject in human history. It happens not only in Europe but also all over the world. Though making progress, this movement has been advancing slowly and encountered backslashes from time to time. Maybe there is something deeply hidden which the society has not figured out yet, even women themselves. What do women want, freedom or good life? Most of the time, they are not necessarily the same thing.

Henrik Ibsen illustrates how self sacrifice of characters, cultivates betrayal in relationships. Characters in the novel recognize conflict, and that causes them to go against their morals. Betrayal in relationships occurs to justify their acknowledgement of conflict. Nora chooses to neglects her own safety because she does not trust her relationship with Torvald. She desires to sustain her position as a woman. Women cause a disturbance in the family dynamic, as gender roles say that women must comply to unwritten rules and never abandon their responsibilities. The ideal of a women is a direct reflection of how status and wealth shape the society. Illness presents an aspect of sacrifice for others which inspires betrayal. Nora’s psychological issues result in her questioning herself, her abilities as well as causing her to betray her family. Nora isolates herself in the house to sustain the appearance of the household. Dr. Rank also isolates himself with knowledge of his disease and betrays Torvald by admitting to Nora of his feelings. The betrayal made by characters are a cause of the sacrifices that are displayed in and outside of themselves.

In the play, “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, and the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the two protagonists named Nora Helmer and Edna Pontillier depict feminist ideals during the Victorian era in their struggle for independence, both sexually and emotionally. Nora and Edna are feminists in the late 1800s, trapped in an era and a society dictated by men. Both works parallel together and are significant because they show how Edna and Nora awaken, as their roles and self-realization progress in their respective families. Edna and Nora are emblematic of many women of this era whose roles also began to change as they became activists for women’s rights. Ibsen and Chopin utilize setting, characterization, and plot to depict realism in these works making a social statement.