Henrik Ibsen 's A Doll House

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.

In Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House, pointedly captures the reality of the Victorian Era within the play. Nora Helmer, the protagonist of the story, represents the typical women in society during that era. The audience’s first impression of Nora is a money obsessed, childish, obedient house wife to her husband, Torvald Helmer. However, as the play progresses one can see that Nora is far from being that typical ideal trophy wife, she is an impulsive liar who goes against society’s norm to be whom and what she wants. Her husband is illustrated as the stereotypical man during the 19th century, as he is the dominate breadwinner of the family, who too deserts his position as the play reaches its end. A key theme that is brought to light in A

When we first meet Nora in A Doll’s House, she is a perfect wife, mother, and representation of a 19th century woman. She even seems to enjoy her role as a homemaker as shown when she says, regarding the children, “I will take

Nora plays the part of a slave in her subservience to her husband, for she is supposed to

When examining the different characters in A Doll’s House, Nora is by far the most interesting character in the play. She becomes the central character who is portrayed as a “doll” for her husband, Torvald, to dress up, show off, and give direction to. Over the course of A Doll’s House, Nora seems to be happily married in the beginning of the play towards the middle, however she begins to change towards the end. Nora played out to not be as happy as she seemed, therefore she just put on for the people and to show status.

After Torvald’s cruel reaction, she understands that “personal and human freedom are not measured in economic terms” (Witham 1786). She comes to the realization that it does not matter how well off they are financially or the perfect appearance they have, but that individual freedom and identity are the key to happiness. In order to reach this, Nora must leave her family and home life. Nora’s decision to leave her comfortable life is not an easy choice because not only was she is leaving behind her family, but she is also stepping into society’s line of fire. Women faced condemnation from society for not choosing “socially prescribed roles of marriage” (Atner 1794). She, like other brave people, chose to “abandon these roles in order to realize their value as individuals” (Atner 1794). Nora sacrifices the appearance of a “dollhouse” to better understand herself and this cost the destruction of her family (Witham 1786). It is at this point she goes from the “Angel in the House” to the “Fallen

Nora represents women’s rights and the mistreatment of women at this time period; she changes after setting

The expectation was that women would take care of their kids and husbands by making food and doing laundry. Also, it was expected of them to take care of the house. They was pretty much expected to be the caretaker of the family. This quote refers to some of these same expectations of Nora, such as playing with the children and cleaning the house. She contradicts all of these by leaving her family and going to take on life on her own. At the time it was not normal for a female to be independent. Some stereotypes for females included them being, weak, passive, emotional, and dependent, so females weren’t seen as living on their own. They were seen as depending on someone else, and in Nora’s case she depended on Torvald. Then she left which contradicted the stereotypes and expectations of

Through out, A Doll House, Nora is required to meet the expectations set forth for her by the patriarchal society she has been born into and until the end she is indulgent when it comes to playing the role of perfect housewife. Nora is the ideal depiction of time era appropriate femininity with her well maintained appearance. She is subservient to the majority of her husband’s wishes by doing as she is told and hiding what she must. She represses her internal conflict and passionate desires for the sake of her husband’s happiness because it is what society expects from her even if it leaves her feeling unfulfilled (Ibsen 1488 - 1535).

Her father lived in a time where the woman stood by their husbands no matter what and she is the result if that generation. There is more freedom when in comparison to the past generation but the same concepts still apply. In the past women were not allowed to voice their opinions or question their husbands whether publicly or privately. Nora ended up with a husband that was not selfish and actually cared about her well-being so in that sense Nora was

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.

Nora gets blackmailed for forging a signature, and for this she gets disowned by her husband. But, when her husband finds that the blackmail will be dropped, and will no longer affect their lives, he tells Nora that everything is okay and they both can presume living like normal. This opens Nora’s eyes fully for the first time, before she had only glimpses of the wrongness in her identity, but now she knew. Nora had been living a false identity, she had been a ‘toy doll’, and at the end of the play she decides to want so much more than to be what others thought she should be. In the end of Act three, Nora states ”I must think things out for myself and try to get clear about them” (Ibsen 199). Nora is now going to decided who she is and what she really believes, she is going to discover her own identity. In an article on women working in World War II, it states, “While patriotism did influence women, ultimately it was the economic incentives that convinced them to work. Once at work, they discovered the nonmaterial benefits of working like... contributing to the public good, and proving themselves in jobs once thought of as only men’s work” (“Rosie Riveter: Women”). Women before World War II were thought of as simply housewifes for the most part, similar to Nora. The circumstances of World War II brought about need for women in the workplace, this started a domino effect of women taking up an identity similar to males the sense that they could now

In the Victorian Era, women were divided into different social classes. High class women during this time period stayed at home while the middle and lower class women who were either unmarried or widowed becoming maids, housekeepers, or paid-workers. In the film adaptation, Nora was a high class married woman who seemed to be happy with the life that she lived. Pampered by her husband’s wealth and having a nurse and nanny taking care of Nora’s three children. All Nora had to do was to make sure that she was tidy and beautiful, which made her a representation of a trophy wife. The only type of trouble she had to face as a high class woman was to entertain the guest that entered her home, and her husband as shown in the film adaptation. The nanny, Anne-Marie, was a representation of a middle class woman because of the current situation she lived in the movie. She told Nora that she left her own daughter to work for

In Victorian England, “the bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation to a mere money relation” (Engels). This upper middle class, the bourgeois, was divided into separate spheres determined by their “natural characteristics” such as being male or female (Gender 1). The bourgeois society’s main concern was their outward appearance and materialism while gaining respectability among their social class. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, criticizes Victorian bourgeois society and their strict adherence to gender roles. As Nora Helmer walked away from her family, she generated a “door slam heard around the world” (“A Doll’s House” 1).

Her final goal was so important to her, protecting her family, she knew she had to do whatever was necessary, even if that meant not being true to her husband or society. In the end, she realizes that it was more important to her husband his reputation, than what it had meant to Nora, all she had done for the love of her family, concluding to the raw truth that her husband didn´t really love her: he loved what she represented before society, a loving, faithful wife that compelled to all his expectations. She knew that to love her children, she needed first to understand and love herself, a thought way beyond and ahead of time, for a woman in the late 1800´s.