How Does Nora Make A Right Decision In A Doll's House

Many women in modern society make life altering decisions on a daily basis. Women today have prestigious and powerful careers unlike in earlier eras. It is more common for women to be full time employees than homemakers. In 1879, when Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll's House, there was great controversy over the out come of the play. Nora’s walking out on her husband and children was appalling to many audiences centuries ago. Divorce was unspoken, and a very uncommon occurrence. As years go by, society’s opinions on family situations change. No longer do women have a “housewife” reputation to live by and there are all types of family situations. After many years of emotional neglect, and overwhelming control, Nora finds herself leaving her

In Henrik Ibesen's play A Doll House, Nora Helmer struggles with telling her husband, Torvald Helmer, the truth about a loan she receives for them to go to Italy when he was sick. Consequently, when Torvald learns of the news he instantly insults Nora and declares that she has "ruined [his] happiness" (Ibesen 93). However, when Torvald tries to dismiss his insults after receiving a note that her contract was revoked, she does not accept his apologizes and decides to leave Torvald and her children to "make sense of [her]self and everything around [her]" (Ibesen 100). Her selfish decision to leave makes her a bad wife and mother, but she there are a few more characteristics that makes her a bad wife. The characteristics that Nora shows in

In A Dolls House, Torvald has a very narrow definition of women 's roles. He believes that it’s a woman duty to be a mother and a good wife, however he thinks women are helpless and childlike. Nora’s understanding of freedom changes during the play. In the first act, she believes that she will be “free” as soon as she repays her debt, because she will be able to devote herself to her domestic responsibilities. However after she gets blackmailed by Krogstad she reconsiders her understanding of freedom and questions whether she is happy in her house. By the end of the play, Nora seeks a new kind of freedom. She wishes to be relieved of her family obligations to pursue her own ambitions, beliefs, and identity.

Throughout A Doll’s House, Torvald views Nora’s actions as being deceiving not only towards him but also towards her family. However, Nora gain her perspective on her own actions and begins observing it differently than Torvald’s. The play states, “ It was me they told that his life was in danger...well, well, I thought, you’ve got to be saved somehow. And then I thought of a way-,” (Ibsen 35-36). Within Nora’s and Mrs. Linde’s private conversation, Nora conveys that her manipulation of money revealed how she deceives her husband even though it was in good intent to save his life. In addition, this demonstrates Nora’s willingness to think about others, such as her husband, before realizing for herself that there were going to be consequences for her later on. Within the play, Nora states, “ You have never understood me. A

During this period, women were subjected in their gender roles and were restricted over what the patriarchal system enforced on them. Everyone was brought up believing that women had neither self-control nor self-government but that they must capitulate to the control of dominate gender. The ideology that “God created men and women different - … [and they should] remain each in their own position.” (eHow, Ibsen's Influences on Women's Rights) is present in A Doll’s House with Nora’s character, as she is seen as the ideal women during the Victorian Era, who is first dutiful as wife and mother before to her own self. Whenever Torvald gives Nora money, she spends it on her children so that they are not “shabbily dressed” (Act 1). Though she loves her children it is all the more shocking when she leaves them.

Nora and Torvald have been married for a long time and they do their best to make sure they are happy. Nora loves Torvald very much and would do anything to

In A Doll House, Nora finds herself subordinate to her husband as well as the rules of society. Torvald forbids her from the consumption of macarons, bestows on her an allowance as if she were a child, persuades her to do as he wishes, dance like this, not like that, and she like a “good little lark” obeys his most every will. Her act of courage and independence, illegally taking out a loan to save his life, is seen as wrong in the eyes of society, while she sees it as necessary and forgivable; it is what a good wife should do for her husband.

In A Doll House Ibsen juxtaposes the marital relationship between Nora and Torvald with Nora’s and her father’s in order to present the idea an individual may look to their spouse as a replacement for a parental figure. Nora’s individual growth is stunted by her marriage, as she is dependent on her husband as a source of guidance and leadership, like a father, rather than a mutual source of maturation and equality between husband and wife. Nora drew comparison between her father and husband, stating “with Torvald it’s just the same as with Papa” (Ibsen 85). Nora recognized the similarity between the two before any epiphany of a parental replacement occurred; Nora was also comfortable with the

As long as Nora stays with Torvald, she would never find the freedom that her heart desires. In the novel, the reader can understand that Nora's main conflict is her finding her own individuality and her husband blocks the ability of her to see the path to her goals. A huge amount of bravery, courage and strength would have been aqcuired to make such a decision and she had all three characteristics. Nora decides to leave her family with many justified reasons, which makes her choice understandable.

In A Doll's house, there are many characters with a wide variety of different personalities and objectives. Even though there are many similarities between characters, there are just as many differences. Out of all the characters Torvald and Nora are the ones with the biggest differences in personality and opinions. Even though they are married and most of the time seem to have the perfect home life, it becomes easier to deduce throughout the drama that they are two completely different people that want different things out of their lives. Some main differences that Nora and Torvald have are the way that they perceive their self-image, what they want out of life, and the actions that they will take to overcome problems. (1)

In "A Doll House" Ibsen made a very controversial act, by having Nora leave her husband and her family. After first reading the play I thought that what Nora did was the right thing to do. But after thinking about I now realize that wasn't the right thing to do. Yes, Torvald was not the best husband in the world, but Nora should have considered that before she married him. To turn your back on your spouse is one thing, but to turn your back on your children is another. Nora was around in an era were women were looked down upon, not considered equal to men, so it would be hard for her to find a job. If Nora were to leave her Torvald she would have no were to go.

Firstly, Nora goes through a conflict with Krogstad. He blackmails Nora by threatening to tell her husband about the money she borrowed from him. “Have you forgotten that it is I who have the keeping of your reputation?” (45) Krogstad knows all he has to do is tell her husband, Helmer about the debt and Nora’s life will be over. Nora also has a conflict with Helmer. Nora and her husband have a broken marriage because they don’t seem to be on the same page. Nora genuinely cares and loves her husband; hence her reasoning for borrowing the money. Torvald loves Nora but it seems the outside appearance of their relationship is what matters to him. Their broken marriage causes another conflict, keeping secrets. Helmer has no idea that Nora borrowed money from Krogstad to help him. Nora kept this a secret because they don’t communicate with each other.

The play, A Doll’s house, illustrates the restrictive role of women in the society. Nora proclaims, “To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!” This is the evidence in her attempt to meet the society’s and her husband’s expectation. Nora expects to be an upstanding and honest mother for her children due to the parental obligation. Nora has been content in being a caring and responsible mother in her marriage; and she has shown her great love for her children by playing with them. Instead of being busy with social activities with other women, she spends most of her time with her children. As a result, her

By saying all these things Nora is seemingly proving to Torvald that he has power over her. Luckily, Torvald is not incredulous and feels that Nora is being

Here, Nora pulls together the tragic circumstances. She sees that she was never truly happy in the house, just content. Her father kept her as a child would a doll, and Torvald continued this when they were married. They formed her opinions for her, set expectations to which she was supposed to adhere, and wrote a vague script of how she was supposed to act. She was like a puppet, with no thoughts or actions of her own. When she finally realizes the injustice being done to her, she decides to free herself.