Nora Helmer : Character Sketch

She is married to her husband, Torvald, who has recently been promoted in his job at the bank. In the story Torvals constantly belittles his wife, referring to her as meek animals, like starlet and squirrel. He uses these words to make her seem weak and incapable of affairs, other than domestic. He did not think women should be allowed to, or even could, handle money. From this information it can be gathered that Torval is the victimizer to his wife. Later on though, it is revealed that Torvald was once very sick and the Helmer’s could not afford to pay for his medical needs. Nora had to take out a loan, behind his back, and pay for his expenses, that were required in another country. At one point, this is revealed and Torvald is taken aback by his wife’s ‘betrayal’. Nora then, has an epiphany and realizes she has been subjugated by her husband for a long time and in an instance walks out on him, for good. Against Torvald’s knowledge and will, he was at point a victim where his wife was the only one to care for him. He acted superior to his wife in their marriage, but when he became ill he was the frail and week

We also see his demeaning behavior when he underestimates her ability to handle money. Herman Weigand points out that "Torvald tells her in money matters she has inherited her father 's disposition" (Weigand 27). So Torvald 's condescending language and names keep Nora in her place as a doll where he likes her to be. James Huneker put it best when he said

restricted to playing with the children, doing little housework, and working on her needlepoint. A problem with her responsibilities is that her most important obligation is to please Torvald, making her role similar to that of a slave. Torvald easily talks down to Nora saying things like: “…worries that you couldn’t possible help me with”, “Nora, Nora, just like a woman”, and “Mayn’t I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to no one but me—that’s my very own?” as if she is considered his property.

person was Krogstad; a simple man with a strong power. Nora, like every person, has had troubles in her

Character Analysis Torvald: Character Description- Torvald is “supposedly” madly in love with his wife Nora; seen by giving her pet nicknames, such as “skylark”, and always giving her money. -Changes dramatically as soon as he reads Krogstad’s letter. -Becomes sexist and selfishly angry Key Action- Helmer, “Now you have destroyed all my happiness.

Nora questions herself and what her life really meant and what the past 8 years of marriage to Torvald really was. She realized that she did not want to stay with Torvald because she needed to find herself. Torvald shows her that he is willing to fix the problem and wants to change for her. Torvald gives Nora many examples and ways he is willing to do in order for her to stay and reconstruct their

He also refers to her as his lark “Is that my little lark twittering out there?” and Spendthrift “Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?” Torvald calls Nora all these names in an effort to make her feel inferior. By doing so she is portrayed as weak. In contrast Mrs. Linde, a former schoolmate of nora is more mature while Nora has a childish behavior.

Rank, in the first bit of the play, the reader soon finds out that Nora has been keeping a secret which changes the perception of her character all together. A few years before, Torvald developed an illness which caused his life to be in danger, and in an attempt to save his life, Nora borrowed money from Mr. Nils Krogstad, secretly, of course, because it would have been impossible for a woman to participate in any legal financial business without a man’s approval. With this being the gender standard of the time and Nora being desperate to save her husband, who would not sacrifice his pride to borrow money from another man, she took matters into her own hands and forged her father’s signature to get the money. Krogstad, the main protagonist of the story, soon begins to blackmail Nora with this offense in an attempt to save his job at the bank where he works and where Mr. Helmer holds a high position, therefore possessing great power and influence. For Nora to participate in such a complex and secretive scheme shows that there is much more to her than meets the eye.

Torvald is depicted as a hostile character and husband. He disrespects, manipulates and isolates himself from Nora. Nora finally decides it is best for her to take herself out of this harmful

Through Torvald and his constant reminders that she needs protection through nicknames and condescending comments - and Nora’s acceptance of this persona the basis of her identity is found. Throughout the novel

Torvald’s wife Nora is the center of several of the traits that classify him as a morally ambiguous character. Nora is more like a possession to Torvald than a soul mate or wife. She is like a doll to him, something that he can control and shape into what he wants. Nora is treated like a child and as if she can not function a second without him to be there to tell her what to do. Her dependency on him is extremely important to him because that is

Nora was a poor wife because she was only playing the part. She didn’t truly understand her husband or the pressures he was under and it was her security in her delusion that failed her, not Torvald’s failure to meet some fantasized expectation that she had of him. She was surprised by her husband’s reaction because she didn’t understand the pressures he was faced with as a man of that time. Her failure to take responsibility and communicate her error as well as her attempts to hide it from him, like a child who’s broken something, had robbed him of any chance to intervene and Torvald was right to be upset with her.

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

As Ibsen describes, Nora Helmer starts off as a stay at home perfect wife with little to no worries. Then as the story progresses her life turns into a deeper scandal where Nora’s true colors are brought to light. Ibsen’s characters change throughout the story, some are for the better, some decisions are more questionable. Nora Helmer, our main character, shows characteristics such as; intelligent, passively aggressive, seductive and manipulated as she changes as the story unfolds.

Christine Linde, cannot support her in her endeavors for self-fulfillment because of the beliefs that have been instilled within her as a woman. When Mrs. Linde first arrives to the apartment she discusses the troubles she has faced since Nora and her last saw each other and when Nora attempts to empathize with her by expressing her troubles she verbally assaults Nora for knowing “so little of the burdens and troubles of life” (15). Even a fellow women feels the need to invalidate Nora in her efforts which makes it difficult for her to express her ideas because now both genders have completely shut Nora down and degraded her thoughts. This, again, stems from the sphere of influence men and women grew up in; it was made perfectly okay for men to talk to women in that manner and women adopted the same characteristics making it impossible for women to ever talk without fear of backlash from anyone. Even when Mrs. Linde learns of the very intimate relationship Nora has with Doctor Rank, she is appalled and warns her to “make an end of it with Doctor Rank” after Nora discusses “some nonsense about a rich admirer” who she assumes to be the Doctor (41). Nora is the only character who believes that a friendly relationship is possible between the two sexes, and when she carelessly expresses this idea the very thought worries Mrs. Linde and issues are