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Nora Was A Poor Wife

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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. However, Torvald was equally guilty of neglecting his duty to understand his wife in any meaningful way. He failed to establish any real communication with his wife and their marriage suffered for it. Even still, Torvald wasn’t completely without reason in his initial reaction. While his reaction was a bit rash, Nora’s action hadn’t just compromised Torvald’s reputation, the threat extended to the entire family. Her poor judgement had threatened to undo everything he had dedicated his life to working towards, and even in his rage he doesn’t wish to send her away. We see when he’s calmed down that he does in fact love Nora and intends to address the problems that have been illuminated through this situation. He forgives her for her recklessness and pledges to educate her (837). He is attempting to be reasonable and understanding in but Nora cannot see past her

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