Nora's Complexity

Nora plays with Dr. Rank 's emotions; though by accident, she does so more than she had intended. Nora becomes desperate for money at one point and intends to use her sex appeal and subtle charm to get some from Dr. Rank. Nora is in the process of flirting

In preparation for Nora's dance at the party, we again see Ibsen showing us Torvald's and Nora's roles. "I can't get anywhere without your help."(Ibsen 91) "Direct me. Teach me, the way you always have."(Ibsen 91) Nora's lines reflect the "costume" that Torvald expects her to wear (and which she wears obligingly), that of the meek, subservient, childlike wife.

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

This passage from A Doll’s House, begins near the start of Act 1. It is the first interaction between Torvald and Nora, and reveals a lot about the relationship between them, as well as the social standing of women at the time. The passage starts with Torvald greeting Nora and

Torvald berates Nora about her physical appearance, saying, "Has my little sweet tooth been indulging herself in town today by any chance? ..." (Act 1). Nora often sneaks macaroons, because she can not eat them in front of Torvald for fear of his disapproval. Torvald is very particular about Noras figure, as he wants her to stay small, dainty, and delicate. This is Ibsen showing the “role” of the male in that society. He has to always be in control, and for Torvald, his and Nora’s image are the most important things in the world, whether it was Nora’s figure or the fact that Nora forged her father’s signature to obtain the secret loan, which angers Torvald a great deal.

Though Siddhartha and “A Doll’s House’ share a completely different storyline, they are very much similar because of the development of the main characters throughout the two stories. Nora, from the play “A Doll’s House,” changes her image after recognizing what kind of life she was living. Siddhartha, from

her in his own little dolls house. Helmer talks about her as if she was his property and Nora doesn’t say anything. An example of this is when Helmer says ‘can you deny it, Nora dear? It’s a sweet little lark, but it gets through a lot of money. No one would believe how much it costs a man to keep such a little bird as you.’ Nora speaks in a very childish and naive way to Mrs. Linden. Nora speaks about how well her marriage was and how wonderful the children are and how great it is that Torvald is getting a new job, when she

“Is Torvald a controlling chauvinist who must keep his wife powerless at any cost or is he merely a man trying to live within the context of his society? Does he act unreasonably in the play or is he merely trying to keep his family and life together?” Torvald Helmer is

2. How does Nora compare her father and her husband? She compares both males as controlling and only wanting the best for her, in not really caring about her feelings but in using Nora as a game piece to ‘get ahead’ in social class.

Escaping the Cage of Marriage in A Doll House       A bird may have beautiful wings, but within a cage, the beautiful wings are useless. Within the cage, the bird is not fulfilling the potential for which it was created - it is merely a household decoration.  In Ibsen's

In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, Christine Linde surprises Nora Helmer with a visit to her house. The two women were childhood friends and have not seen each other in many years. As both characters' qualities unfold during the play, it is easy to see how Mrs. Linde's character traits underscore those of Nora's. Mrs. Linde's serious, responsible nature amplifies Nora's playful, childlike personality; Mrs. Linde's taking care of her sick mother and two young brothers emphasizes Nora's abandonment of her dying father; and finally Mrs. Linde deciding to marry Krogstad heightens the ending of Nora's marriage.

“Feminism” Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” is a play about a young wife and her husband. Nora and Helmer seem to be madly in love with one another and very happy with their lives together. Yet the conflict comes into this show when Nora brags

Nora is a women who acts very childish. In the beginning of the play, Nora is having a conversation with Dr. Rank and Kristine; when she pulls out some macaroons Nora asks “Dr. Rank, a little macaroon on that? “See here macaroons! [Rank] thought they were contraband here”” (958). Nora is lying and rebelling just how a child would act to get out of trouble or get what he/she wants; proving that she is in fact a very childish person. She wants to say “to hell and be damned” to Torvald, but she is too scared (958). She is scared what Torvald might say, just how a child would be scared to curse in front of their parents; she isn’t acting like an adult and is very rebellious to get what she wants. Nora is asking the kids “what shall we play? Hide-and-seek?” and the kids answer by running and screaming to hide

Both Adela and Nora are inherently individualistic, and their innate nature is bared especially (Lorca 142) Likewise, Nora of Doll’s House assumes the mask of her husband Torvald’s “pretty little thing” (Ibsen 22), a “little squirrel” (Ibsen 46), and a submissive “dolly-wife.” (Ibsen 82) She does so because Torvald expects her to accept that he is right in not indulging her “little whims” (Ibsen 21) and expects her to see her “dancing” and “reciting” (Ibsen 22) as per his wishes – he expects her to be a doll under his control. So, she finds “a way [herself]” (Ibsen 21) – the way of deception – to follow her own heart.

A perfect Victorian woman was expected to be a loyal servant in the family. The woman, as a daughter and as a wife, had to ignore her own intentions and desires if it would displease her father or husband - "A true wife, in her husband's house, is his servant" (Basch 6). Nora initially accepts this ideology. She follows all the orders and advises provide by her father and her husband. She dedicates her life to pleasing these men and even hides her own views and opinions, if they were contradictory. She mends according to their views and eliminates her flaws, as identified by the two men. She is condemned by her husband for borrowing money, which she only used to save his life. However, in the end Nora realizes that she had been meddled with as if she were a doll - "When I was with papa, he told me his opinions; and if I differed from his I concealed the fact, because he would have not liked it [...] you (Torvald) arranged everything according to your own taste, so I got the same taste as you - or else I pretended to..." (Ibsen 1256). Nora figures that she has sacrificed too much trying to please the men. Her father and husband have deceived her off her identity and character - something that would make her life meaningful. All of her life seems trivial to her - "I existed merely to perform tricks foe you, Torvald. But you would have it so. It is your fault that I have