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Nora's Complexity

Decent Essays
Nora’s Complexity in “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen 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. Nora’s intelligence is overlooked by her husband Torvald, he refers to Nora as “my little lark” and “my little squirrel” (Ibsen 1599). He says this as a way of belittling her, he uses words like “little” to put her beneath him.…show more content…
Nora is intelligent in the way she uses her seduction skills as a way of manipulating men to do what she wants. This is intelligent and somewhat wrong but if this is the only way that anything will be done in her favor she is a genius for thinking in such a way. “Nora. [Playing with his coat-buttons, without looking him in the face.] If you really want to give me something, you might, you know- you might- Helmer: Well? Out with it! Nora. [Quickly.] You might give me money, Torvald….” (Ibsen 1601). She tries to distract him from the question at hand by seductively playing with him coat buttons. While also complying with his image of her as a child-like dependent.
Another example of how she uses her art of seduction is with the Doctor. Nora knows the Doctors feelings for her so she uses this to her advantage. “Nora: Looking at him a moment.] For shame! [Hits him lightly on the ear with the stockings.] Take that.” (Ibsen 1627) this leading up to her asking for a “tremendously huge favor” (Ibsen 1628) she has Dr. Rank wrapped around her finger as she asks for a
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