Maggie Shelton
Nathan Lim
David Hsu
Annie Fan
Period 3
A Doll’s House Super RRS
Title: A Doll's House
Publication Date: 1879
Author: Henrik Ibsen
Nationality: Norwegian
Author's Birth/Death Dates: March 20, 1828 -- May 23, 1906
Distinguishing Traits of the Author: Henrik Ibsen is a Norwegian Writer of mostly
plays. In his early childhood his father was an affluent merchant who ran a general
store, and so Ibsen was exposed to the bourgeois lifestyle. However, at the age of
eight, Ibsen’s father went bankrupt, and as a result, he was thrust into the world of the
poor. Through his experiences at home and having faced both riches and poverty, Ibsen
is able to create realistic portrayals of the problems that families faced through different
perspectives. As shown in A Doll’s House, Ibsen is able to depict the problem that many
have with money through his own experiences. He was originally a merchant but
changed his career and spent most of the rest of his life directing, producing and writing
many plays. Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern” prose. Most English
plays of the time period he was writing were about family values and common topics in
the house. Ibsen contradicted the values in most plays by writing about hidden truths
and the facades people put up in the home.
Setting: The story is set in a late 19th century winter in Europe. Most of the play is
focused on actions within the home of the Helmers, however there are brief excursions.
"At the back, a door to the right leads to the entrance-hall, another to the left leads to
Helmer's study. Between the doors stands a piano. In the middle of the left-hand wall is
a door, and beyond it a window. Near the window are a round table, armchairs and a
small sofa. In the right-hand wall, at the farther end, another door; and on the same
side, nearer the footlights, a stove, two easy chairs and a rocking-chair; between the
stove and the door, a small table. Engravings on the walls; a cabinet with china and
other small objects; a small bookcase with well-bound books. The floors are carpeted,
and a fire burns in the stove. It is winter" (Act I). The complexity of the description of the
house shows that a lot of time is spent there and that the home is a central and
important location. However, it is also a very simple setting. Because the setting is
simple, it allows the audience to focus more on the characters than the setting. Since it
is set over the winter holidays and New Year, the change in year parallels the change in
Nora's character.
Synopsis: The story starts on Christmas Eve with Nora bringing home gifts and
sneakily eating macaroons, which she hides from Torvald. Dr. Rank and Nora’s old
school friend, Kristine Linde arrive shortly after the start. Mrs. Linde has come back to
ask Nora to convince Torvald to give Mrs. Linde a job. Mrs. Linde’s husband died earlier
and did not have any money to provide Mrs. Linde after his death. Mrs. Linde had been
working all her life to care for her sick mother and brothers. She thinks that Nora is
naïve and spoiled because it seems as if she never worked. But Nora tells Kristine that
she secretly “worked” to borrow money to help cure Torvald. Torvald, Kristine, and Dr.
Rank all leave and Krogstad stays behind to talk to Nora. He reveals that he is the
source of Nora’s loans and is blackmailing Nora to keep his job at the bank. She admits,
but tries to justify, her forgery because it was the only way to save Torvald. Nora
fearfully attempts to convince Torvald to let Krogstad keep his job, but she can not
because he gave Mrs. Linde that job. He gets angry and sends Krogstad’s dismissal
letter immediately. Dr. Rank tells Nora that he is going to die soon and admits that he is
in love with Nora, shocking and distressing her. Krogstad leaves a letter telling of
Nora’s lies and forgery. Torvald is about to read his letters but Nora pretends that she
does not remember how to dance the tarantella. Kristine tells Nora that she will try to
convince Krogstad to take back the letter. Then Nora and Torvald go to the costume
party while Mrs. Linde tries to talk to Krogstad. Mrs. Linde decides Nora's secret should
be revealed. She tells Krogstad that they should get together again because they have
mutual interests and needs. When the Helmers come back from the party, Nora insists
that Torvald read his letters to get the revelation over with. When Torvald reads the
letter he is furious and calls Nora a hypocrite and liar. He then tries to figure out how he
could save his reputation. He reveals that he would never sacrifice his honor for love.
Nora sees this side of him and realizes that she is not the person she wants to be and
Torvald is not the man she thought he was. She walks out and leaves him to discover
herself.
Brief Description of Characters:
Nora Helmer: Nora is introduced as a childish spendthrift when she tells the porter to
"keep the change" (1) because she gives him a lot more money than she owes, and
acts immaturely and "wipes her mouth" after secretly eating macaroons, which are
forbidden by Helmer. Initially, she acts like this and keeps up this facade all the time.
However, when Krogstad threatens to reveal Nora's forgery, Nora matures as she
learns the limits of her marriage and her strength. She harasses Torvald to give her
money, because he has been promoted in the bank, and later reveals that she rationed
it to pay off a loan from Krogstad rather than wasting it. She is angry with Krogstad and
society because "a wife [is] not allowed to save her husband's life" (24) and defends her
actions. She is fearful at first but also confident that Helmer will be "man enough to take
everything upon" (36) himself like he said he would. However when Helmer reads the
letter from Krogstad he prompts Nora to complete her awakening and leave the
household because she realizes that Torvald has "never loved me" (66) and that she,
like a "doll child...existed merely to perform tricks" (66). Nora’s actions prove that she is
not as immature nor as childish as society deemed her to be.
Torvald Helmer: Torvald treats his wife like a child, calling her pet names like "squirrel"
(2) and "skylark" (2) and giving money at her request like an allowance. He is what
society would call the ideal man. He prides himself in his high social status and acts as
an all-knowing caretaker. Helmer emphasizes that women should be feminine, and
submissive, even going so far as to tell Mrs. Linde knitting is ugly "that can never be
anything but ungraceful" (56) even if more practical. He is also very focused on
appearances he even called Dr. Rank, an old friend, a cloud to their happiness (60),
and Dr. Rank said Torvalds "refined nature gives him an unconquerable disgust at
everything that is ugly" (38). He shows his adoration of Nora, but he does not love her,
he contradicted his own statement that he would "take everything upon" (36) himself
and only was going to let her stay because of appearances. Although Torvald believed
himself to hold all the power in the household, he is actually the fool who not only knows
the least, but is the one who loses everything.
Christine Linde: Christine is an old friend of Nora's, who has been widowed for three
years. Later we find that she was with Krogstad but chose a wealthier husband. She
comes looking for work from Torvald, who she hears has been hired as a bank
manager, and asks Nora for help. She looks at Nora's easy and carefree life bitterly and
tells Nora that she "know[s] so little of the burdens and troubles of life" (10). However,
after Nora tells her about her debt, Mrs. Linde decides to let Nora test her marriage to
have honest love, like Krogstad and her after they agree to be married. She realizes
Nora wants to hide the loan, but she told Krogstad to leave the letter, thinking "that's the
best thing for both of you" (46). She is the foil to Nora, and portrays society’s ideal
woman.
Nils Krogstad: Nils is a lawyer for Helmers bank, but he has a bad reputation. He once
forged a signature and never faced a trial. Also he went to school with Helmer and was
romantic with Christine before she left for another richer husband. He is seeking to
improve his reputation, but ironically is blackmailing Nora to do so. Later he relents tells
Nora he will be more lenient: he would only tell Helmer "in as lenient a manner as I
possibly could" (44). Krogstad is sure that Helmer will "make a place for me" (44). When
Mrs. Linde say she will marry him and take care of his children, he is so glad he decides
to "ask for my letter back" (54) to end Nora's suffering as his has. He is willing to
improve and become a better person, though initially through underhanded methods,
and shows that he is a complex and not truly evil person.
Dr. Rank: The doctor is the family friend of the Helmers' who often comes to visit. He
reveals to Nora that he is dying, because of his special relationship with her. They
interact playfully, Nora asked a question to Dr. Rank on his opinion whether the
stockings will fit her, to which he replied "I have no means of forming an opinion about
that" (39), ending in Nora hitting him "lightly on the ear with the stockings" (39) and
exclaiming "For shame!" (39). Later Nora is distraught and surprised when he admits his
love for her. His next visit is his last he informs Nora of the "certainty" (59) of his death
when she comes from the party, and sends a letter with "a black cross over the name"
(60), signifying his approaching death.
Symbols, motifs, archetypes:
Symbols and Motifs
A Doll/A doll's house symbolizes the relationship Nora has with both her husband and
her father. Torvald finds out about the loans and scolds Nora, but she defends herself
by saying her father "called me his doll-child, and he played with me just as I used to
play with my dolls. And when I came to live with you-- Helmer...I mean that I was simply
transferred from papa's hands into yours. You arranged everything according to your
own taste, and so I got the same tastes as you or else I pretended to, I am really not
quite sure which--I think sometimes the one and sometimes the other" (Act III). Nora
calls herself as a doll because she was so helpless and controlled by her husband and
father. The environment that she lived in was always so orderly, was a doll's house, in
which she lived according to orders of the supposedly superior people running her life.
Nora overcomes this characterization when she comes to term with her own deceptive
happiness being false. She acknowledges this and decides to become a truly
independent person to discover truths instead of trusting what she is told by society.
The key to the letterbox: In Act II Krogstad sends a letter to Torvald, revealing
everything that Nora has done. However, Nora manages to distract Torvald from getting
the mail, and the box becomes a symbol of knowledge and the emotions Nora has had
keeping her secret. The fact that Torvald has the key shows that he is in control and has
the power while Nora and her emotions are subject to his reaction. When he sees
"Someone has been at the lock" and that "Here is a broken hairpin. Nora, it is one of
yours" (Act III), Nora’s lack of control is emphasized because she was not able to break
in and remove the letter, his control and the box was absolute.
Letters: Letters also are a symbol similar to the letterbox. They represent hidden
emotions and revelations of those secrets, as well as major changes. The letter from
Krogstad and the IOU both are symbols of Nora’s deceptions and unhappiness in her
life. Dr. rank also sends a card with a “black cross” that represents his acceptance of his
death. He cannot bear to have his friends Nora and Helmer present at his bedside so he
conveys with that mall written symbol on the card his final moments.
Pet Names: At the beginning of the play symbols of animals used to represent Nora.
Torvald calls Nora endearing and cute names such as "skylark" and "squirrel" in order to
characterize Nora as something helpless and less intelligent than a person. The names
also show Torvalds ignorance of Nora’s character. When Torvald asks, "Is it my little
squirrel bustling about?" (Act I). Squirrel is a personal nickname, but also hints that
Torvald sees her as a possession or a pet rather than an equal or wife. Also, the use of
"squirrel" helps characterize Nora as a weak and small animal reflective of her passive
nature as a wife.
Christmas Tree: The Christmas Tree also represented Nora. Nora is simply a
household item on display for its beauty. Torvald does not treat her as a woman; he
treats her as a child and a doll. Nora is appreciated for her aesthetic values not for her
importance as a mother and a wife. A Christmas tree is also to be decorated in order for
it to be displayed. Although Nora decorates the Christmas tree, it is Torvald who
decorates Nora. Torvald buys her new clothes and new jewelry in order to constantly
play dress-up and further belittle her by treating her the way he would treat a doll.
Archetypes
Nora is an archetypal housewife and society woman at the beginning of the play
because she is submissive to her husband and watches the children happily and
without complaining. She fulfills her duties in housekeeping and even buys gifts for the
children: "Look, here is a new suit for Ivar, and a sword; and a horse and a trumpet for
Bob; and a doll and dolly's bedstead for Emmy, --they are very plain, but anyway she
will soon break them in pieces" (Act I). Later she no longer contently does wifely duties
when she confronts and leaves Torvald. This shift shows that she is a dynamic
character.
Torvald is an archetypal husband in society. He focuses on appearances and throws
himself into his work. He values Nora because she bolsters his reputation as the perfect
man and family. His desire to keep a respectable appearance in the scolding of Nora
and his outrage in her borrowing money belies this false perfection. He says that "From
this moment happiness is not the question; all that concerns us is to save the remains,
the fragments, the appearance--" (Act III). Shockingly to Nora Torvalds main concern is
appearance rather than the happiness of his family. He is more upset that Nora's
actions will make him look bad and cause his children to be be bad than his threatened
job. It is easy to be angry with Nora doing something independently because he sees
her as a possession he is in control of. This is a common view of working men,
husbands, and fathers in this time.
Themes:
Appearances versus reality- In times of comfort, idealistic appearances preside.
However, when faced with conflict or shock often a contrasting nature is revealed. The
pressures of fulfilling a certain role in society often force a person to mask feelings that
are unsavory or just unaccepted.
In order to fit societies roles people hide their characters, lying to themselves and
others. Helmer hides his lack of love for Nora behind his happiness at their appearance
of an ideal family. Because of this false appearance he causes Nora to believe in his
integrity and distresses her when he is not as perfect as she believed. He also puts a
strain on their own marriage because he is focused on being the perfect man at work as
well. While he works very hard, his need to be self-sufficient forces him to not take his
wife's advice. He worries that he will be the laughingstock if he was found to be listening
to his wife. Tis need to be in control also causes his sickness because he was obsessed
with a perfect appearance at work.
Sometimes a naturally good person will attempt to act in a certain way to please others
rather than themselves, which causes their own unhappiness. Nora pretends to be
unintelligent, helpless, and in the control of Helmer to make him happy. She loses the
good in her character, or at minimum blackens it, in her focus on being how he expects
her. She hides her individuality and relies on lies to conceal aspects of her personality
that might displease him, She goes so far in order to keep up appearances that she
deludes herself into believing she is happy. This is detrimental because it comes as a
great and sudden shock when that delusion fails.
Appearances can also be attributed by others and give false impressions that cause
actions and reciprocal actions that may be harmful. Krogstad is represented as a cruel,
immoral and unfeeling man. At first he is characterized only b y his blackmail of Nora.
Later however, we learn he was jilted by Mrs. Linde, and suffered through many
unfortunate circumstances. Rather than being evil, he is misguided in his attempts to
repair his reputation. The statements Helmer makes about him convince Nora of his
nefarious intentions and she does not think to reason r placate him. She tells Mrs. Linde
it would not work, but it does. False impressions given by other can cause harmful
prejudices in interactions. If we judge people on their actions we have seen, instead of
by rumor and hearsay, we will formulate a more accurate depiction. If we are able to
better predict the motive we can decide how to act.
Betrayal- Often peoples true feelings and actions are hidden by their wish to conform to
societies values. This results in hidden betrayals and deceptions that can ruin people’s
lives and relationship. Discovering a hidden nature, often a bad one causes a feeling of
betrayal because of ones belief in a deception.
Betrayal can come in a revelation from a friend at an inopportune time, or if the secret
was painful. Dr. Rank reveals his secret love for Nora despite the fact that she is
married and worried. No benefit to Nora comes from this, she only suffers more. Rank
selfishly betrays both Nora’s and Helmers Friendships by confessing that he loves Nora
as more than a friend. His is a betrayal of their trusts as he had been coming over under
false pretenses. The conflict of the loan might have been resolved and Rank kept his
own counsel. This becomes a betrayal that damaged Nora’s delusions of happiness
because he gave her an unreturnable and unwanted gift of love. Instead of remaining
friends she must distance herself from him as he is about to die.
Actions and not thoughts are also betrayals. Mrs. Linde knows of Nora’s wish to keep
her secret yet encourages Krogstad to leave the letter in the box. Mrs. Linde betrays
Nora’s trust in her to help. Even though Mrs. Linde believes she is being beneficial to
their marriage Nora’s suspicions are true. This revelation causes Nora to leave her
family. Because Mrs. Linde appears to be helping her Nora confides in her and is hurt
more deeply. Promising one thing and delivering another results in a shock that can
cause depression. Nora is upset and sad when she believes Mrs. Linde has not
convinced Krogstad to relent. She is also betrayed by the withheld knowledge of her
forgiveness, if she could have cut off Helmers anger, they might have persevered in her
marriage. Betrayal can result in a beneficial situation but causes painful emotions.
When a betrayal happens trust in that person is rescinded and difficult to regain which
can teach caution. Both Torvald and Nora are betrayed by each other. Helmer learns of
Nora’s deceptions and loans and she learns that he does not feel the way he says he
des. This betrayal causes them to lose faith and what affection they had for each other.
However both undergo growth by learning that the word is not as idealistic as it
appears. This emotional betrayal teaches them both that appearances are not always
honest and that actions do not always fit people’s words.
Sexism- In Nora’s society the roles and expectations are based on gender, not merit.
By dividing roles in a sexist way, there is a loss of potential, men lose the possible wise
counsel and intelligence of their wives by forcing their submission, and women lose their
own happiness. Suppressing half of a society suppresses half of the possibilities in that
society.
Sexism is damaging to the morale and intelligence of women in society. Nora is told
over and over by the men in her life that she is supposed to be a helpless creature. This
contributes to her inability to function when confronted with the problem of Krogstad.
She is intelligent, but her fear of Helmers judgment is debilitating. She knows that based
on societies values he will condemn her and this makes her distressed because she
has been taught to obey and do only things to please her husband. These conflicting
emotions make her confused as she simultaneously tries to think intelligently and defer
to her husband. By suppressing her instincts she is unable to function and worsens the
situation
These expectations of women and elimination of their power also harms the men in
society. Nora is forced to forge a signature in order to ace Helmers life. Because she is
not allowed to take a loan herself she commits a crime. This of course causes trouble
later for Helmer, but either decision she made would have caused issues. If she had not
taken a loan Helmer could have died. The men in society are reliant on the women
because as the expect women to be loyal to them, they cannot do many things
themselves. They are not self-sufficient and rely on a wife’s care. Nora has to step in
because one cannot always see what is happening to oneself without the aid of others.
Henrik sows that, because of stereotypical gender intelligence, Helmer has no faith in
Nora’s assessment of his health. He encountered a detrimental situation both because
of legal and mental blocks to Nora.
An efficiency and embrace of utility is another casualty of sexism. Helmer strongly
believes that anything women do should be feminine and pretty. He tells Mrs. Linde that
she “needn’t ruin your dear eyes and pretty little hands”. He is very condescending of
the knitting she is doing because it is utilitarian instead of beautiful. If women are
encouraged not to be productive, society cannot function well or efficiently. Women
become drains on the family, which then enforces the control of the husband in a
repeating worse cycle. Many poor women and modern women make useful
contributions, they lower household costs and make better quality clothes by sewing
and knitting. Sexism places such a high value on appearances of Women that they
enforce idle beauty to their own detriment.
Self Identity: The journey of finding one’s identity and accepting it is one that typically
hurts the most; however, it is the most liberating. Self identity should not be found in the
reassurance in others, but by the strength of one’s self.
In the beginning of the play, Nora believes her marriage is fulfilling and perfect. In
her mind, she and Torvald love each other very much and his pet names have a loving
connotation instead of a condescending one. However, Torvald is trying to control her
life by trying to know what she does at all times and telling her what to do. Nora was
unaware of her unhappiness, because she was blinded by the facade she constantly
made for herself. She was constantly in an ignorant bliss, which did not allow for any
growth.
Nora’s perception of Torvald’s love and loyalty is shattered when he reads the
letter and he starts cursing her when what Nora did saved his life. She realizes at that
moment that she can not depend on other people for fulfillment. Although Torvald
appeared to love her, he only cares about his reputation and honor and uses her as a
doll for his own personal entertainment. Although the entire situation was extremely
difficult for Nora to go through, she had no choice but to proceed with it and battle with
the obstacles in her way, which finally catalyzed a reaction that would allow Nora to
become the woman she never knew she had the ability to become.
In the end, Nora leaves her home to find her own identity and take control of her
life. She realizes that she does not want to be Torvald’s doll and goes into the world by
herself as she no longer needs to depend on Torvald for support. Nora is now an
independent woman who is responsible for her own life and actions. Despite having lost
her family, Nora goes against all odds to break the restraints not only Torvald, but also
society had put on her.
Memorable Quotes: "He said I was thoughtless and that it was his duty as my husband
not to indulge me in my whims and caprices--as I believe he called them. Very well, I
thought, you must be saved--and that was how I came to devise a way out of the
difficulty" (12).
"Five o'clock. Seven hours till midnight; and then four-and-twenty hours till the next
midnight. Then the tarantella will be over. Twenty-four hours and seven? Thirty-one
hours to live" (50).
"I mean that I was simply transferred from Papa's hands to yours. You arranged
everything according to your own taste, and so I got the same tastes as you--or else
pretended to. I am really not quite sure which--I think sometimes the one and
sometimes the other. (66)
“I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you would have it
so.” (66)
“You and Papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have
made nothing of my life”(66).
Distinctive Characteristics Of the Work:
Ibsen Comments on the traditional values of home life and the gender inequality. He
obviously dislikes the way women are treated as inferior and men have all the control.
Marriages in his time were unfair and the men often could not cope without their wives
at the same time calling the wives helpless and dependent. Wives were always
expected to be submissive and almost enslaved to their husband’s wishes and Ibsen
disagrees with this treatment of women he thinks they should be allowed to have
thoughts and opinions also. He condemns Torvald and Nora’s marriage through Nora’s
realization and Mrs. Linde's unhappiness marrying without love and happiness when
she corrects this. Krogstad and Mrs. Linde’s relationship represents a true loving
marriage. Ibsen wishes for marriages to evolve to a more equal relationship where
husband and wife openly respect, love, and trust each other.