Social Class In A Doll's House

Krogstad and Christine are alone, while the Helmers and Dr. Rank are upstairs at the party. Krogstad reproached Christine for renouncing their betrothal, years ago, leaving him for another man in order to support her and her family. After she had already wrecked their relationship, Christine shows up again in town again, taking over his hard-won position at the bank. However, this is not Christine 's intent. She says that she had returned to town to seek Krogstad and pursue their love for each other once more.

Torvald her husband has just received a promotion and they will no longer have money troubles. Little does Torvald know Nora had taken out a loan from a friend and has not completely paid it off yet. When Torvald fires the man who had given Nora the loan the man decides to blackmail them. Nora’s secret is then revealed and Torvald becomes very angry with her. Nora then decides to leave Torvald.

Not only is it taxing to hide the debt from Torvald, but also to pretend to be a flighty, careless doll for his amusement. Throughout the drama, Nora’s difficulty only grows. It culminates when Torvald receives a letter from Nora’s debtor, Krogstad. When he learns of what Nora had done, he becomes enraged and yells, “What a horrible awakening! All these eight years – she who was my joy and pride – a hypocrite, a liar – worse, worse – / a criminal!

For example, he calls her various names, such as ‘spend thrift’ or ‘squirrel’ this is similar to how someone would speak to a young child when they want attention, showing that Nora is a rather immature character. This also draws us to the conclusion that the way that people treat Nora makes it seem as if all of the other characters in the play are looking down upon her and this leads the viewer to agree with what the other characters think of Nora. For example, the way Torvald refers to Nora as a ‘spendthrift’ shows how he has a rather patronising nature. This further emphasises the theme of isolation within Nora’s character as it make her seem as if she is a child herself and leads us to question whether Ibsen wants us to feel sympathy for

Nora Helmer is Torvald’s beautiful young happy wife, who loves to spend money, dress in elegant clothing, and is a mother of three. However Nora is also dishonest to her own husband. TORVALD: "Hasn't Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today? […] taken a bite at a macaroon or two?" NORA: "No, Torvald.

Ibsen uses doll’s house metaphor to support that aberrant decisions are made by women who are discriminated by an unfair society. Nora realizes truth about real love and marriage. In the house, Torvald reads the letters from Krogstad and shows skeptical changes in mood by showing anger, fear and adoration toward Nora. After all his reactions, Nora asserts, “ I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa’s doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls” (Ibsen 76). The “home” is an appearance of cage where dolls are kept in.

During a conversation Nora and Torvald are having, Torvald asks Nora, “Hasn't nibbled some pastry?” Nora responds with, “No, not at all.” Nora later says, “You know I could never go against you.” This reveals that Nora lies to be the wife Torvald wants her to be.

This brings in to question whether or not it is acceptable for a woman to simply walk away from a marriage, involving three children, and not attempt to work things out. Nora realizes she and the life she has been living has been a complete construct of the way society expects her to be. Nora is Torvald’s doll and her life has not amounted to anything more than making sure he and the world around her is happy. The result of the inequalities she is faced with results in Nora being completely unhappy. Torvald fails to recognize everything that Nora does to ensure his happiness.

The relationship Torvald has with his wife Nora was by no means a perfect one, as no relationship is. The way he talked to her was in such a belittling manner. He spoke this way towards her because he wanted to prove to everyone and himself that he is the man and he is in control of his relationship. During the late 19th century, it was normal to have a man speaking down to his wife. When he and his wife would get into a scuffle or even full blown arguments he was always worried about himself and how the outcome of her actions were going to affect him.

However, when Torvald becomes ill, Nora borrows money from Krogstad, she forges her fathers name on an IOU for a trip to Italy to save Torvald’s life. She earns money behind his back to pay back the debt. A role not tolerable by a women in Victorian society, but accepted by a man.

A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, it’s a theatrical play that is full of elements related to the aspect of the “typical ideal family household” and the gender’s role. In order to maintain the structure of the play and also the literature composition, the author utilize specific details to enhance and sustain essentials points of the literature. In order to obtain and develop a complete or comprehensive literature analysis of Ibsen’s A Doll House, I made a research to assist what I thought about was Ibsen’s point of view with the theatrical play. The story began with a family portrait during Christmas festivities.

Torvald’s influence is intense when he says that, ‘lies fog a household and that juvenile delinquents come from a home where mother is dishonest’, and Nora feels guilt and scared that her actions will impact on her children’s future. However, Nora’s leaving is largely seeking a new understanding of herself; implying that as her children, she is in the process of growing up. Nora uses the third person ‘her mother’ when referring to herself, conveying that she does not feel close to her children. Ibsen draws two questions into Nora’s phrase to express her desperation towards knowing the answer. She asks the following questions specially to Anne-Mary because she knows that as she is from a lower social class, she is going to tell her exactly what Nora wants to hear; implying that she is insecure of her own

During act III, Nora asked to speak to Torvald after her performance of the tarantella dance. The following conversation demonstrated her quest for autonomy and freedom, as well as Torvald’s inadequate responses to her arguments and demands; it also showed how deeply connected her unhappy situation is with society’s regulation of the relationship between the sexes. She asserts that she is “...first and foremost a human being”, and her strong conviction that her womanhood, and the expectations associated with it, are secondary, strengthens her resolve to make a radical choice: A break with both husband and, with necessity due to her legal position, her children (Ibsen, 184). During her conversation with Torvald, she proclaims, “I have other sacred duties... The duties to myself (Ibsen, 184).”

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, appearances prove to be deceptive veneers that disguise the reality of situations and characters. Ibsen’s play is set in 19th century Norway, when women’s rights were restricted and social appearance such as financial success and middle class respectability were more important than equality and true identity. Ibsen also uses realism and naturalism, portraying the Helmer’s Marriage through authentic relationships, which are relatable to the audience. In A Doll’s House, Nora represents 19th century women entrapped by society to fulfill wifely and motherly obligations, unable to articulate or express their own feelings and desires.

First, Nora is treated like a child by her husband Torvald. Torvald had nicknames for Nora like squirrel or skylark that was often accompanied by demenors like sweet or little. At the end of the play, Nora tells her husband that he treated her like a weak, fragile doll just like her father. Nora’s feelings about Torvald’s attitude is evident in the quote from Nora and Torvald’s conversation ”I was your little songbird just as before- your doll whom henceforth you would take particular care to protect from the world because she was so weak and fragile. ”(Pg.