Essay, Research Paper: A Doll's House

A Doll's House Essay


In Henrik Ibson's play A Doll's House, Nora Helmer, one of the main characters left her husband Torvald. She did this under good pretences; their marriage was not stable. Nora was being repressed. She didn't have any freedom. She had to play the role of the housewife, and Torvald's pet. Nora was capable of a lot more, and was being held back. Also, they didn't know each other as well as they though. Nora felt she had to lie to Torvald to keep him happy. These events obviously do not constitute a good marriage, so Nora was right to leave her husband.

Nora seemed to be a doll controlled by her husband. She was a repressed woman. She was smart, and capable of a lot, but in a subordinate relationship; she couldn't express any of this. Nora's duties were restricted to caring for the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. Her most important obligation was to please Torvald, making her role similar to that of a slave. If someone can come up with enough money for a trip to Italy, and keep her husband from knowing any of it, than they are definitely a keen person. Nora however, was treated as a child. She was not trusted with money. Torvald was concerned that she would spend it on candies and pastry. This all leads to the idea that Torvald is a controlling man, keeping his wife down.

Torvald treated Nora as though she was his pet. He had pet names for her, such as "spend thrift", and "squander bird". In act III, Torvald tell Nora that sometimes he pretends that she is his fantasy. "When we are among strangers, do you know why I speak so little to you, and keep so far away, and only steal a glance at you now and then- do you know why I do it? Because I am fancying that we love each other in secret, that I am secretly betrothed to you, and that no one dreams that there is anything between us." This shows that Torvald sees Nora as his toy. Nora reacts by saying "Go away from me... I don't want all this", Torvald then asks "Am I not your husband?" as if it was Nora's duty to pleasure him at his command. This all shows that Nora was being treated unequally, as though she were less than her husband.
The Hellmers' relationship was unstable. From the opening in act I then audience gets a hint of this. Nora lies to Torvald about having not had any sweets that day, even after Torvald insisted that she had to have had something. In Act II, after the ball, Torvald reacts to Nora's dancing by saying "When I watched you swaying and whirling in the tarantella- my blood boiled- I could endure it no longer" showing that his interest in Nora is more physical that emotional. Nora had also lied about the origin of the money she acquired for their trip to Italy. This started a stream of lies to keep this secret hidden, which eventually ended in Torvald finding out the truth. Torvald's reaction clearly pointed out that he cared more about his public image than his wife. Nora's lies, and Torvald's ill treatment of his wife both show that their relationship was not well founded or stable.
Nora's repression, her lack of freedom, and her week relationship with Torvald all show that she had the right to leave. In 18th century, this might have been a shock to audiences. A woman's role was very traditional, she belonged at home with the kids, but today the story would be different. Women's rolls have changed, and they have a lot more opportunity, which is what Nora saw in herself. So she left, and had every right to do so.