Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll House examines a woman's struggle for independence in her marriage and social world. Through the use of character change, Ibsen conveys his theme that by breaking away from all social expectations, we can be true to ourselves. When Ibsen presents Nora Helmer, we see a "perfect" wife, who lives in a "perfect" house with a "perfect" husband and children. The Helmer children have a nanny that raises them. By having the nanny, Nora has the freedom to come and go as she pleases. Torvald Helmer, Nora's husband, will begin a new job as bank manager, so they will be rich, which will make her "perfect" life even better. Torvald even calls Nora pet names like "my sweet little lark" (Ibsen 1567) and "my squirrel" (Ibsen 1565). These names may seem to be harmless and cute little nicknames, but the names actually show how little he thinks of her. "Torvald uses derogatory diminutives to address Nora" (Kashdan 52). Torvald talks down to her. Nora is "regarded as property rather than a partner" (Drama for Students 112). He isn't treating her like a real person. In Torvald eyes, she isn't an equal. "Nora is viewed as an object, a toy, a child, but never an equal" (Drama for Students 109). Nora and Torvald seem to be in love with each other though. However, Torvald is very controlling of Nora. Torvald makes little rules for Nora to follow. During the time period when the play was written, a husband controlling his wife and making rules for her was not uncommon. One incident of control is when Nora comes home from Christmas shopping. Torvald knows how much Nora loves macaroons and suspects she has bought some to eat. He comments to Nora, "My sweet tooth really didn't make a little detour through the confectioner not even munched a macaroon or two" (Ibsen 1566). Torvald didn't want Nora to have too many sweets because he didn't want her teeth to rot. This is his way of letting Nora know he has his eye on her.
In A Dolls House, Nora's character is child-like and carefree. ... The setting of A Doll House takes place at Christmas time in a nicely implemented house. ... Symbolism in A Doll House is seen considerably throughout the play. The title of the play "A Doll House" symbolizes the level of maturity in the house. Nora symbolizes the "doll" in the house and the house itself is her playground. ...
Nora's Relationships The story "A Doll House" by Henrik Ibsen is about a young woman named Nora, who is trying to cope with a secret she has kept away from her husband, Torvald. ... In "A Doll House", Henrik Ibsen uses conflict to show Nora's subservient relationship with Torvald, Nora's Hostile relationship with Krogstad, and Nora's misunderstood relationship with Kristine. ... Torvald approaches Nora as if she was his doll telling her what to do and when to do things. ... In the "A Doll House", Henrik Ibsen uses conflict to show the unpredictable outcomes of Nora...
"Ibsen's ars dramatis centres on the way his heroines find that their doll's houses are turning, or have turned, into prisons."" ... In order to discuss the morphing of doll house' into prison' in A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler one must first examine what makes their domestic situations doll houses' in the first instance. ... Unsurprisingly the publication of A Doll's House greatly offended and upset Laura and has left Ibsen the title of being a greater artist than man'. ... Torvald is often criticised and blamed for creating the doll house howev...
The Dedicated Husband Torvald Helmer is the breadwinner and foundation for his household in Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll House. His authoritative personality that holds the family together throughout the beginning of the play is what ends up tearing them apart in the end. His initial actions giv...
A DOLL"S HOUSE written by, Henrik Ibsen is recognized as a landmark contribution to modern theater. ... In Ibsen's play, A DOLL"S HOUSE, he says what can I not say. ... Being on of the most controversial part of the play, the end comes, and with it the doll's house tumbles down, and Nora discards her doll's dress, she shed her skin, as it were. ... When Nora closes behind her the door of her doll's house, she opens wide the gate of life for women, and proclaims the revolutionary message that only perfect freedom and communion make a true bond between man and woman, meet...
To what extent is "The Doll's house" a Modern story? "The doll's House" to a great extent is a modern short story. ... Like every modern short story "the Doll's House" is concerned with nuances of the characters rather than the construction of a fast paced plot. ... One of the epiphany's in this story was when Lil finally spoke in the end of the story, proving to us all she needed was affection and love to make her talk; the love Kezia showed them for barely a few minutes by showing them the doll's house made her speak, may it be a little. ... Many of the situations...
A Dolls House Gender. ... Men a shown to be more superior to women, but unaware the true person a women is in A Dolls House. ... The women of A Dolls House are portrayed as lower than man. ... This idea is stressed in the symbol of the title of the novel as A Dolls House. ... He believes that Nora is a doll and his house is her little toy house that he can furnish to try and keep her comfortable, but in the end it is still a false house and is artificial. ...
The ending pages of A Doll's House were very entertaining for me. A Doll's House seemed to lean towards using extreme drama and creating dramatic situations in order to capture the reader's attention. ... I could really sense the importance of being independent to this family in A Doll's House. ... A Doll's House stresses the significance of women during the 1800's. ...
The play A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, is concerned with the conflict between social distinctions and duty. ... Together they have a cozy house, and three darling children. ... I've been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa's doll--child" (Ibsen). ... She decided that she has to leave a house. ... When Nora closes the door of the doll's house behind her, she opens a different door of new life for women. ...
