Preview

How Does Nora Change In A Doll's House

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1070 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Does Nora Change In A Doll's House
When reading A Doll’s House, one would think it’s just a normal play centered around an average family during Christmas time. They may appear perfect like a doll house, but behind the curtain they have their share of problems. This play mostly follows Nora, who is seen as a typical housewife and mother. Throughout the story, her character evolves the most in this play and one would believe she changes her life for the better; even going so far as to show feminist qualities of self-sufficiency and liberation. Not all Holidays can be joyful and perfect and her decision of leaving her family behind paved the way for many women to question their own treatment in society. It’s a decision that seemed so small but made a huge impact.

When first
…show more content…
Apparently, she forged her deceased father’s name on a bond of money. Now she is being blackmailed and is trying to hide this from her husband. The title of the play suggests that on the surface everything in this house is perfect, but once those skeletons in the closet are uncovered this house is not as perfect as one would have thought. Torvald has no idea what secrets Nora is hiding and Nora is quite paranoid that he will find out. She even tells Mrs. Linde that she should wait until she’s older and less attractive to tell Torvald; she won’t have anything to lose then and knows that Torvald leave her. “Time will come when Torvald is not as devoted to me, not quite so happy when I dance for him, and dress for him, and play with him.” (Ibsen, Henrick). This shows that Nora is not as naïve as one thinks and knows that she is not happy with the marriage standards set upon her. She even goes so far as to think about killing herself just so she doesn’t have to tell Torvald. But as morbid as it sounds, the worse her secrets get the more independent she becomes. She actually starts to put herself before others and makes her own …show more content…
“Torvald Helmer is mildly surprised. He and his wife have come home from a late-night party and she has changed into street clothes rather than a nightdress. What’s up? In short order, as he hears what Nora has to say on this unexpectedly momentous night, Torvald’s bemusement turns to astonishment and disbelief. Their exchange—and the door slam that concludes it like a warning shot fired in advance of a revolution.” (ZINMAN, TOBY.). That’s when Nora truly finds out what her husband really thinks of her. She now knows Torvald will never appreciate her, even though she forged the money for his well-being and happiness. Nora had good intentions but because of the time and since she was a woman she could not go off on a whim and do something like that. But Torvald doesn’t care, he only cares about his name and money, not caring about Nora’s intentions or emotions, “From now on, forget happiness. Now it’s just about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance.” (Ibsen, Henrick). Torvald then tries to take back what he said and apologize, but it is too late. Nora sees beyond the doll house and sees the man she married for what he truly is; ungrateful, possessive and shallow. Truly one would think “did they ever love each other or did they just pretended that everything was okay when it clearly was not?” She is not convinced by his words and decides to leave her family behind. With everything off her chest and the secret she

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Nora and Torvald are a married couple and been taking on many challenges in their relationship.Torvald basically takes care of and provides for Nova and their children. During their conversation in Act 3 it talks about how she was been transferred from her father’s hands to torvald hands. Nora feels like torvald is treating her like a poor women from hand to mouth. This means that he is treating her like she can’t do for herself. Torvald is taking over her life and when her father was alive he did the same that’s why her life consist of nothing. Torvald is very physically controlling, treats Nora like she’s a child and doesn't trust her with money. The expression Nora used as “ doll child” and “doll wife” is that her life was controlled by her husband and father. By expression her feelings she tells torvald how she feels. She says, “You and Papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life.”. She doesn’t have anything to fall back on besides what her husband gives her. She can’t do anything on her own without getting an approval from Torvald.…

    • 592 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nora is in an interesting relationship with her husband Torvald. When readers first get an image of how their relationship is, it would not seem that bad. Once further into the play you see that it is just because Nora is submissive, and lets it be that way. The only reason she is loving her husband is because that is what she thinks she is supposed to do. Her husband will not let her expand as a person, and she just lets it happen. Women are constantly treated as a lower class among men. Nora is just as capable as her husband Torvald, with all of the talents that could lead her into being an important or meaningful person to society just like her Husband. Throughout the play Torvald says over and over again that his wife cannot possible understand…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nora Dramatic Irony

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Nora's epiphany occurs when the truth is finally revealed. As Torvald unleashes his revulsion against Nora and her crime of forgery, the protagonist realizes that her husband is not who she thought he was at all. Torvald has no intention of taking the blame for Nora's crime. She thought for certain that he would selflessly give up everything for her, like she given up so much for him. When he fails to do this, she accepts the fact that their marriage has been an illusion. In this moment Nora’s eyes and mind finally become clear of any delusions she once possessed. Nora was dominated and controlled by her father before marriage and afterwards it was her husband dominating her. Torvald never treated her as an equal. She had existed for her husband and she had always expected that her husband would come to her aid when she was in trouble. She had been waiting for miracles to happen. Nora feared that Krogstad would expose everything and that their family would come undone. Contrary to her expectation, Torvald behaved like a hypocrite concerned more with societies idea of morality and a notion of social prestige, not with his wife's welfare and care. He came out in his true colors. Nora realized that her husband didn't see her as an individual. She wanted to dissolve her ties with him by abandoning him and the children. She thought her duty toward herself was above her duty as a…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Nora, a complex character from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, changes throughout the play as the audience watches her develop into a very different woman, untypical of the Victorian era. As a house wife, she is expected to obey and respect her husband, however she misbehaves during the first act, behaves desperately in the second, and abandons her husband for her own sake in the final act.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    This only seeks to reduce her place as a human being while further digging her into the belief that her existence is to be Torvalds eye candy and plaything. In the end, the stoic anger that has accumulated from Torvalds constant arrogance and belittlement boils over. Nora…

    • 1095 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nora made the right decision to leave a man who controlled and treated her like an object. While talking seriously to her husband for the first time, Nora admits, “I’ve been your doll-wife” (Ibsen 1120), which she used to show how he controlled her every move. Aside from being a “doll-wife” (Ibsen1120), Nora also confesses, “You arranged everything the way you wanted it, so that I simply took over your taste in everything” (Ibsen 1120). All these things demonstrate how since the beginning of their marriage, Torvald controlled Nora’s everything.…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the play, A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen depicts a foolish, fragile, very self-centered young lady that rarely has to do anything for to help herself. Nora is cared for and lavished by her husband now that he has obtained a new position at the bank. She has no concerns but her appearance in society and the role of woman in a man's eye. Nora's husband believed that borrowing was not an option because it would lead to debts. Therefore, he was the one in control of money; this included making money and spending it. However, when Nora's husband turned ill, she realized that she had to develop her own individuality. Nora could no longer pretend to be someone that others would like her to be rather than being her true self.…

    • 2027 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nora is secretive and hides her thoughts and actions from her husband even when there is no real benefit in doing so. Deception appears to be almost a habit for her, as she hides the fact that she is eating macaroons, which Torvald has forbidden her to do. Nora's biggest secret, that she has borrowed money, in the name of love, is the hardest to keep hidden. In contrast, Mrs. Linde meets with Mr. Krogstad, initially to ask him to take back the damning letter he wrote to Torvald telling him about the…

    • 874 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Torvald Helmer Dominance

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Torvalds shows his control against Nora which suggest that she has to obey whatever he says because there will be repercussions. Torvalds control over Nora makes her hide things. Torvald shows this male dominance and control when he questions her stating, “(shaking an admonitory finger): [s]urely my sweet tooth hasn’t been running riot in town today, has she” (1.1253)? This question shows how he needs to know what she has been doing when she is not with him. Torvald in the first scene is depicted as a dominant and controlling husband, but Nora is depicted as a repressed and immoral…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The lies that Nora hid from Torvald reveals when he reads the letter from Krogstad. Before Torvald found out the lies behind Nora he said he would protect her from everything but when something does happen he did not. Nora realizes he does not love her as much as he says he does and decides to leave. She says, “I am going to see if I can make out who is right,the world or I.”(79) A woman during that time would probably stay with her husband because she needs to rely on a man, but Nora has her own opinions and believes she is better off…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Doll House

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages

    When Nora opens up about her secret to Mrs. Linde, she expresses to her, “I’ve got something to be proud of and happy for. I’m the one who saved Torvald’s life” (Isben 1716). Who wouldn’t want to have the opportunity to save their significant others life? Nora honestly felt like she had done the right thing for the man that she loved, even if it did mean having to go behind his back. When Nora is asked if Torvald knows she replies, “For heaven’s sake, no! Are you serious? He’s so strict on that subject” (Isben 1717). Nora explains that it would break up her happy beautiful home. This is a great example of the disrespect that Torvald shows Nora. She never felt comfortable telling him something so big, because she knew he would react horribly. Nora continues on and tells Mrs. Linde that she maybe could tell Torvald, “years from now, when I’m no longer attractive” (Isben 1717). This statement from Nora confirms that she really has no place in her marriage to say anything. The fact that she honestly believes that she should wait until Torvald isn’t as in love with her as he is now is ridiculous. No women should have to be so belittled to the fact that they are afraid to be honest.…

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen was first performed in 1879 when European society strictly enforced male supremacy over women. The play consists of a middle class couple, Torvald and Nora Helmer, who seem to have the perfect marriage, three children, and a pending respectable income with the husband’s recent promotion to bank manager. Torvald treats Nora like a doll, manicuring and manipulating her looks and actions. Although his controlling demeanor is concealed by innocent nicknames and monetary allowances, the affects of his domination over his wife are eventually exposed. At the end of the play, Nora leaves in a haze of anguish after her husband fails to defend her when she is accused of legal fraud in a loan she had taken to save Torvald’s life. Some people say that Nora was right to leave and flee the control of her demeaning husband to seek her individuality, but many argue the contrary when considering what she left behind, what she could have demanded and changed at home, and what she would face as an independent woman defending herself in a 19th century, male biased society. Although some may assertively argue that Nora was right to leave her home, others suggest the she was not right to leave considering the abandonment of her children, the responsibility she could have demanded from her husband, and the prejudice against independent women in her society.…

    • 1908 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nora's Manipulation

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In retort to finding out, instead of being understanding,Torvald furiously concludes he “must sink to such miserable depths because of a thoughtless woman” ( Ibsen 72). Moreover, he fears scrutiny from society and becomes hysterical with the thought of being “falsely suspected of having been a party to [Nora’s] criminal action”(Ibsen 73). Henceforth, Helmer consecutively belittles Nora ruthlessly by insulting her and calling her “ a hypocrite, a liar- worse, worse- a criminal” (Ibsen 72). Due to the indifference shown by Helmer, it sparks something in Nora and spurs a willful side of her that had been…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    We see the masks in Nora’s life when she’s being called a spendthrift by Torvald. As Torvald explains to Nora, “It’s a sweet little spendthrift, but she uses up a deal of money” (4). Torvald is implying that Nora is not capable of handling money by herself and in Torvald’s eyes, Nora has no business in finance and solely has to rely on Torvald. In reality, Nora is doing more than Torvald. She earns money along with performing household duties. Proudly Nora says, “But all the same it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man” (13). Nora’s actions clearly contradict Torvald’s view of her as a “spendthrift”. Torvald thinks that Nora, being a women, should only have the job of taking care of the kids, but Nora actually enjoys bringing an income into the household. Again, we see how Nora’s life is built on lies when Nora comments, “When Torvald is no longer as devoted to me as he is now; when my dancing and dressing-up and reciting have palled on him” (12). Nora is telling Ms. Linde the nature of their relationship, and how she realizes that Torvald is controlling her. She describes how in Torvald’s eyes, she is merely his possession. However, to the readers and to Dr. Rank, we can see Nora’s inner character and how she’s an independent and a fierce women. This perspective of Nora is the exact opposite of how Torvald would…

    • 2168 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “The story takes place in the 19th century. Nora Helmer is a middle-class housewife who has started a family with a lawyer named Torvald. They met when, at the Ministry, Torvald conducted an investigation into Nora’s father and helped him to keep his job (Oguer).” Nora keeps a dark secret throughout the writing, she once borrowed a large amount of money so that her husband would be able to recover from a critical sickness. She never revealed to him that she took the loan and has been secretly paying it back in small parts by saving from her household income. Torvald often sees her as someone who is negligent and infantile, he calls her “his doll.” He is appointed the director of a bank and feels the need to give aid to a man that was once disapproved for forging his signature on a document. But the irony in this situation is that the man who forged Torvald’s signature (Nils Krogstad) is the same man whom Nora has borrowed the loan from. Later it is also revealed that Nora herself forged her own father’s signature in order to get the money. Krogstad tells Nora that he will reveal what she has done and disgrace her and Torvald unless she can ultimately convince her husband to let him keep his job and not fire him. Nora tries very hard to talk her husband into letting Krogstad keep his job but Torvald sees her as someone who is childish and could never be able to comprehend the value of money or how the business world works. Therefore, once Torvald becomes aware that Nora has committed such a shameful act he wants to disown her even though he doesn’t understand…

    • 1457 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays