A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Flashcards
‘I would never dream of doing anything you didn’t want me to.’
Act 1
Characters: Nora to Torvald
Themes: Love and marriage, gender, deceit, individual vs society
Analysis: Here Nora plays the part of the perfect wife, promising absolute obedience to Torvald—in this case specifically related to the fact that he has forbidden her to eat macaroons. On one level this quote seems to convey Nora’s love for her husband and her acceptance of gender roles, suggesting she adores Torvald so much that she is willing to give up her own agency in order to make him happy. However, in reality she is lying. She has already disobeyed him, both in the minor act of eating macaroons just a few minutes earlier, and in the major transgression of borrowing money much earlier in their marriage. Nora has thus deceived Torvald on two levels: first by disobeying him, and then by lying about it. The exaggerated nature of the phrase – that she would “never dream” of disobeying him – adds further tension to the lie and suggests that the role Nora is trying to play is unrealistic and impossible, and therefore hints at her eventual refusal to play it.
Nora! Just like a woman. Seriously though, Nora, you know what I think about these things. No debts! Never borrow! There’s always something inhibited, something unpleasant, about a home built on credit and borrowed money.
Act 1
Characters: Torvald Helmer to Nora
Themes: Love and marriage, individual vs society
Analysis: Although Torvald has just recently received a promotion that means he will earn a larger salary, here he chastises Nora for spending too much on Christmas presents, particularly considering he won’t be paid for a few more months. Torvald and Nora’s differing opinions reveal their contrasting attitudes toward the issue of money and debt. While Torvald is cautious about overspending and sees borrowing as irresponsible and even immoral, as something that destroys one’s self-sufficiency, Nora believes there is nothing wrong with spending and borrowing now that Torvald’s job gives them financial security. Further, by saying that Nora is acting “just like a woman,” Torvald shows that he considers women irrational and untrustworthy when it comes to money (and in general). The irony of Torvald’s condemnation of borrowing is that Nora has already borrowed money; though Torvald doesn’t know it, his own home is “built on credit.” This shows that Torvald has less control over his wife than he believes. It also suggests that there is not necessarily always something “unpleasant” about a home built on debt, as Torvald does not consider his own home unpleasant. At the same time, this statement seems to foreshadow the unpleasantness and eventual disintegration of Torvald and Nora’s home later in the play.
Oh, what a glorious feeling it is, knowing you’ve got a nice, safe job, and a good fat income.
Act 1
Characters: Torvald Helmer
Themes: Individual vs society, Money and work
Analysis: Having just scolded Nora for spending too much, Torvald now decides to give her extra money anyway and then reflects on how pleased he is to have been given a promotion and raise. This indicates that Torvald takes pleasure in the power that comes with having a high-paying job, perhaps more than he cares about having money to spend. His statement highlights the importance of income and status within the world of the play. This passage also once again reveals Torvald’s naïveté, as later in the play his “safe” job will be threatened. It also will later expose his cruelty; despite the importance he himself places on having a secure position, he is merciless when it comes to firing Krogstad.
Oh, sometimes I was so tired, so tired. But it was
tremendous fun all the same, sitting there working and
earning money like that. Almost like being a man.
Act 1
Characters: Nora
Themes: Gender, Money and work
Analysis: Nora explains to Mrs. Linde that she has been secretly paying back the money she borrowed to fund the trip to Italy by avoiding spending money on herself and even taking on copying work, which she had to complete at night so that Torvald would not notice. This quote reveals a more selfless and mature side to Nora, who has previously been treated - and behaved - like a vain and spoiled child. The fact that she has been prepared to sacrifice so much for Torvald shows that she really does love her husband, despite the fact that she deceives him. Ibsen suggests that Nora’s deception might be necessary because Torvald does not trust her to make sensible decisions on her own (and on a wider level, in this society men in general don’t trust or respect women in general). Torvald believes Nora only wants to engage in frivolous pursuits, when in fact she shows here that she enjoys the responsibility of earning money to help her family. This passage contains the first hint that Nora might be frustrated with the traditional role she is expected to perform as a wife and mother. Indeed, it foreshadows the decision she makes at the end of the play to sacrifice her comfortable lifestyle in order to become autonomous and independent.
Just think how a man with a thing like that on his conscience will always be having to lie and cheat and dissemble; he can never drop the mask, not even with his own wife and children. And the children—that’s the most terrible part of it, Nora… A fog of lies like that in a household, and it spreads disease and infection to every part of it. Every breath the children take in that kind of house is reeking evil germs.
Act 1
Characters: Torvald Helmer, Nils Krogstad, Nora Helmer
Themes: Individual vs society, Love and marriage, deceit
Analysis: Torvald describes the consequences of Krogstad’s deception, insisting that it will have devastating consequences on his household. Torvald’s melodramatic language highlights the fierce contempt he feels for Krogstad, and emphasizes that Torvald sees dishonesty as a kind of poison that corrupts the purity of domestic life. Again, this passage has a double meaning; just like Krogstad, Nora has also committed a crime and must keep it a secret from her family. Once more, Torvald unwittingly reveals his own ignorance, as he does not think there is a “fog of lies” in his own household or that his children are breathing “evil germs.” At the same time, Torvald’s comment that Krogstad “can never drop the mask” rings true for Nora. Ibsen has already shown that Nora pretends to be obedient, while in reality she disobeys and lies to Torvald. The pressure of this double life comes to take a major toll on Nora as the play progresses. However, Ibsen suggests that, deception aside, the pressure to perform the role of the perfect wife is itself a kind of “mask,” as Torvald has unrealistic expectations of Nora and does not allow her to act freely as an individual. The “mask” in this passage thus connects to the symbol of the doll’s house, foreshadowing Nora’s claim at the end of the play that Torvald has treated her like a doll.
When a poor girl’s been in trouble she must make the best of things.
Act 2
Characters: The nursemaid (speaker)
Themes: Love and marriage, deceit, gender
Analysis: Nora has asked the nursemaid how she could bear to give up her child, and the nursemaid responds by explaining that it was out of necessity, as the child’s father would not support her. This quote highlights how little freedom and power women had at the time; without a man to depend on, the nursemaid would have been unable to raise the child herself. The nursemaid’s predicament connects to Mrs. Linde’s revelation that she married a man she didn’t love due to financial need, as well as Nora’s decision to forge her father’s signature in order to secure the loan. Each woman was forced to act in a way they otherwise have never chosen due to the restrictive legal, economic, and social position of women in their society. Significantly, all three women choose to act in a way that is both selfless and pragmatic; Ibsen thus exposes the inaccuracy of the belief that women are foolish and incapable of making rational decisions.
A man’s better at coping with these things than a woman…
Act 2
Characters: Nora
Themes: Love and marriage, gender
Analysis: Nora, desperate to find a solution to the fact that Krogstad is blackmailing her, considers asking Dr. Rank for help, on the basis that he has money and is a man. On one level, her reasoning for going to Dr. Rank is valid; he is in a considerably more powerful position than Nora, with financial means and legal rights that she does not have. On the other hand, this quote suggests that she has internalized the sexist idea that women are unsuited to handle serious matters. Despite the hard work and skillful negotiation she exhibited in borrowing and paying back the money in the first place, Nora is still convinced that she needs a man’s help in order to find a solution to her current predicament.
If it ever got around that the new manager had been talked over by his wife… As long as the little woman gets her own stubborn way…! Do you want me to make myself a laughing stock in the office? Give people the idea that I am susceptible to any kind of outside pressure? You can imagine how soon I’d feel the consequences of that!
Act 2
Characters:Torvald Helmer (speaker), Nora
Helmer
Themes: Love and marriage, gender, money and work, deceit
Analysis: Nora has tried once again to persuade Torvald not to fire Krogstad, and in response Torvald becomes irritated, claiming that it would damage his reputation if people were to think his wife influenced his decisions. This passage shows how cruel Torvald can be to Nora, and suggests he has little respect for her. The phrase “little woman” again brings to mind the symbol of the doll’s house and Torvald’s treatment of Nora as a doll. At the same time, Torvald’s words also reveal that he as an individual is not entirely to blame for his sexist attitude. His dismissal of Nora seems motivated by a fear that, if he were to take her opinion seriously, he would be ridiculed by other men at the bank and that his career could even suffer as a result. Here Ibsen emphasizes the pressure on all the characters in the play to maintain appearances and conform to the norms of society.
“I want to get on my feet again, Mrs. Helmer; I want to get to the top… For the last eighteen months I’ve gone straight; all that time it’s been hard going; I was content to work my way up, step by step. Now I’m being kicked out, and I won’t stand for being taken back again as an act of charity. I’m going to get to the top, I tell you… It’ll be Nils Krogstad, not Torvald Helmer, who’ll be running the bank.”
Act 2
Characters: Nils Krogstad (speaker), Nora Helmer,
Torvald Helmer
Themes: Money and work, deceit, individual vs society
Analysis:Krogstad has shown Nora the letter he has written to Torvald, confirming that he intends to blackmail her; however, in this passage it becomes clear that he doesn’t want the money Nora owes him, but rather the respectability and social status of a senior position at the bank. Although money is highly important in the play, Krogstad’s speech confirms that the opinion of society is even more valuable than wealth. At the same time, it also highlights the limitations of behaving according to society’s rules. Krogstad has been honest and worked “step by step,” only to find himself fired; in order to regain dignity, he feels compelled to return to tactics of scheming and deceit.
You can’t frighten me! A precious little pampered thing like you…
Act 2
Characters: Nils Krogstad (speaker), Nora Helmer,
Torvald Helmer
Themes: Gender
Analysis: In response to Krogstad’s plan to reveal her deceit to Torvald, Nora vaguely threatens to kill him, but he does not take her seriously. Krogstad’s attitude here echoes the way that Torvald belittles Nora; by calling her a “little… thing,” Krogstad, too, treats Nora like a doll, implying she does not have any agency or power. At the same time, Krogstad’s use of the word “pampered” reflects Mrs. Linde and the nursemaid’s (more gentle) allusions to the fact that Nora has been spared the harsh realities of life on account of her husband’s wealth. In other words, the rest of the characters do not think Nora is capable of making choices for herself both because she is a woman and thus has not been allowed to, and because she is rich and has thus not been forced to. Of course, this underestimation turns out to be mistaken, as revealed by Nora’s drastic actions in the Third Act of the play
Without work I couldn’t live. All my life I have worked, for as long as I can remember; that has always been my one great joy. But now I’m completely alone in the world, and feeling horribly empty and forlorn. There’s no pleasure in working only for yourself. Nils, give me somebody and something to work for.
Act 3
Characters: Kristine Linde (speaker) to Nils Krogstad
Themes: Gender, love and marriage, money and work, individual vs society
Analysis: Mrs.Linde has suggested that she and Krogstad marry, and tries to convince Krogstad by explaining that her life feels meaningless without anyone to work for and take care of. Here Mrs. Linde embodies a traditional idea of womanhood, which poses that women mostly find meaning in life through selfless acts and caring for others. Unlike Nora, who feels ambivalent about a life totally dedicated to her husband and children, Mrs. Linde is fully committed to this path. This is evidenced not only in her speech to Krogstad but also in her original choice to marry a wealthier man in order to financially provide for her mother and brothers, as well as her continued support for Nora throughout the play. By including Nora and Mrs. Linde’s differing attitudes toward this model of selfless womanhood, Ibsen shows that women do not have one single relationship to femininity and traditional values. The message of the play is not that all women should live independent, individualistic lives as Nora eventually decides to, but rather that women should be able to choose based on their own preferences.
What else is there to understand, apart from the old, old story? A heartless woman throws a man over the moment something more profitable offers itself.
Act 3
Characters: Nils Krogstad (speaker), Kristine
Linde
Themes: Gender, love and marriage, money and work, individual vs society
Analysis:
The thing must be hushed up at all costs. And as far as you and I are concerned, things must appear to go on exactly as before. But only in the eyes of the world, of course… From now on, there can be no question of happiness. All we can do is save the bits and pieces from the wreck, preserve appearances…
Act 3
Characters: Torvald Helmer (speaker)
Themes: Love and marriage, deceit, individual vs society
Analysis: Having discovered the letter from Krogstad exposing Nora’s secret debt, Torvald flies into a rage, insulting Nora and her father. Immediately afterward, however, Torvald insists that they stay married and that everything must appear to go on as before. The fact that Torvald clearly despises Nora, admits that they will never be happy, and yet maintains that they must “preserve appearances” shows the extent to which he values societal approval above everything else. In many ways, this is worse than any of the possible outcomes Ibsen has led the audience to anticipate. Torvald vows never to forgive Nora, insisting that their relationship is destroyed forever; at the same time, he traps her in their marriage, effectively forbidding her even from committing suicide or escaping to start a new life. This reaction demonstrates the absolute power Torvald wishes to have over Nora, and which he believes is his right as her husband.
I have been your doll wife, just as at home I was Daddy’s doll child. And the children in turn have been my dolls. I thought it was fun when you came and played with me, just as they thought it was fun when I went to play with them. That’s been our marriage, Torvald.
Act 3
Characters: Nora Helmer (speaker), Torvald
Helmer
Themes: Love and marriage, gender, individual vs society
Analysis: Nora accuses both Torvald and her father of treating her like a doll, and compares her life to a doll’s house. At this point the full meaning of the play’s title becomes clear. Nora acknowledges that she has found pleasure in her doll life, enjoying the moments when Torvald chooses to “play” with her and when she chooses to play with the children. Ibsen has shown evidence of this, particularly at the beginning of the play when Nora delighted in performing for Torvald and playing the role of the perfect, obedient wife. However, at this moment it is clear that Nora has undergone a transformation, leading her to view her life from a different, much more critical perspective. Intriguingly, although Torvald has behaved in a cruel and disdainful way toward her, Nora does not cite this behaviour as the main problem with their marriage. Rather, she implies that their interactions are doomed to be superficial and meaningless because of the fact that Torvald does not see her as an autonomous person, but rather as a possession which he can control. Nora appears to have realized that Torvald values her only because of the control he has over her and because of how their marriage appears to society.
I believe that first and foremost I am an individual, just as much as you are—or at least I’m going to try to be. I know most people agree with you, Torvald, and that’s also what it says in books. But I’m not content anymore with what most people say, or what it says in books. I have to think things for myself, and get things clear.
Act 3
Characters: Nora Helmer (speaker), Torvald
Helmer
Themes: Love and marriage, gender, individual vs society
Analysis: Shocked by Nora’s objections to their life together and by her decision to leave, Torvald has insisted that she stay, arguing that she is “first and foremost a wife and mother.” Nora rejects this by saying that she is an individual before she is anything else. (This statement would have been highly scandalous at the time.) Significantly, Nora does acknowledge that most people remain committed to societal norms about gender and the family (aside from Torvald, this is also particularly true of Mrs. Linde). The fact that Nora mentions this shows how central the approval of society remains within the play, even at the moment when Nora decides to radically subvert societal expectations. It is important to note that Nora rejects three major sources of knowledge about how she should choose to conduct her life: the opinion of her husband, the opinion of society as a whole, and the knowledge to be found in books. The last of these is especially significant, because it emphasizes the fact that Nora believes that the truth about how she should live can only be found within herself. Furthermore, she thinks she will only be able to gain access to this truth through living independently and figuring it out on her own. Though a fairly common notion in today’s world, this was a highly unusual position to take in the 19th century, especially for a woman. Nora’s speech thus confirms the extent to which “A Doll’s House” was ahead of its time, foreshadowing debates about gender and autonomy that would not emerge until many decades later.
