ADH Act 1 quotes Flashcards
extravagantly
*A room furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagantly
- middle class, coordinating conjunction, 1 visible room - Nora’s capti
study
*Helmer’s study
- superiorty, only one with a space
bell
*A bell rings
- Nora no key, patriarchal
Humming
*Humming
materialism=happiness, bird, infantilisng - acting like a bird
tree
“Hide the Christmas Tree” Nora
First word spoken establishing theme of deceit, Nora’s secretive nature
twittering
“lark twittering” Torvald
Connotations of having no real purpose
bustling
“little squirrel bustling about” Torvald
Unappreciative of her work, senseless
Macaroons
Reocurring motif of Macaroons
Power imbalance as torvald bans them Relationship is not open
Pen
*Pen in hand - Torvald
Intelligence and power
Higher standing
spendthrift
“my little spendthrift been wasting money again?” Torvald
Interrogative, First thing he suspects of her
economise
“This is the first Christmas that we have not needed to economise” Nora
Middle class - social mobility, Previous tough times
wee
“we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn’t we? Just a tiny wee bit” Nora
childish tone
salary
“big salary” Nora
lots
“lots and lots of money” Nora
Idea of money growing on trees, Childish
until
“We can borrow until then.” Nora
Introduced themes of debt, contrasting views
never
“never borrow!” Torvald
command, ironic - too late
ear
*Takes her playfully by the ear - Torvald
parental, Nora has to wishstand the facade
featherhead
“little featherhead!” - Torvald
condecending, sounds like hes paying her a compliment
horrid
“don’t say such horrid things” - Nora
tone suggests immaturity
care
“If that were to happen, I don’t suppose I should care whether I owed money or not” Nora
ignorant, alt: cares if a “slate fell” on Torvald’s head more
bother
They? Who would bother about they? I should not know who they were.”
Capitalist mindset self gain Apathetic
woman
“That is like a woman!” Torvald
borrowing
“No debt no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt.” - Torvald
Constant idea of beautiful home, Deceitful mother=gone to the bad early
Freedom and beauty - bird - ironic bc Nora is not a freebird - songbird in a cage
road
“We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far” Torvald
- social mobility
stove
*Moving towards the stove - Nora
The stove is comfort, juxtaposes winter
Domestic vs public sphere
mad at Torvald
purse
“my little skylark must not droop her wings.” *taking out his purse
Satisfy her with money to exceed her “temper”
turning
*Turning around quickly “Money!”
Conversations are mostly financial ideas no depth, easily pleased
thank
*Counting “Thank you, Thank you” Nora
counting out loud, childish
pieces
“she will soon break them in pieces” Nora
Wasting money irrationally because the toys won’t last - temporal
temporal like Nora and Torvald’s relationship - built on materialism
bought
“Come here and let me show you what I have bought”
Identity through money to feel somewhat superior, Control
buttons
*Playing with is coat buttons, and without raising her eyes to his Nora
Wants something, childish, money after he gave her money
gilt
“Then I will wrap it up in beautiful gilt paper and hang it on the Christmas Tree”
aesthetics, materialism,
This also relates to the comparison of Nora to the christmas tree by Brian Johnson:
“prevented from full growth, cut or transplanted, then prettified and decorated in a domestic environment, like Nora Herself”
Her childlike excitement about the pretty paper and putting it on display represents the way Torvald obsesses over her aesthetics and keeps her on constant display, commenting on her looks to guests throughout the play.
expenses
*simling quietly and happily “You haven’t any idea how many expenses we skylarks and squirrels have”
alludes to loan, proudly, independence
father
“You are an odd little soul. Very like your father”
defined by only man in her life, no independent identity
wagging
*wagging his finger at her “Hasn’t Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today?
wishes
“I should not think of going against your wishes.”
gender and women
income
“perfectly safe appointment, and a big enough income. It’s delightful to think of, isn’t it?”
Helmer takes pleasure in the power that comes with a high-paid job, perhaps more than having money to spend, unlike his wife Nora. This naivety with money foreshadows when his job comes under threat
three
it was the dullest three weeks i ever spent! - tor
expects nora beck and call
girl
poor little girl - tor
dejected
[in a dejected and timid voice] - linde
Mrs.Linde isn’t sure if she should be there this shows how distant is her relationship with Nora.
steamer
i arrived by steamer this morning - linde
unusual for women
widow
poor christine, you are a widow - nora
write
i meant ever so often to write to you - nor
strokes
[smiles sadly and strokes her hair] It sometimes
happens, Nora - linde
Christine, like Torvald, condescends Nora. This leads to Nora becoming frustrated and confessing to taking out the loan to prove that she is not the flighty child that she is perceived to be.
lovely
i have 3 loovely children - nor
insensitive
heaps
“heaps of money” - nora flexing
schooldays
in sour schooldays you were a spendthrift - linde
silly
“Nora, Nora” is not so silly as you think - nor
both
we have both had to work - nora
dropping
[dropping her voice] and other things as well - nora
increases suspicion
saved
it saved Torvalds life - nora
money
illness
Torvald has not had an hours illness since then, and our children are strong and healthy and so am I – Nora
insensitive
bedridden
my mother was alive then, and was bedridden and helpless, and I had to provide for my two younger brothers - linde
live
no one to live for anymore - linde
altogether
you look down upon me to altogether - nora
proud
I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of – Nora
women’s sacrifices, hers differs from Christine’s
consent
A wife cannot borrow without her husband‘s consent – Miss Lind
imprudent
[sits up straight] is it imprudent to save your husband’s life? - nora
happy
our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now - nora
looking
when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now.
Nora has a sense of the true nature of her marriage, even as early as Act One. She recognizes that Torvald’s affection for her is heavily dependent on her looks and her more, insightful and manipulative side is displayed. For the first time, readers are aware of how Nora is not always as naive as she seems to be.
earning
it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man.
nora
free from care
To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it!
This is ironic because while Nora describes the factors for her anticipated freedom, she is highlighting everything that constrains her, which eventually causes her to leave.
diseased
morally diseased;
dr rank about krogstad
zealously
there are certain people who go zealously snuffing out moral corruption…. and put the person concerned into some lucrative position where they can keep their eye on him.
dr rank about krogstad again
appears
The door is half opened, and KROGSTAD appears,
ruins the fun and games
influence
Sometimes one has a tiny little bit of influence… Because one is a woman,
nora
bank
I am prepared to fight for my small post in the Bank as if I were fighting for my life.
krog
indiscretion
I was guilty of an indiscretion.
krog
win
My sons are growing up; for their sake I must try and win back as much respect as I can in the town. - krog
clumsy
[Sobbing.] To think of his learning my secret, which has been my joy and pride, in such an ugly, clumsy way-
winter my secret
nora
signed
; those lines your father should have signed.
krog
bond
your father signed this bond three days after his death.
krog
papa’s
It was I that wrote papa’s name.
reverting to infantalisation - nora
trip
That trip was to save my husband’s life; I couldn’t give that up.
nora
dangerous
you put so many heartless difficulties in my way… you knew what a dangerous condition my husband was in.
nora to krog
law
Then it must be a very foolish law.
nora
please
I will do everything I can think of to please you, Torvald!–I will sing for you, dance for you–
nora
false notes
A songbird must have a clean beak to chirp with–no false notes!
torvald
busies
she busies herself with the Christmas Tree.]
Decorating the tree is a way Nora regains her sense of control and the ornaments represent how she charms Torvald to hide the lies beneath.
obliged
Aha! so my obstinate little woman is obliged to get someone to come to her rescue?
torvald when nora needs help w a dress
germs
an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil.
torvald
deceitful
Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother.
torvald
dissimulation
This Krogstad, now, has been persistently poisoning his own children with lies and dissimulation;
torvald
physically ill
I literally feel physically ill when I am in the company of such people.
torvald
deprave
[pale with terror] Deprave my little children? Poison my home? [A short pause. Then she tosses her head.] It’s not true. It can’t possibly be true.
nora
