Doll's House Essay

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

vehicle potent image communicated
reinforce concerns of society - manitain harmony or present divergent view and challenging existing paradigms consequently coming into conflict - reevaluate ideals + perceptions
question worldview

Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” presents a range of relationships and thematic concerns in order to explore the limitations and expectations of his late 19th-century Norwegian society.

Question 2

Nora Overview

Answer 2

depicting her as opposing norms of behaviour for women

Question 3

Nora Evidence

Answer 3

Nora “puts the macaroons in her pocket and wipes her mouth” before beckoning to Helmer to “see what [she] bought” ACT 1
STAGE DIRECTIONS: reveals secretive nature (disguising deceit before inviting to see her as the perfect wife)
reflecting what a woman can be (Ibsen’s conflict) + rebels against what a housewife was meant to be

Helmer asks Nora if she’s “been nibbling?” and Nora replies “No. No” ACT 1
DRAMATIC IRONY: reveals to the audience she is deceitful as the audience has seen her eat macaroons - contradicting herself goes against the perfect character of a woman)
reflecting what a woman can be (Ibsen’s conflict) + rebels against what a housewife was meant to be

“Torvald never knew” Mrs Linde to which Nora replies “Of course not” ACT 1 Linde comments “behind your husbands back?” to which Nora replies “I’ll finish the other one. That’s also behind his back” ACT 2
CONFIDANTE: confiding in Linde reveals the recurring theme of deception (presenting women confiding deception in another woman - contradicting women to be immaculate pure beings) (linde reveals nora’s inability to see falsity in her actions - she is rebelling unknowably)

Question 4

Helmer Overview

Answer 4

depicting him in a lower position to Nora

Question 5

Helmer Evidence

Answer 5

“All [Mrs Linde] needs is the right man” Nora ACT 1
“anyone’d think your life depended on this dance” says Helmer to which Nora replies “It does” ACT 2
IRONY: playing on Helmer’s weakness (ego) isn’t supposed to be weak, using dance as a ruse to hold Helmer back - power imbalance (helmer should be all-knowing)

Helmer asks “Do you understand?” and Nora replies “(frost forming in her voice) now I understand” ACT 3
SHIFT IN TONE AS REVEALED THROUGH STAGE DIRECTIONS: before (Nora still believing in Miracle - idealistic) to realist tone - shift in relationship and Nora is the first one to initiate this and is accepting end of relo to which helmer is ignorant)

Helmer says “Now d’you understand what you’ve done to me?” to which Nora replies “(icy) Entirely” ACT 3
REPETITION: do you understand emphasizes Nora’s revelation of her circumstances - understands something Helmer doesn’t intent which puts her on higher ground)

Question 6

Linde Overview

Answer 6

depicting her as contradicting societal norms + seeing past the societal facade

Question 7

Linde Evidence

Answer 7

Linde: “I trust you Nils, the man you really are” ACT 3
NUANCE: eradicating context and realizing it’s constriction she doesn’t accept societal values and see’s Kroggy without context

Linde: “If I could get a job” Nora: “But that’ll be exhausting Kristine” ACT 1
CONTRASTING ATTITUDES: Nora reflects cultural continuity but showing Linde’s change reveals her rebellious nature + Ibsen’s values

Nora: “…Torvald certainly knows how to make a place welcoming” Linde: “And so do you” ACT 2
FOIL: defying gender roles - Nora is more than just the wife of her husband