Helmer Flashcards
sees himself
as the epitome of the respectable 19th-century husband
treats Nora
as a winsome little creature, dependent on him and his knowledge of the outside world
chastises Nora
for being extravagant, yet he delights in being able to give her money
uses money to gain financial control over her and the household
pride
ultimately destroys their marriage
“he’s os proud of being a man”
security
depends on feeling superior
the game he and Nora play is designed to retain his dominant role in their relationship
stereotypical
he is pompous and lacks perception which is the stereotyped portrayal of a male in his situation
treatment of Krog
shows his pettiness, which even Nora can’t avoid seeing
both of them have social indiscretions, him concealing Nora’s father’s scandal, so his treatment of Krog isn’t just social snobbery but perhaps a reluctance to confront the mirror image of himself
driven by
his desire for social approval and status
more concerned with appearances than truth
patronising towards Linde
acts the benevolent patron to secure her a job
later calls her a “dreadful bore”
selfishness
Rank’s “suffering and loneliness” are a “kind of dark background to the happy sunlight of our marriage”
can’t change his self-contained and self-obsessed perception of the world
rigid views
obsessed with the need to abide by the social, religious and moral code of the time
Nora’s ending of the marriage
leave Helmer alone to deal with the scandal
his tragedy is in failing to offer her anything other than a sentimental and protective kind of love
a much a victim of societies attitudes as Nora is
caged by society
Torvald, Nora’s husband, is just as caged by society as his wife. Society has programmed them both into their prescribed roles: dominant provider husband, submissive homemaking wife.
traits
Selfish: overly concerned with his place and status in society
Cowardly: Allows his emotions to be swayed heavily by the prospect of society’s respect and the fear of society’s scorn
he calls her
“skylark” and “squirrel” without reflecting that these are wild creatures - that Nora’s domestic setting as become a cage. The audience, however, realizes that Torvald has built a kind of linguistic prison, for Nora and himself.
towards the end of the play
it is made clear that Torvald’s apparent ‘strength’ was wholly dependent on Nora’s ‘weakness’
“Nora, not now” - emotional and weak at the end of the play
the stage directions depict the power shift
between Torvald and Nora - he “covers his face with his hands”, while Nora is preparing to go - “trying on her hat”
end of the play - “empty”
literal meaning - the house is empty after her departure
instead, it could be read that Torvald is now “empty”, as he is deprived of Nora as a physical resource that allows him to perform hegemonic masculinity
self-deception
“i’m man enough to take on everything” - mirrors his conventional role in society, but ironic due to his work-related ‘breakdown’
possible to see him as abusive
isolates her from her childhood friends - Mrs Linde
calls her
his “clandestine little sweetheart” - even though they’ve been married for 8 years and have three children
Nora recognises that
his sense of masculinity is fragile - “painful” for him to know he “owed anything to me”
Nora’s clear understanding of
gender roles - she knows that without them the life they live “would no longer exist”
presentation of masculinity - nora’s father
feckless with money
a man of “not unassailable reputation”
