Helmer quotes Flashcards
His control and belittling of his wife
‘My little squanderbird’
‘My little songbird’
Enjoys having financial control over her
“expensive pet’ that he must ‘keep”
‘my little spendthrift’
Infantalises her
‘Wags his finger at her’
‘Goes over to her and takes her playfully by the ear’
Helmer is consumed in fulfilling the stereotypical role of a man at the time
‘I am man enough to bear the burden for both’
Preoccupied greatly with status
- ’ Do you expect me to make a laughing-stock of myself before my entire staff’
- ‘give people the idea that i am open to outside influence’
Controlling - especially in Act 2 as she begins to become increasingly assertive
‘Not so violently, Nora’ (Tarantella)
“This is sheer lunacy. Stop it, I say!” (Tarantella)
‘Little miss Obstinate’
Over sexualises his wife/ fanatasies an ideal of her
’ I pretend to myself that you’re my secret mistress’
‘I pretend to myself that you’re my young bride’
‘when i saw you dance the tarantella, like a huntress, a temptress, my blood grew hot’
Possessive
‘my most treasured possession… all this wonderful beauty that’s mine, mine alone, all mine’
Helmer saying he will make sacrifice for her
- ‘i could offer my life and my blood, everything for your sake’
His critique of her once the secrets out
- ‘wretched woman’
‘a hypocrite, a liar… a crimminal!’
‘no religion, no morals, no sense of duty’
Preoccupation with status
- ‘But no man can be expected to sacrifice his honour, even for the person he loves’’
‘You have ruined my whole future’
Selfishness
’ I am saved!’
‘You too, of course’
Alarmed at his wifes assertiveness
“You alarm me Nora, i just don’t understand you”
“You’re out of your mind”
Desperatley tries to regain his power, however it is no use
’ I forbid you!’
‘But you’re blind! You’ve no experience of the world’
Still sticking to rigid ideals
‘You don’t understand how society works’
‘You,re ill. You’re feverish’
