Ibsen A Doll's House Flashcards
What does Nora hope will happen one day?
ADH
“A miracle”
What did George Bernard say about the audience in his reveiw ?
ADH
“guilty creatures sitting at a play”
What did George Bernard say about how the door slam?
“the slam of the door behind her is more momentous than the cannon of Waterloo”
Nora using flattery to inluence Torvald’s decisions:
ADH
2 quotes
“I can’t get anywhere without your help”
“You’re always right whatever you do”
What did Nick and Non Warrall say about Torvald’s security?
ADH
“Torvald’s security depends upon feeling superior”
Torvald infantalising Nora:
ADH
“my child”
Torvald’s nicknames for Nora:
ADH
“My skylark”
“My Squirrell”
“My little songbird”
“Little spend thrift”
“My poor, helpless little darling”
“My child”
“My most treasured possession”
Nora frantically flattering Torvald
ADH
“correct me, lead me, the way you always do”
What is the irony in this sentence? “correct me, lead me, the way you always do”
ADH
She is actually leading him.
Proof that Torvald is also under societal pressure
“If it ever got out that the new manager had been talked over by his wife”
Torvald asks Nora if she’s been spending
“Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?”
Mrs Linde talking about women borrowing money
ADH
“a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent”
Nora shocked she is in trouble for saving Torvald’s life
ADH
“is a wife not allowed to save her husbands life?”
Nora explains what is was like for her to work
“it was a tremendous pleasure to sit there working and earning money. It was like being a man”
Nora’s explanation on why she does not tell Torvald about her debt
Nora doesn’t tell Torvald about their debt as she thinks it will be “painful and humiliatiing” for him “with his manly independance” to know that he owes her money.
.
.
“how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!”
What does Torvald say about a house that is built on debt and borrowing?
“A house that is built on debt and borrowing can never be a place of freedom and beauty.”
Finish Torvald’s line: “The squanderbird’s a pretty little creature, …”
“The Sqaunderbird’s a pretty little creature, but she gets through an awful lot of money.”
Give a quote that shows Nora acknowledging her dumb facade is just an act
“But ‘Nora, Nora’ isn’t as silly as you’d think.”
Why did Nora have to take the family to Italy
Because Torvald was “frightfully ill”
What does Nora tell Christine is her reason for not telling Torvald what she’s done?
“He’s so proud of being a man - it’d be so painful and humiliating for him to know that he owed anything to me.”
Delete this card??
Nora tells Christine it was “tremendous fun” “sitting there and earning money.” Why?
“It was almost like being a man.”
Give an example of Torvald using the songbird metaphor to describe untruth.
“A songbird must have a clean beak to sing with. Otherwise she’ll start twittering out of tune.”
Give an example of Torvald patronising Nora
“Little Miss Independent’s in trouble and needs a man to rescue her, does she?”
Finish Torvald’s line… “An atmosphere of lies
“An atmosphere of lies contaminates and poisons every corner of the home.”
What dance does Torvald get Nora to dance?
The tarantella.
It is sensual dance she learnt in Italy.
Give an example of inheritance in A Doll’s House.
Dr Rank has syphilis passed down to him from his father.
………..
“Sickly ever since he was a child”
“His father was a frightful man who kept mistresses”
Give the full quote Torvald says about being “man enough”
Torvald ironically says “I am man enough to bear the burden for both of us”
This is ironic because he wasn’t the first time and that led to Nora having to find the money to take them to Italy.
Give a quote that show secrecy in A Doll’s House:
- “Torvald mustn’t know”
How does Mrs Linde describe Nora’s secret to Krogstad?
“Unhappy secret”
An example of Torvald patronising Nora and calling her a songbird in the same sentence
“Now my little songbird’s talking just like a real big human being”
Torvald explaining how he wishes there was a “terrible danger”
“I wish some terrible danger might threaten you, so that I could offer my life and my blood, everything, for your sake.”
What does Helmer respond to Nora when she says “I’ve loved you more than anything else in the world”
“Oh, don’t try to make silly excuses.”
How does Tovald react to getting back the letter from Krogstad?
“I am saved! Nora, I am saved!”
He also tells her “I have forgiven you everything.”
Nora’s language starts to change towards Torvald after she decides to serparate from him.
Give two examples of the short sentences
- “Yes.”
- “That is true.”
- “No, don’t interrupt me.”
What does Torvald say about Nora’s ”feminine helplessness”?
He finds her “feminine helplessness” “doubly attractive”
Finsish Nora’s quote:
“You have never loved me. You…
“You have never loved me. You just thought it was fun to be in love with me.”
Nora talking about being a “doll-wife”
“I’ve been your doll-wife, just as I used to be papa’s doll-child. And the children have been my dolls”
What is the significance of Nora’s line:
“The children have been my dolls”
It shows the cycle of life and how all of the bad habits are being repeated and passed down in society.
What must Nora do to find out the truth about life?
“stand on my own feet”
“to find out the truth about myself and about life”
What does Torvald think of Nora leaving her home and family.
He thinks it is “montrous” and thinks she is ‘neglecting’ her “most sacred duties”
adh
“I am first and ____ a ____ ____”
“I am first and foremost a human being”
According to Torvald what can “no man” be “expected” to do.
“No man can be expected to sacrifice his honour, even for the person he loves.”
Finish Torvald’s quote
“Oh, you think and talk …..
“Oh, you think and talk like a stupid child.”
At the end how does Nora’s opinion on miracles change.
“I don’t belive in miracles any longer.”
