Love and Marriage Flashcards
Nora plays the role of the perfect wife through promising absolute obedience, a key part of their facade. This is also ironic as she has already deceived him twice.
“I would never dream of doing anything you didn’t want me to”
Nora’s disbelief at an unloving relationship shows a lack of perception with the real world and highlights her childish nature. It is ironic as she will later leave her relationship saying that she doesn’t love Torvald anymore.
[looks at her incredulously] “But, Christine, is that possible?”
Belittling pet names. Highlights Nora’s diminutive size and helpless condition. Torvald views her as someone who needs masculine help and protection.
“my little sky-lark”
Offensive and animalistic view. Torvald dehumanises Nora as a pet as opposed to a wife.
Use of possessive pronouns highlights his domination in relationship. His compliments are superficial only focusing on appearance and her obedience.
“how expensive it is for a man to keep such a pet”
Torvald has to be the sole provider. Highlights marriage inequality as a wife cannot even help the one she loves.
“it would be terribly embarrassing and humiliating for him if he thought he owed anything to me”
Demonstrates that their relationship is exploitative on both sides. Nora uses her sexual power to have a hold over her husband and if that fails she will resort to emotional blackmail.
“Some day, perhaps, after many years, when I am no longer as pretty as I am now”
She is entirely focused on money and possession rather than the emotional effect of losing a loved one. She has been taught that is what matters most. A rhetorical question not allowing her to explain - she doesn’t actually care
“And he didn’t leave you anything?”
Nora justifies his possessive behaviour by saying that it was all because of love. It suggests that Torvald views her as a posession and that Nora sees nothing wrong with it.
“Torvald is so terribly in love with me that he says he wants me all to himself.”
Torvald demonstrates his physical possession over her and keeps her trapped to display his authority. He portrays it as innocent and romantic.
[he takes her in his arms]
[puts his arm around her waist]
