The Doll's House Flashcards
1
Q
“My most treasured possession” 3
A
- Context
o Nora & Helmer get home from the party and Helmer comments on Nora’s beauty and his desire for her - Analysis
o “my” – personal pronoun implies ownership – she his and only his
o “possession” – very literal, there is no doubt to the fact that Helmer treats Nora like his own thing
Implies an object for his enjoyment – no free will - Impact on reader
o Erases all doubts as to Helmer’s treatment and opinion of Nora
Built up and shown throughout the novel – now it is explicitly stated - Themes
o Love, feminism, marriage, society
2
Q
“wonderful beauty that’s mine, mine alone, all mine.” 3
A
- Context
o Helmer questions why Nora doesn’t want him looking at her with sexual desire once they get home from the party - Analysis
o “beauty” – only thing he sees in her, not ‘wife’, not ‘person’ but only sees the ‘beauty’
Stereotypical expectation that a woman’s role is simply to look beautiful
o “mine” – repetition in sequences with each other
Becomes main focus of the sentence
Helmer sees Nora as only his
o Nora is beautiful & Helmer’s – to keep up the illusion of a perfect family - Impact on reader
o Understands the true extent of Helmer’s treatment of Nora
Nora is not favoured by the reader but such treatment builds a sense of empathy
o Reflection of societal standards referring to women and marriage
3
Q
“Get away from me! I don’t want this.” “Nora (…) Aren’t I your husband?” 2
A
- Context
o Helmer expresses his desire to sleep with Nora and Nora declines - Analysis
o “Get away” – franticness and panic – she truly doesn’t want Helmer’s advances
o “I don’t” – finally expressing her desires in a straightforward way
No manipulation
“I” – taking control of herself
o “Nora, Nora” – repetition – condescending almost like to a child
o “Aren’t I your husband” – rhetorical question – questioning whether she understands what he believes is simple fact - Impact on reader
o Understands Nora finally trying to take direct control
o Understands Helmer’s treatment of Nora as a child but also as his property as a wife - Themes
o Power, love, marriage, feminism
4
Q
“My duty towards myself” 3
A
- Context
o Nora counters Helmer’s claims that she has a duty to her family by saying she is a person with a duty to herself too - Analysis
o “My” “myself” – repetition of personal pronoun
Helmer uses “my” when talking about her – Nora takes it back and uses it for herself
Emphasises it is her own journey and outcome
o “duty” – implies unavoidability and dishonour in not fulfilling it
Contrast to Helmer – always talking about honour – Nora takes it for herself - Impact on reader
o Understands Nora’s realisation as a counter to Helmer’s treatment of her
o Understands Nora breaking free of societal expectations - Themes
o Duty, power, individuality
5
Q
“wants me all to himself (…) used to make him all sorts of jealous (…) So of course I stopped doing it” 2
A
- Context
o Linde asks Nora why Helmer doesn’t know who she is, Nora replies that Helmer gets jealous when she talks about her old friends - Analysis
o “all to himself” – foreshadows how Helmer treats her like a possession
o “of course” – obvious nature of woman abiding by man’s wishes
o “him” “I” – women are expected to change by what men say – not man changes his attitude
Helmer holds greater power in relationship - Impact on the audience
o Past – would not have seemed out of order – establishes patriarchal relationship structure
o Present – gives audience insight into the expectations for women – differ greatly from today’s standards - Themes
o Power, love, feminism, society
6
Q
“First and foremost you are a wife and a mother.” “First and foremost I am a human being” 3
A
- Context
o Nora is fighting with Helmer about her duty to herself and why she must leave - Analysis
o “first and foremost” – alliteration – puts order of importance
Double “first” – emphasises that this is what is believed to be her duty
Nora mimics his structure – places herself as of equal importance
o “wife”, “mother” – traditional expectations for women
Implies duty & subservience to someone else
Duty to both other members in the house but not to herself - Impact on reader
o Understands Nora’s situation & restriction
o Understands societal expectations of women to sacrifice for others - Themes
o Power, duty, society
7
Q
“Nice - to give in to your husband?” 2
A
- Context
o Nora comments how she accepted Helmer’s idea of the tarantella, but Helmer replies with doubt - Analysis
o Rhetorical question – shows Helmer’s disbelief at Nora’s statement
He takes her obedience as granted
o “give in” – repeats Nora’s wording – almost mocking to what she says - Impact on reader
o Understands expectation of Nora giving into Helmer
o Understands that Helmer holds the majority of power in this relationship
o Understands societal expectation of women in marriage - Themes
o Power, love, marriage
8
Q
“Play the fool for him” 3
A
- Context
o Nora discusses her crime with Linde & speaks of what she’ll do if Helmer gets tired of her - Analysis
o “fool” – speaks of the role she plays for Helmer
o “play” – implies that she is only pretending to appease Helmer
o “for him” – shows that this is only really to fit into his wishes - Impact on reader
o Understands that Nora somewhat knows the role she plays in the relationship
o Nora has adapted herself to suit Helmer’s desires – also manipulative - Themes
o Power, marriage
9
Q
“If little squirrel asked you really prettily to grant her a wish” 3
A
- Context
o Nora is asking Helmer to reinstate Krogstad - Analysis
o “little squirrel” – uses Helmer’s nickname for her – playing into his expectations and desired
o “really prettily” – “pretty” – hits what Helmer values in a pretty, childish and submissive wife - Impact on reader
o Understands that Nora is not powerless – can also manipulate Helmer for her own gain - Themes
o Power, manipulation
10
Q
“Two shipwrecked sould could join hands” 1
A
- Context
o Linde and Krogstad are discussing their past and Linde suggests to enter into a relationship again - Analysis
o “shipwrecked souls” – despair at being alone – lost
o “join hands” – relationship is a partnership
Furthered by how they call each other by their first names – equality in the relationship
o Foil to Nora & Helmer’s relationship – truly contrasts the power imbalance - Impact on reader
o Understands the vision of a true relationship through equality and partnership
o Only further highlights imbalance of N & H relationship - Themes
o Power, love, relationships, society
11
Q
“Tell me what to do, keep me right - as you always do” 3
A
- Context
o Nora asks Helmer to lead her through the steps of the Tarantella to avoid finding Krogstad’s letter - Analysis
o “tell me what to do” – dramatic irony - audience knows Nora doesn’t always abide by Helmer
“as you always do” - Impact on audience
o Shows Nora’s manipulation & lies to Helmer – keep up appearances of obedient wife
o Shows Nora isn’t blameless in the relationship - Themes
o Love, power, marriage
12
Q
takes her playfully by the ear “What a little spendthrift you are!” 2
A
- Context
o Helmer has come home to see Nora has been buying Christmas presents - Analysis
o “takes her by the ear” – typical behaviour to little children – show that Helmer sees Nora as a child in need of his protection & discipline
o “little” – again sees her as childish
o Exclamation – sounds even fond, tone of conversation is not criticising but playful
Enjoy these interactions - Impact on reader
o Understand Helmer’s view of Nora
o Understand power dynamic of their relationship - Themes
o Power, love, marriage
13
Q
“No man can be expected to sacrifice his honour.” “Millions of women have done it” 3
A
- Context
o Helmer has found out about Nora’s crime and they have fought. - Analysis
o “No man” – man is the main person in the relationship – no equality or partnership between the two
o “sacrifice his honour” – shows his true opinion of putting honour before love
Questions whether he truly loves Nora – puts himself before her
o “millions of women” – short declarative syntax – states the obvious that she has just now realised
“millions” – no specified number – won’t know the countless sacrifices made - Impact on reader
o Understands true dynamic of Helmer-Nora relationship – Nora is expected to sacrifice but Helmer is not
o Speaks about greater societal expectations of marriage & role of women - Themes
o Love, sacrifice, marriage, feminism, society
14
Q
“I did it for love, didn’t I?” 3
A
- Context
o Krogstad has confronted Nora about the IOU for the first time - Analysis
o “for love” – searches for a justification for the crime
“love” – Nora had good intentions
Is the crime justified?
o “didn’t I?” – rhetorical question – unease and self doubt
Internal conflict at the situation – begins to doubt herself - Impact on reader
o Wonders whether Nora’s crime was just and if she should be punished for it - Themes
o Justice, morality, law
15
Q
“There must be an end to all these shiftings and evasions” 2
A
- Context
o Linde tells Krogstad to tell Helmer about the IOU - Analysis
o “shiftings and evasions” – recognises that Nora & Helmer’s relationship is built on lies
o Now that she is with Krogstad – understands necessity for truth
o Foil characters – show true relationship as a partnership - Impact on reader
o Wonders whether telling the truth is the best thing
o Explores the role of truth in relationships - Theme
o Truth, marriage, love
