Theme - Money And Work Flashcards
• a need for money affects all the major characters in the play. The bank works as a symbol for the pervasive presence of money in the characters lives. In the play money works as a symbol to infer the amount of power a character has over one another. In the first scene, torvalds ability to dictate how much money Nora spends shows his power. Meanwhile, the debt that Nora owes krogstad allows him to have power over her. Though both Nora and Mrs linde cannot earn large incomes due to their position of women in an extremely sexist time. Their inability to access significant amounts of money is one way they are oppressed and almost dehumanised. The play also shows that yes earning money creates power, though also brings danger as the the debt Nora owes soon becomes a source of terror, dread and shame. The thrill of obtaining money is therefore shown to have a downside.
“Just like a __________. No debts! Never borrow ________! There’s always something inhibited, something unpleasant about a _______ built on credit and money.”
Woman
Money
Home
• within this passage we see torvald chastise Nora for “spending too much money”. Nora and torvalds differing attitudes towards the idea of money and debt show their incompatibility. While torvald is cautious about overspending and sees borrowing as irresponsible and even immoral, as something that destroys one’s self sufficency. In contrast to Nora’s perception of borrowing and spending money is okay considering torvald gives them financial security. By saying that Nora is acting “just like a woman” groups the entire gender together and implies that he considers women as irrational and irresponsible when it comes to money.
Which was a common concept of the Victorian era. The irony of torvalds condemnation of borrowing money and how a home “built on credit” creates an “unpleasant atmosphere” and “poisonous air”. However, though torvald has not discovered, Nora has actually borrowed money as a woman suggesting that there is nothing wrong with a home “built on credit”. Though a deeper concept would be to understand that torvald only believes this ideal because society says so, he is so dedicated to his own reputation and societal constructs that he ignores his wife. At the same time, the statement seems to foreshadow the unpleasantness and eventual disintegration of torvald and Nora’s home later in the play.
“What a glorious feeling it is, knowing you’ve got a ________, ________ job and a good fat __________”.
Nice safe
Income
• having just scolded Nora for spending too much money he praises the fact he has just received a higher income and gives Nora the money anyways. This indicates the joy that torvald gets from the power that comes with having a high paying job. His statement highlights the importance of income and status in the world of the play. Though the statement is also highly ironic as later in the play his “safe” job will be threatened. It will also later expose his cruelty ; despite the importance of having a great career and what that brings he is still merciless when it comes to firing krogstad.
“I was content to work my way up, _______ by _______. Now I’m being _________ out. And I won’t stand for being taken back as an act of charity. I’m going to get to the top I tell you”
Step
Step
Kicked
• krogstad has shown more the letter he has written to torvald, confirming he intends to blackmail her. However, it now becomes clear that torvald is not bothered about the money Nora owes him; but rather the respectability and social status of a senior position at the bank. Although money is highly valuable in society, his speech confirms that societies opinions are even more valuable than wealth. At the same time, it also highlights the limitation of behaving accordingly to societal expectations. Krogstad has worked honest and “step by step” only to find himself “kicked out”. In order to regain dignity, he feels compelled to return to tactics of scheming and deceit.
