Tordvald Helmer Flashcards
How is it shown that Tordvald isn’t a terrible husband by 19th century standards
Even when leaving Nora says, ‘you’ve always been so kind to me’.He is industrious to a fault,overworking himself to provide for the family and never being violent to Nora
How is Tordvald’s horror of debt seen
‘Suppose I were to borrow fifty pounds today and you spent it all over Christmas and then on New Year’s Eve a tile fell off a roof onto my head’ despite this being playful exaggeration,the carefully painted picture suggests he broods on the possibility.Debt anxiety was rife in the nineteenth century.
How is Tordvald’s jealousy and insensitivity shown
Nora tells Mrs Linde he wants to ‘have me all to himself’
When Dr Rank is dying he comments it is good now that ‘we only have each other’
What is Helmer’s tragic flaw
The fact he doesn’t know himself,He merely conforms to societal standards.As a bank manager with very strict rules he abides by these and avoids anything that could be described as not ‘quite nice’
How does Tordvald show his masculine authority
He sees himself as a man of culture and education,an idealist.Helmer assumes a title such as ‘husband’ or ‘employer’ gives him a wisdom that can’t be questioned.He shows this in page 98 when he tells Nora ‘Playtime is over.Now the time has come for education’
How is Helmer viewing himself as a man of common sense and plain speaking shown
Phrases such as ‘Oh don’t be melodramatic’
How is Helmers view of himself as being a man of common sense and plain speaking ironic
In reality he is self dramatising as his stereotyped fantasy about rescuing her from ‘terrible danger’ comically disintegrates as he reads Krogstad’s letter and cries,’I am saved!’
Why is Helmer the least admirable character in the play
He is incredibly selfish,However he doesn’t do this consciously.Like many others in the time getting his own way seems synonymous with doing the right thing
How is Tordvald’s life clearly sheltered
The doctors hide his illness from him
His friend spares him a deathbed scene
Nora knows how to flatter him and he enjoys it
He thinks it’s his decision to employ Mrs Linde is a result of her arriving ‘at a lucky right moment’
Whenever helmer acts for himself is it logical
No,usually it is on very confused moral grounds.His decision to dismiss Krogstad is fully out of spite.His discovery of Nora’s crime was done out of concern for his reputation
How could it be argued that Tordvald is the real ‘doll in the house’
He is arguably more pampered and protected from reality than Nora by women out of deference for his masculinity.He conforms to societal norms and never steps out of line so never truly understands the true reality of life
