A Doll House Nora Character Analysis
In the play, A Doll House, Nora goes through a major character change. The play is set during Christmas time and New Year’s because these are both times of “rebirth” or “reawakening” and similar metaphors to what Nora goes through during the play. Nora is treated and acts like a doll living in a doll house during most of the play. Towards the end of the play, Nora realizes that being a “doll” is not her reality. The reality of her trials with her marriage wake her up from her imagination to the pitiful state of her marriage. Through the transformation of Nora and the symbolism of the doll house, Henrik Ibsen reveals that being sheltered can make one fragile while recognizing and facing reality can make one strong. During the play, Nora’s
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She realizes she needs to discover who she really is in order to figure out her reality as an individual. As Nora performs the tarantella for Torvald and is putting on a show for her husband, she suddenly realizes that she has also been putting on a show about her marriage. Nora has pretended to be someone she is not in order to fulfill the role of a perfect doll-house wife that Torvald wants. Although Nora lied about the arrangements she made to save Torvald’s life this shows that she is no longer sheltered and has courage, knowing how to take risks. It also shows that Nora is now independent by doing something on her own. The way Torvald reacts to Nora’s actions to save him is the final moment that creates her awakening. She realizes he is very different from what she once thought. Nora realizes that Torvald will not take the blame for her and that he is not willing to give up everything for her. As a result, Nora becomes fully aware that she is Torvald’s “doll”. As Nora is talking to Torvald at the end, she says “Yes, Torvald, I’ve changed my dress (pg 108).” This irony is very important to emphasize how Nora changed out of her “costume”, which represents the old perception into normal, street clothes, the new reality. When Nora decides to leave her family at the end of the play, this shows a sign of independence on her new reality. Nora showing she is ready to go
She realizes she needs to discover who she really is in order to figure out her reality as an individual. As Nora performs the tarantella for Torvald and is putting on a show for her husband, she suddenly realizes that she has also been putting on a show about her marriage. Nora has pretended to be someone she is not in order to fulfill the role of a perfect doll-house wife that Torvald wants. Although Nora lied about the arrangements she made to save Torvald’s life this shows that she is no longer sheltered and has courage, knowing how to take risks. It also shows that Nora is now independent by doing something on her own. The way Torvald reacts to Nora’s actions to save him is the final moment that creates her awakening. She realizes he is very different from what she once thought. Nora realizes that Torvald will not take the blame for her and that he is not willing to give up everything for her. As a result, Nora becomes fully aware that she is Torvald’s “doll”. As Nora is talking to Torvald at the end, she says “Yes, Torvald, I’ve changed my dress (pg 108).” This irony is very important to emphasize how Nora changed out of her “costume”, which represents the old perception into normal, street clothes, the new reality. When Nora decides to leave her family at the end of the play, this shows a sign of independence on her new reality. Nora showing she is ready to go