Foil Characters in "A Doll's House"
Foil Characters in A Doll’s House
Henrik Ibsen creates characters in A Doll’s House who change throughout the play. Ibsen’s use of foil characters helps the reader understand each individual character better. Some of the characters in the play are perceived as opposites but in fact share several similarities. Krogstad and Torvald, Christine and Nora, and Krogstad/Christine’s relationship and Torvald/Nora’s relationship are all foils to each other. Foil characters are mirror images of each other; they have similarities as well as differences. Nils Krogstad and Torvald Helmer are foils to each other. They both have children and are lawyers, even though Krogstad lost his license because he did a forgery. Krogstad did something immoral but so did Torvald; Torvald helped Nora’s father when he had done a bad thing. Torvald and Krogstad were childhood friends and now they work together at the bank. Even though they have the same professions as each other, Torvald’s position at the bank is much higher than Krogstad’s. Everyone hates Krogstad because he did an illegal act; on the other hand, everyone loves Torvald. The idea that Krogstad is the villain of the play is reinforced by the reactions that Nora displays whenever Krogstad is around. The reader eventually understands that Krogstad is a victim to circumstances; he committed forgery to help his children, not to help himself. Krogstad is hated by others for the crime he committed to help his children, yet Torvald is loved even though he committed a dishonest act to serve himself. Torvald helped Nora’s father in order to win favor with Nora and attain her as his wife. Krogstad no longer has a wife because she, Christine, left him for money. Christine Linde and Nora Helmer are greatly dissimilar but also share some comparisons. Very much like Krogstad and Torvald, Nora and Christine were childhood friends. Before their meeting in Act 1, these two women had not seen each other in nearly ten years. Christine and
Henrik Ibsen creates characters in A Doll’s House who change throughout the play. Ibsen’s use of foil characters helps the reader understand each individual character better. Some of the characters in the play are perceived as opposites but in fact share several similarities. Krogstad and Torvald, Christine and Nora, and Krogstad/Christine’s relationship and Torvald/Nora’s relationship are all foils to each other. Foil characters are mirror images of each other; they have similarities as well as differences. Nils Krogstad and Torvald Helmer are foils to each other. They both have children and are lawyers, even though Krogstad lost his license because he did a forgery. Krogstad did something immoral but so did Torvald; Torvald helped Nora’s father when he had done a bad thing. Torvald and Krogstad were childhood friends and now they work together at the bank. Even though they have the same professions as each other, Torvald’s position at the bank is much higher than Krogstad’s. Everyone hates Krogstad because he did an illegal act; on the other hand, everyone loves Torvald. The idea that Krogstad is the villain of the play is reinforced by the reactions that Nora displays whenever Krogstad is around. The reader eventually understands that Krogstad is a victim to circumstances; he committed forgery to help his children, not to help himself. Krogstad is hated by others for the crime he committed to help his children, yet Torvald is loved even though he committed a dishonest act to serve himself. Torvald helped Nora’s father in order to win favor with Nora and attain her as his wife. Krogstad no longer has a wife because she, Christine, left him for money. Christine Linde and Nora Helmer are greatly dissimilar but also share some comparisons. Very much like Krogstad and Torvald, Nora and Christine were childhood friends. Before their meeting in Act 1, these two women had not seen each other in nearly ten years. Christine and