Henrik Ibsen's a Doll House

A Doll 's House Henrik Ibsen 's A Doll House centers around the life of Nora and Torvald, a young married couple from Norway with three small children. In the play, Ibsen takes the readers into the home of Nora and Torvald, allowing them to view the couple 's relationship over a three-day period. Nora 's introduction occurs in the first scene with a childlike enthusiasm for life and love of her husband and family. Later, when Torvald makes his entrance he appears as the doting yet somewhat condescending husband, who vividly displays a misogynistic attitude towards Nora, therefore, suppressing her ability to function in society. On the exterior, Nora and Torvald 's relationship appears perfect; however, the unveiling of Nora 's many deceptions and Torvald 's overbearing control eventually lead to the destruction of their marriage, the onset of her independence, and the beginning of her transformation from a girl to a woman. Nora 's transformation from "girl to woman" begins through her defiance to Torvald 's control. To illustrate, Torvald forbids Nora to eat her favorite treat, the macaroon, bringing his domineering nature to light; however, she does not abide by his rule. Exemplifying his authority and her deception, Torvald asks, "Not even munched a macaroon or two?" and Nora responds, "No, Torvald, I assure you, really—"(Ibsen 1329). Though Torvald prohibits Nora 's consumption of the macaroon, she defiantly indulges herself supporting her silent declaration of freedom. Torvald 's control extends through his need to believe Nora cannot take care of herself as critic Carol Tufts explains, " . . . but most of all [Nora 's] ‘innocence ' and ‘helplessness '—which fed [Torvald 's] grandiose sense of self-importance, [provide] him with the constant attention and admiration his narcissism [requires]" (154). Torvald 's self-absorption allows the readers to envision his obsession with appearances and need for dominance. In addition, his pet names for Nora exemplify his nature of supremacy as seen in Nora 's statement, "Hm, if you only knew what expenses we larks and squirrels have, Torvald" (1328). Although Nora allows Torvald to keep his perceptions of her inability to understand the world and function in society, she nevertheless manages to keep her debts, indiscretions, and jobs hidden from him for eight years.
Nora 's independence, which she conceals from her husband, also provides fuel to her development into a woman. During the era A Doll House takes place, the law did not allow a woman to borrow money without the signature of either her husband or her father. However, Nora 's knowledge of Torvald 's objections to borrowing money as he clearly professes, "No debts! Never borrow! Something of freedom 's lost—"(1327) does not dissuade her from ignoring his disapproval. Instead, illustrating her resourcefulness, Nora obtains the finances needed for Torvald to survive rather than allow him to die due to his illness. Nora 's blatant defiance to Torvald 's expectations and her exclamation, "I have such a huge desire to say—to hell and be damned!" (1337) show her overwhelming hunger for autonomy and eventually aid in her becoming an adult. Knowing Torvald 's opposition to debt, Nora has no choice but to repay the debt without his knowledgeable assistance and without his discovery of the note. In addition to taking odd jobs, out of necessity to hide her actions from her husband, Nora scrimps and saves every possible crown she can obtain in order to apply the money towards her loan. While her lies and deceit exhibit a level of immaturity, Nora 's positive regard to accepting her responsibilities make visible her growth into womanhood.
Nora portrays herself as a dependent, innocent, and playful child, all the while appropriately shielding her husband from becoming aware of her capabilities as a woman. Elaine Baruch 's following critique of Ibsen 's work supports the idea that Nora 's actions show her as much more capable of existing as an adult than her statements and outward appearances lead the readers to believe:
For much of the time [Nora] acts the part of a charming child, wheedling, cajoling, lying about not eating macaroons and playing with her own children as if they were her dolls. . . But at the same time that she is acting, she is working—sewing, crocheting, embroidering, copying, all to pay back the debt she contracted to save her husband 's life. (376)
Unfortunately, Nora 's mistake in obtaining her father 's signature occurs when the date of his "John Hancock" takes place three days after his death, thus allowing her debtor, Krogstad, to come to the conclusion that she forged the signature. As parents tell their children one lie leads to another, Nora finds herself in a position where the unveiling of her lies will cause the destruction of her life as she knows it. Although she fears the outcome, she weighs her options and less than gracefully faces the challenge ahead, again exhibiting the characteristics of an intelligent responsible woman. Nora 's final step in becoming a woman transpires in the final act when Krogstad 's letter detailing Nora 's forgery and his decision to blackmail arrives for Torvald 's viewing. Nora, waiting in anticipation, expects Torvald to stand up to Krogstad 's demands and become her "knight in shining armor" coming to her rescue. However, Torvald 's violent, abusive reactions and immediate criticisms of Nora 's irresponsibility combined with his continued self-centeredness ignite her realization that she must leave her home. Her picturesque marriage of happiness becomes shattered in a matter of minutes with only the explanation of fallacy as the cause of their demise. Upon this insight, Nora discovers she can no longer rely on somebody else 's or love 's strength to protect or save her. Still dressed in her costume from the party earlier, Nora changes her clothes, also changing into "the real" Nora without the smiles and joy she exhibited for such a sustained period of her life. As she closes the door on her life, Torvald questions, "Tell me the greatest miracle!" and Nora explains, "You and I both would have to transform ourselves to the point that . . . That our living together could be a true marriage" (1373).
Ibsen 's famous words, " 'I thank you for the toast, but must disclaim the honor of having consciously worked for the women 's rights movement. I am not even quite clear as to just what this women 's rights movement really is. To me it has seemed a problem of mankind in general '" (qtd. in Wilkie 1325), explain the reaction of many due to Nora 's liberation. Many women today find themselves in similar situations as Nora does, in a marriage established on lies, appearances, and supremacy. Fortunately, the act of separation or divorce does not possess the same stigma for women today as for Nora 's generation. From introduction to moments before she walks out the door, Nora displays a faith known only in children. Her naïve thoughts of the world and its operation facilitate her unsophisticated personality. However, her undeniable desire for independence as she states when speaking of copying, "But still it was wonderful fun, sitting and working like that, earning money. It was almost like being a man" (Ibsen 1335) leads to her eventual departure from oppression. An old cliché serves as a reminder that when one door closes another one opens; Nora walks out slamming the door to her marriage and children while simultaneously opening the door to her liberation and adulthood. Works Cited
Baruch, Elaine Hoffman. "Ibsen 's Doll House: A Myth for Our Time." Yale Review: A National Quarterly 69 (1980): 374-87.
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. Trans. Rolfe Fjelde. Literature of the Western World Eds. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. 5thed. Vol. 2. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1322-73. 2 vols.
Tufts, Carol Strongin. "Recasting A Doll House: Narcissism as Character Motivation in Ibsen 's Play." Comparative Drama. 20.2 (1986): 140-59.
Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. Literature of the Western World. 5th ed. Vol. 2 Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2001.

Cited: Baruch, Elaine Hoffman. "Ibsen 's Doll House: A Myth for Our Time." Yale Review: A National Quarterly 69 (1980): 374-87. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. Trans. Rolfe Fjelde. Literature of the Western World Eds. Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. 5thed. Vol. 2. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001. 1322-73. 2 vols. Tufts, Carol Strongin. "Recasting A Doll House: Narcissism as Character Motivation in Ibsen 's Play." Comparative Drama. 20.2 (1986): 140-59. Wilkie, Brian and James Hurt. Literature of the Western World. 5th ed. Vol. 2 Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2001.