How Does Nora Change In A Doll's House

When reading A Doll’s House, one would think it’s just a normal play centered around an average family during Christmas time. They may appear perfect like a doll house, but behind the curtain they have their share of problems. This play mostly follows Nora, who is seen as a typical housewife and mother. Throughout the story, her character evolves the most in this play and one would believe she changes her life for the better; even going so far as to show feminist qualities of self-sufficiency and liberation. Not all Holidays can be joyful and perfect and her decision of leaving her family behind paved the way for many women to question their own treatment in society. It’s a decision that seemed so small but made a huge impact.

When first
Apparently, she forged her deceased father’s name on a bond of money. Now she is being blackmailed and is trying to hide this from her husband. The title of the play suggests that on the surface everything in this house is perfect, but once those skeletons in the closet are uncovered this house is not as perfect as one would have thought. Torvald has no idea what secrets Nora is hiding and Nora is quite paranoid that he will find out. She even tells Mrs. Linde that she should wait until she’s older and less attractive to tell Torvald; she won’t have anything to lose then and knows that Torvald leave her. “Time will come when Torvald is not as devoted to me, not quite so happy when I dance for him, and dress for him, and play with him.” (Ibsen, Henrick). This shows that Nora is not as naïve as one thinks and knows that she is not happy with the marriage standards set upon her. She even goes so far as to think about killing herself just so she doesn’t have to tell Torvald. But as morbid as it sounds, the worse her secrets get the more independent she becomes. She actually starts to put herself before others and makes her own
“Torvald Helmer is mildly surprised. He and his wife have come home from a late-night party and she has changed into street clothes rather than a nightdress. What’s up? In short order, as he hears what Nora has to say on this unexpectedly momentous night, Torvald’s bemusement turns to astonishment and disbelief. Their exchange—and the door slam that concludes it like a warning shot fired in advance of a revolution.” (ZINMAN, TOBY.). That’s when Nora truly finds out what her husband really thinks of her. She now knows Torvald will never appreciate her, even though she forged the money for his well-being and happiness. Nora had good intentions but because of the time and since she was a woman she could not go off on a whim and do something like that. But Torvald doesn’t care, he only cares about his name and money, not caring about Nora’s intentions or emotions, “From now on, forget happiness. Now it’s just about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance.” (Ibsen, Henrick). Torvald then tries to take back what he said and apologize, but it is too late. Nora sees beyond the doll house and sees the man she married for what he truly is; ungrateful, possessive and shallow. Truly one would think “did they ever love each other or did they just pretended that everything was okay when it clearly was not?” She is not convinced by his words and decides to leave her family behind. With everything off her chest and the secret she