McMillian 1 Joshua McMillian Ms.

Wright ENG 113-970 11 November 2013 A Dolls House: The Epitome of Irony Nora, crushed by the inconceivable power of insulting words, leaves her husband and three children seemingly never to return again. Toward the end of the play, Nora states that she does not want to even hear from Torvald, and she does not want him to send her anything. She even likens Torvald to a stranger when she states I can receive nothing from a stranger (Ibsen 1331). It is very likely that Nora will be successful in the future because she is a very persistent woman. Nora was treated like a child by her father and even more so by her husband, which is most likely why she exhibited childlike behavior. The focus of the play is on the marital relationship between husbands and wives during the late 1800s when the play was written. Women were definitely treated as an inferior gender during this time era. A Dolls House is a feminist work that describes the unimaginable struggles that women had to overcome in order express their true character. Throughout the play, Nora is treated like a doll by her husband Torvald. At times, he even calls her a skylark and a squirrel (Ibsen 1282). Torvald did not domineer over Nora by abusing her or treating her badly; however, he controls her through psychological means. Torvald does his best to keep Nora in a childish state of mind, and throughout the beginning of the play she often falls right into his trap. Torvald treats Nora as a girl rather than a wife. In the beginning of the play, Nora responds joyfully when Torvald teases her and calls her childish

McMillian 2 names, such as a squirrel and a skylark (Ibsen1282). However, as the play progresses, it becomes evident that Nora is not as child-minded as she is portrayed in the beginning of the play. Feminism plays a key role in A Dolls house, and much of it is exemplified through Noras disposition. Indeed, Nora is a very intelligent woman, but she is also an expert at playing her childlike role in her marriage. Torvald thinks that he is a figure placed in Noras life for the sole purpose of directing and guiding her in the right direction as a father would guide direct his children (Ibsen 1328). For a period of time, Nora consents to Torvald and allows him to play the role that he thinks is right until she realizes that Torvald is not the great person that she thinks he is. Nora also begins to realize that there is a free world that awaits her. Nora committed a crime of forgery in order to save her husbands life. Nora considers herself to be justified for her act of forgery because she did it to save her husbands life, but the issue remains questionable. The act of forgery alone shows Noras mature character because she not only had the audacity to take out the loan, which most woman were forbidden to do, but she went a step further and forged her fathers signature to save her husbands life. Furthermore, Nora shows her persistence by striving to pay off the debt from the loan that she received. Nora lied to her husband the previous year and told him that she was making ornaments for the Christmas tree while she was actually copying documents to pay off her debt. In addition, when Nora receives money from Torvald to use for herself, she instead uses it to pay on her debt (Ibsen 1289). These courageous acts of Nora represent the ability that women have to do anything that they set their minds to do. Although Torvald seems to treat Nora as a child, he actually is very childish himself. Torvald is very self-consumed person who cares only about his reputation along with his familys reputation. In a letter sent by Krogstad, the news of Noras act of forgery is unveiled.

McMillian 3 After Torvald finds out that Nora forged her fathers signature to take out a loan, he tells her that she is a hypocrite and a criminal, and that Nora is ruining all of his happiness and destroying his future (Ibsen 1325).Torvald is so enraged that he does not even care that Nora did it to save his life. However, he is only concerned that he and his familys reputation will be ruined; consequently, he states that Nora will no longer be able to raise her own children (Ibsen 1326). These insulting words of Torvald are the same words that drive her away forever. When Torvald finds out that Krogstad is not going to publish the letter about Noras forgery, he is overjoyed because he realizes that his reputation will no longer be ruined (Ibsen1326). Torvald cares more about reputation than he does the people closest to him. The insulting words of Torvald were the final blow that sent Nora away from him and her three children. Nora is deeply hurt by Torvald because she borrowed money and even committed a crime of forgery just to save his life, and he in return shows no appreciation, but rather he denounces her. At this point in her life, Nora realizes that their marital relationship is over. She finds that there is a better way to live, and she realizes that she no longer has to be under Torvalds psychological control. As Nora is about to tell Torvald about her departure she states We have been married now eight. years. Does it not occur to you that this is the first time we twohave had a serious conversation (Ibsen 1327). These words uttered by Nora show the horrific state of their marriage because they have been husband and wife for eight years, yet they have never had a serious conversation, and they definitely do not know each others true character (Ibsen 1327). At the end of their conversation, Nora leaves to explore the new world of freedom that she deserves. The courage, persistence, and hidden maturity present in Nora represent the values that are present in women in society. After Nora finds her true character, she realizes that she can do

McMillian 4 just about anything she sets her mind to do. A Dolls House exemplifies what society was like for women during the 1800s. Most women were controlled by their husbands during that time era; however, in this play, women can find encouragement to break free from the oppression that most of them have had to endure most of their lives. Nora is a character that shows how women are able to be independent, and how they can also live their lives without their husbands being like fathers to them. The feminist ideas expressed in this play encourage women to find their true character and explore the great world of freedom that every person deserves.

McMillian 5 Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. A Dolls House. An Introduction to Literature Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. 16th Ed. Boston: Pearson, 2011. 67-68. Print.