A dollhouse: architectural design and cultural significance

¶ … Doll's House

The story of Torvald and Nora is realistic in terms of their dishonesty toward one another, and their mis-cast roles in life. What might not be realistic is the fact that it has taken them so long to really know one another, even through the hardships they experienced together in the past. It is unrealistic to think Torvald would have no clue where the money came to send him to Italy. The doctor's love for Nora, and the surprise relationship between Krogstad and Mrs. Linde is unrealistic. Nora's thoughts of suicide over her behavior are somewhat unrealistic.

Rank represents lost hope and death of the relationship. As a healer, he is doomed, as is the Helmers' life together. Macaroons are delicate and easily crumble, like this relationship, and Nora lies to Torvald about eating them. The Christmas tree could represent the false beauty and formality that Nora has been portraying in her role as Torvald's wife. The locked mailbox represents withheld communication. The dance is Nora's swan song as a pampered wife. Her black shawl is mourning of what once was; the change of clothing into an Italian costume represents her surrender to and welcome of freedom that is coming to her life. The door slam is the finale; it is an exclamation point for Nora's freedom from her false life, from the man she no longer respects and the duties she never chose.

3. Ibsen's use of the "doll's house" implies that he is sympathetic toward Nora, because although she is materially pampered, she has been forced to be something she is not, and even when she took responsibility for Torvald, she had to hide the truth. The villain is only the cultural expectations that twist up the relationships in a family during that era.

4. Torvald plays the generous, indulgent husband, and Nora plays the childish ornament of Torvald's household. Nora's absent-minded bragging to unfortunate Mrs. Linde makes it evident she does not realize at first that she is playing a role. Torvald calls Nora his skylark and his squirrel, and teases her about spending so much money. Nora is one of his possessions and is more of a decoration for appearances.

5. Torvald's biggest concern in life is how he looks to others, money, and the proper appearance his family presents to the outside world.

6. Nora asks her children to lie about seeing Krogstad; they will be dishonest like her. Dr. Rank inherited his father's syphilis. Nora's father had low morals and no religion, and Nora is dishonest.

7. Marriage can force people to grow individually, or it can stunt them. In the Helmers' case, it has stunted them for many years, but it also finally comes to a head and forces Nora to grow. The play implies that social conventions can mask the truth by forcing people to take on false appearances, and pretend to believe they are true.

The most upstanding characters in the play are Krogstad and Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde is not respectable because she has worked hard all her life and does not have the easy life of a pampered wife. Mr. Krogstad's reputation and his decision to bust Nora make him seem sleazy, but he is actually trying to hold down a job and raise children on his own without any support. He turns out to be, at heart, a good man. Ibsen wants us to know that appearances can be deceiving.

8. This play is supposed to be a tragedy, and is meant to enlighten us about how we lie to each other and to ourselves in order to save face and keep up appearances.

Nora's character changes for the better. Although she has been forced to tell many lies to keep her marriage together and to keep her husband well, she is finally awake to the truth about who Torvald really is. She no longer wants to commit suicide as a dramatic way to make up for her dishonesty. She finally realizes she can live without Torvald and his false lifestyle. She has been doing an exhausting tap dance to Torvald's tune, and is no longer willing to do it. She is actually a good person whose love of material things has kept her playing this role that she does not really believe in.

Torvald does not really change much. Once he thinks his that Krogstad is going to save his reputation, he tries to go back to being a generous tyrant who owns a cute little wife. He is controlling, arrogant and a dark personality. He will never recognize that he is part of the problem.