Ibsen's Doll House Doll's House

Ibsen's Doll House Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Many of the things that the characters do in A Doll's House seem to make sense in the situations they are in. For example, Nora's actions to hide her lies from her husband and to confide in her female friend all seem very regular. Even Torvald and Nora's marriage does not seem that unrealistic until the end. However, the situations they are in are not very realistic.

For example, a lot of the story centers on Nora's lie and her forgery to take out the loan. It may just be that the story takes place in a very different time than today, but this whole line of thought seems very made up. The fact that a trip to Italy would be considered so important to saving Torvald's life is doubtful. Also, it seems odd that Krogstad would help Nora.

Although he is using it to blackmail her now, it is not easy to understand why he would have helped her in the first place. He does not seem like a friendly man and, at the time that this play takes place, women did not have a lot of means to pay back loans. Yet another unrealistic part of the play is when Nora dances the Tarantella. This part seems to be added by Ibsen for dramatic effect and to show that she is out of control with worry.

In the end of the story, we also see Torvald make very unrealistic moves. Torvald is at first angry when he thinks his reputation will be ruined, but then wants to act like nothing has happened when it all blows over. It is very unrealistic to think that he can take back his actions and words and to return to the playful manner he and Nora had before. 2. Ibsen has many symbols throughout the play. The Christmas Tree seems to symbolize Nora, since it is all for looks and appearance.

It also starts to look bad near the end of the play when Nora starts to fall apart. The many presents might symbolize the things that the family does not see and are like Nora's secret. Dr. Rank helps as a character in the conflict, and represents what happens when parents make bad choices. The fact that he is dying because his father was a bad person might represent what Nora's choices might bring to her children and family. The locked mailbox is symbol for Nora's true self.

Once Torvald opens it and reads the letter he will know who she really is. Nora's change of clothing is like her change from her old self to her new self. Finally, when Nora slams the door at the end of the play she is closing the door on her old life and her old self, leaving all of it behind. 3. Nora does bring about some of her own problems by lying to Torvald, even though she feels like it will save his life.

The fact that she has been lying to her husband for so long cannot lead to anything good, since their whole marriage is based on a lie. Despite this, she is not really a victim and does not deserve the harsh treatment Torvald gives her when he finds out the truth. I think that Ibsen wanted to show Nora as a victim who only found out the true nature of her husband because she had to make a tough choice.

Personally, I think that Nora was a victim of both society and her own poor choices; she tried to fill the accepted role of wife and mother but did not uphold that role by lying and trying to protect her husband. 4. The Helmers each have a role that they play out over and over again because it seems to make them comfortable. Nora acts like she is a child and lets Torvald feel that he makes all of the decisions and is in complete control.

It seems like Torvald believes that their roles are correct. That might be why he gets so angry when he finds out that Nora is not the person she has acted like for so long. Instead of needing his help and protection, Torvald finds out that it was only Nora's role playing and really she was capable of working and doing deceptive things. Torvald's response to the letter shows that he has very little self-awareness and really thought that the "role-plays" were reality. 5.

Torvald believes that marriage and family are important, and that the man or husband is in control. Torvald thinks that men should make all of the choices and that they must protect and watch out for their families, particularly their wives. Torvald had already made up his mind to fire Krogstad since he saw Krogstad as a bad person. When Nora tried to change his mind he probably thought she was weak or stupid or a little of both.

He seemed to resent her trying to get involved with his work and his decisions, as women were not meant to have any say beyond the home. When he later wants to keep up appearances, it shows that he thinks of his wife as a trophy or something that makes him acceptable in society, rather than his equal or even his friend. This shows him as a man who values marriage as something for look, not for love. 6. Nora plays with her children and acts like a child herself.

Her childlike behavior in the long run hurts her children since they are left motherless after it is found that she is not really that childlike person. Nora also makes the choice to take care of her husband over her father, showing that she is not a good daughter or a good mother. AS previously mentioned, Dr. Rank is suffering and dying from the sins of his father. Because his father was not faithful, Dr. Rank will die even though he has not done anything wrong.

Like in Nora's case, Dr. Rank is a child who will suffer because their parent made bad choices. 7. Nora shows the most about individual growth, marriage, and social convention in this play. Her transition from childlike wife to independent woman shows Ibsen's ideas about what choices women have. Ibsen also seems to be critical of marriage through the marriages shown in the play. Because of all of the lying and the lack of love on Torvald's part, Ibsen shows that.