The giant who was once a demi-god suddenly becomes a devil's minion. This revelation rests within the woman's power; Virginia had no problem openly revealing George's impotence, failure in his career, and turn of temperament while Nora - admittedly a bit more gracious, though none the less cunning - did nothing to Torvald's immediate public image. The harm to Torvald would come later, when explaining why his wife and 'doll' were absent from his and the children's lives.
Summary
For many centuries, women have been considered chattel - possessions by which a man defines his strength, virility, and power. Women -- seeking safety, security, and a family to which they can address their need to nurture -- have accepted the role of property. The quote referenced for this work, while true for many decades, is inherently and progressively changing. It is safe to say that...
When a woman balances the cost with the potentiality of change and loss, she will often - upon seeing the truth clearly - step out with courage and determination, allowing nothing and no one to keep her from moving on.
Nora magnified Tovald until she saw him for the selfish, callous person he had always been and Martha magnified George only within the safety of their own relationship, minimizing him to the world.
Both women ultimately saw the truth and molded it to suit their own level of acceptance and comfort.
Certainly, this is human nature and - at the core - ultimately self-serving for all involved.
