The Doll Wife
Who wears the pants in your family? In society today it’s accepted if either parent wears the so-called pants. However in the late nineteenth century this was not the case. The woman was expected to stay at home and care for the children while the husbands went out and worked and handled the business aspect of their lives. The woman was to have no say in money matters. Such was the case in Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll House.” Nora Torvald, the wife in the play, “she is viewed as an object, a toy, a child but never an equal” (Galens and Spampinato 109). Ibsen uses many symbolic items to generate, Torvald’s treatment of Nora through the pet names he often called her, Nora’s rebelliousness through the use of the macaroons and the tarantella dance, and the changes that will take place in the Helmer’s marriage through the use of a Christmas tree. The “lark”, “little squirrel”, and “little spendthrift” Torvald calls Nora is symbolic of Torvald’s demeaning attitude towards Nora. “He refers to his wife in the diminutive. She is always little, a play thing, a doll that must occasionally be indulged (Galens and Spampinato 109).” This attitude is shown from the beginning of the play. From the
Krogstad: Tell me, Mrs. Helmer, do you happen to recall the date of your father’s death? The day of month, I mean. Ibensen’s use of a Christmas tree to symbolize the changes that are to come in the Helmer’s marriage is genius. When Christmas arrives it is the end of one year and soon to be beginning of a new year. Such was the case in “A Doll House”. For Nora it was the end of one stage in her life and the beginning of a new as she leaves Torvald to embark on an expedition to find herself. Nora gains certain clarity through the words of Torvald. When he receives the letter from Krogstad explaining everything that has happened he immediately starts ranting and raving and yelling at Nora. Nora: No, Torvald, I assure you, really— Nora’s rebelliousness is exemplified through the symbolic use of macaroons and a dance entitled the Tarantella. Early on in the play it is visible that Torvald has rules for Nora. For instance, Torvald tells her that she is not allowed to eat macaroons however she willingly disobeys him. “Drawing a bag of macaroons from her pocket, she eats a couple…().” After a minute when she is aware that he is about to enter the kitchen where she is, she’s found “putting the macaroon bag in her pocket and wiping her mouth (971).” Nora goes so far as to lie to Torvald about her whereabouts and the fact that she indeed was eating macaroons. Helmer: …In all these eight years—she who was my pride and joy—a hypocrite, a liar—worse, worse—a criminal (1017)!
Some topics in this essay:
Galens Spampinato,
Nora How-,
Shortly Torvald,
Dr Rank,
Tell Transform,
Nora Torvald,
Papa You’re,
Nils Kragstad,
,
Money Helmer,
galens spampinato,
galens spampinato 109,
spampinato 109,
nora’s deception,
doll house”,
nora’s rebelliousness,
“a doll,
nora’s web,
nora torvald,
dr rank,
“a doll house”,
play “a doll,
play “a,
ibsen’s play “a,
doll house” nora,
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Approximate Word count = 1908
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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