Becoming Independent Throughout A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen illustrates through an intriguing story how a once infantile-like woman gains independence and a life of her own. Ibsen creates a naturalistic drama that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seam to have it all, but in reality their life together is empty. Instead of meaningful discussions, Torvald uses degrading pet names and meaningless talk to relate to Nora. Continuing to treat Nora like a pampered yet unimportant pet, Torvald thoroughly demonstrates how men of his era treat women as insignificant items to be possessed and shown off. While the Helmer household may have the appearance of being sociably acceptable, the marriage of Torvald and Nora was falling apart because of the lack of identity, love, and communication.

Nora Helmer was a delicate character and she relied on Torvald for her identity. This dependence that she had kept her from having her own personality. Yet when it is discovered that Nora only plays the part of the good typical housewife who stays at home to please her husband, it is then understandable that she is living not for herself but to please others. From ear

Their relationship consisted of nothing truly real. Everything was fun and games and for show. Torvald scolded Nora like he would a child, “Hasn’t Mrs. Sweet Tooth been breaking rules today in town…” (4). Then, Nora would respond as a young child would facing punishment, “I should not think of going against your wishes” (4). This type of communications cannot be healthy in any relationship, and greatly hindered the relationship between the two. Finally, when Nora realized that they needed to seriously converse the timing was too late, “We have been married eight years now. Does this not occur to you that this is the first time that we two, you and I, husband and wife, have had a serious conversation?” (66) The Helmer’s didn’t communicate feeling through their relationship nor did they communicate love. Torvald did give Nora gifts of money but he did not give her the respect and devotion she, as well as any wife, needs. Torvald did love the idea of having a wife, but he did not sincerely love Nora. Yet Nora did believe that he loved her, and showed through her feelings of expectance of Torvald to sacrifice himself, when she would be accused of her crime. Yet, when she discovered that Torvald really didn’t love her she stated, “You have never love me. You have only thought it to be pleasant to be in love with me”

Some topics in this essay:
Nora Torvald, Torvald Nora, Nora Helmer, Nora Nora, Finally Nora, Nora Continuing, Sweet Tooth, Henrik Ibsen, Nora Torvald’s, torvald nora, nora torvald, torvald identity, little squirrel, love communication, meaningless talk, father torvald,