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A Doll's House

 

            The use of symbolism is used greatly in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House". The title itself refers to the perception of women in a man's world. In the times when Ibsen wrote "A Doll's House" women were looked upon as merely objects. Nora who is the protagonist in the play is viewed as her husband Torvald's doll. Torvald uses animals as symbols for Nora. The names he chooses to call her relates to how he feels about her at that particular time. For instance: "little sky-lark" symbolizes a carefree songbird. Torvald calls Nora this when he hears her humming happily outside his office door. "Little squirrel" symbolizes a frisky rodent. He calls her this when he suspects she is doing something she should not be doing, and she was. She was scampering about hiding her macaroons which Torvald has forbidden her to eat because they will rot her teeth.
             The play takes place at Christmas time and the Christmas tree is symbolic of Nora and her role in the household. In the beginning the tree is beautiful and so is Nora, and as the tree becomes ragged and stripped of its ornaments so does Nora's marriage to Torvald. In the early years of their marriage, Torvlad became ill and the doctors told him he must go abroad immediately. Nora took it upon herself to borrow money for the trip from a man named Krogstad. In her opinion, it wasn't illegal for a woman to risk it all for the life of her husband. Nora also thinks that her illegal activity will be disregarded in the eyes of the law due to the fact that she was in a situation of total desperation. Nora was dishonest with her husband, because she told him that her father had given her the money for the trip. She was also dishonest with Krogstad, because she forged her fathers name on the loan papers. Her love for her husband pushed her to do this illegal act.
             Nora Helmer's dance of the Tarantella is one example of a very suggestive symbol.


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