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A Doll's House

 

            
             A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, was written in 1879. Henrik Ibsen brings up the affects of contemporary society on women. Granted this play was written in the late 1800's, many women today are still trapped, to a lesser extent, living the stereotype represented by Nora Helmer. .
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             The plot of the play revolves around Nora. Nora is married to Torvald with whom she has bore three children. Torvald treats Nora as his "prize" or "property" and seems to only enjoy the superficial facets of marriage. This accusation is based on part that the audience is only exposed to Torvald's obsession of Nora's physical beauty and his incisiveness of addressing her with condescending pet names. Nora, as the wife, tries everything possible to please him, and do what he wants.
             Early in the play, the audience is introduced to the vehicle to Nora's impending doom, and another personality. The schemer/deceiver. This vehicle is Niles Krogstad, a lawyer who works for Torvald. Nora has taken out a loan from Krogstad, unbeknownst to Torvald. She has been paying Krogstad back for awhile, but she is running out of time and money. Krogstad informs Nora that he is aware that she forged her father's signature on the loan. Nora has broken the law. She is going to do whatever it takes to keep it a secret from her husband. During this time, Nora's best friend, Mrs. Linde arrives. She is a widower and has come to Nora for support and to ask Torvald for a job. This reveals Nora's third character, the friend. Nora agrees to help Mrs. Linde in attaining the bank job. .
             This brings us to the culmination of Nora's problems. The job that Torvald is awarding Mrs. Linde with is Krogstad's job. Krogstad figures this out and blackmails Nora, giving her an ultimatum; convince Torvald to let him keep his job, or Krogstad reveals to Torvald the information of Nora's loan. .
             Nora can't handle the stress and allows Krogstad to reveal to Torvald, via a letter, of her loan and crime.


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