In A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, the .
Helmer's marriage is failing from the beginning. Nora's dishonesty as well as Torvald's .
lack of respect for his wife, leads to the realization that they are not equal in their union. .
Nora realizes that she knows only what others have told her; and she has learned and .
believes only what she was told to believe. A marriage built on anything other than .
honesty, equality, and respect can only fail in the end. Nora and Torvald's marriage lacks .
these qualities, which in turn causes its downfall.
Nora plays a large role I the corruption of her own marriage. She cannot seem to .
be honest to Torvald about even insignificant things. Torvald did not like her eating .
macaroons (cookies) because they would mess up her teeth. When Torvald asked Nora if .
she indulged on any while in town, she said, "No, Torvald, honestly, you must believe .
me-(777)! Torvald knows that she is guilty of something but he says "All right then" .
and leaves it at that (777). He really does not trust her and he knows she is up to .
something, but he just lets it go. Torvald is tight when it comes to money. He refuses to .
barrow money or owe money to anyone. He explains, you know what I think about .
these things. No debts! Never borrow"(776)! Nora, on the other hand, goes behind his .
back to borrow money even though she knows how Torvald feels about borrowing. Nora .
borrowed the money in secrecy from Torvald and never wanted to tell him. Nora has no .
sense of loyalty to her marriage. She thinks that because she could justify the reasoning .
behind borrowing the money, she did not have to tell him about it. When Mrs. Linde ask .
Nora if she ever told Torvald about the money, Nora replied, "Good heavens, how could .
you ever imagine such a thing"(783)! Nora can not even imagine what would happen if .
she told Torvald. Nora believes that the truth would hurt her more than the dishonesty .
