Themes in A Doll's House

To Doctor Rank and Torvald, this line reads as hyperbole. However, for Nora and readers, it takes on a more literal meaning. Nora is dancing in order to prevent Krogstad’s letter from disrupting her idealized life. This line takes on a literal meaning when read in the context of Nora’s earlier conversation with Krogstad, wherein she threatened suicide. The gulf between the perceptions of Doctor Rank and Torvald and the hidden truth of Nora’s words produces dramatic irony; readers know that Nora plans to commit suicide rather than let Torvald take the fall, but Doctor Rank and Torvald remain ignorant.

Doctor Rank laments his inherited condition, stating that it is unfair that he must suffer ill health because of his father’s choices. Nora reacts to this line about inheritance for different reasons, recalling Torvald’s comments about how dishonest parents pollute their children.

Nora’s image of her husband as a selfless protector is shaken when he tells her about his petty reasons for firing Krogstad. She accuses him of being “narrow-minded” for firing someone over a personal issue. This is the first time that Nora has spoken negatively about Torvald, highlighting how shocked she is by his admission. Nora generally plays the “little squirrel” in order to uphold the idealized fantasy of their marriage, so seeing a selfish side of her husband forces Nora to recognize that neither of them is who they pretend to be.

Mrs. Linde is suspicious of Nora’s relationship with Doctor Rank and believes that he is the “rich admirer” who lent Nora the money. While readers know this is false, Mrs. Linde still raises valid concerns about the relationship between Nora and the doctor. For Nora, as a married woman, to be so open and casual with a wealthy, single man would have been considered highly inappropriate, even if the man is a family friend.

The “Tarantella” is a lively and incredibly fast-paced Italian dance. Torvald is deeply attracted to Nora when she dances the Tarantella as it requires that Nora allow herself to be more free and spirited than in the home. Torvald keeps her under strict confines in the home, but he is captivated by her uninhibited side, a contradictory quality that might speak to the role of women in marriage at the time. Women were “supposed” to be refined child rearers, but also alluring when their husbands wanted them to be.

Torvald wants Nora to wear this Italian “fancy-dress” for the ball. It is essentially a costume, one that allows Nora to “keep up the character,” as Mrs. Linde states. The “character” is the “wilder” person that Nora becomes when she dances. The “costume” represents yet another role that Nora is forced into by Torvald. By agreeing to wear this dress, Nora places her husband’s desires above her own.

This line reveals that Nora was raised by the same nurse who now helps raise Nora’s own children. though we are not given any information detailing why Nora’s birth mother was not around. Consider that Nora expresses concern that the nurse is no longer in contact with her own daughter, whom we can infer the nurse gave up for adoption in order to raise Nora. Note that the complete absence of fathers in this conversation might be a commentary on the caretaking role that society forces women into.

This exchange highlights the difference between masculine pride and feminine pride. Torvald balks at the idea of sacrificing his public reputation while Nora asserts that women do so all the time. For Torvald, his career prospects and standing in society are determined by public perception. For his “honor” to be undermined would reduce him to Krogstad’s status: ineligible for promotion and socially ridiculed. However, women were subject to the reputations of their husbands. Feminine pride was meant to be found in domestic service and sacrifice: keeping a fine house and having children. Women were meant to suppress their personal interests and instead devote themselves to serving their husbands and children.

Nora’s conversation with Krogstad in act I marks the start of her transition into an independent thinker. Both Krogstad and Torvald are content with the laws, but Nora tells both of them that she believes they are unfair. Notice that Nora phrases this line less as a declaration of certainty than an admission that she has tried, and ultimately failed, to convince herself that the law is correct. Not only did Krogstad’s blackmail reveal Torvald’s true nature, but it also revealed the unfair nature of the laws.

In chapter 23 of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel Jane Eyre, Rochester compares Jane to a “wild, frantic bird” hurting itself in its attempt to escape benevolent confines. Jane responds by saying: “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will; which I now exert to leave you.” Similarly, Nora asserts that rather than being defined by her status as a wife and mother, she is a “reasonable human being” above all else. Both situations give rise to radical declarations of female agency. In Nora’s case, she admits that there are gaps in her knowledge, but she is no longer content to sacrifice her happiness in order to uphold her societally imposed duties as a wife and mother.

Rather than acknowledge that the problems in the Helmers’ marriage stem from inequity and mutual idealization, Torvald suggests he can fix things by “educating” Nora. This reaction indicates that Torvald continues to view himself as Nora’s intellectual and moral superior and that he believes she is the only one who needs to change. In response, Nora rejects this notion, positing that Torvald will not be the one to educate her. Nora strove to be everything Torvald wanted, acting like his “little squirrel” and playing ignorant. Now, she admits that she has a lot to learn and that she wants to educate herself about the world. Torvald, despite his claims, is too ignorant about what a “proper” marriage looks like to teach Nora anything.

Nora’s concept of love undergoes a transformation when she realizes that neither she nor Torvald truly know the other. Torvald never bothered to understand Nora, as showcased by his unwillingness to listen to her talk about her friends and family. His love for her was performative, based on expected gender roles rather than trust or respect. Similarly, Nora allowed herself to be Torvald’s “little squirrel” because she believed that he was the strong, selfless protector he pretended to be. By realizing that they have been performing fantasies, Nora also realizes that they have only been performing love.

Torvald and Nora have both idealized their relationship and have used each other to act out their fantasies. In many ways, they do not know one another, and they have never had a serious discussion about what they wanted out of their relationship. Rather than talking about anything seriously, Nora lies about things, like the macaroons from act I. The fact that the Helmers have never talked about anything like equal adults accounts for much of the deceit that permeates their relationship.

Torvald attempts to put Nora back into her usual role in their marriage and thus treats her like someone who is “helpless.” He views her actions as a moral failing and plans to instruct her and become her “will and conscience.” Rather than respecting her actions, or even talking to her like a rational adult who has made a mistake, Torvald instead positions himself as both a father and husband to Nora, once again linking filial devotion and marital love.

Just as Torvald took of his “domino” earlier, Nora now takes off her fancy dress—the costume Torvald bought for her to dance the Tarantella in. Now both of their fantasies are broken. Torvald has revealed his true nature to Nora; now Nora will reveal her true self to Torvald.

Torvald never asks Nora why she did what she did. He does not ask her any clarifying questions. Instead he jumps straight into accusations and damage control. Even after the revelation, Torvald does not address Nora as an equal or an adult, but rather as a disobedient child whom he must punish. Instead of taking her toys away, he takes away her access to the children.

Nora uses her children as an excuse for why the lock has been tampered with, recalling the metaphor of the “dolly-children” who only exist to serve their parents’ purposes. Torvald in turn tells Nora to correct their behavior rather than attempting to do so himself, thus placing the care of the “dolly-children” on his “dolly-wife.”

Torvald gives unsolicited advice to Mrs. Linde, saying that she should embroider rather than knit since embroidery is “more becoming.” Not only is this line indicative of Torvald’s preoccupation with appearances, but it also reveals his view of women. Knitting is meant to create new items that are functional and useful, such as blankets, socks, or scarves. Embroidery is purely decorative, meant to add colorful designs or monograms to existing items. Rather than valuing Mrs. Linde’s ability to create something useful, Torvald insists that she should focus on making things look nicer. Combined with his disparaging remarks about Nora’s homemade ornaments and gifts, this exchange suggests that Torvald views women themselves as decorative rather than functional or capable.

A “black domino,” in the context of clothing, refers to either a set of hooded robes most often worn at masquerades or a simple black mask that covers the eyes. Both items are associated with the concealment of identity. Torvald, who is concerned with appearances, must wear a costume in order to maintain his image. Notice that he eventually takes the domino off and throws it onto a chair. Symbolically speaking, removing costumes and masks is associated with honesty and authenticity, foreshadowing the exposure of Torvald’s true self.

Nora compares her relationship with Torvald to her relationship with her late father. Nora states that her father saw her as his “doll-child” and Nora tells Torvald that she has been his “doll-wife.” The connection between Nora’s father and Torvald is integral here because it suggests that this is an issue that extends beyond both of these men to society as a whole. Ibsen uses Torvald and Nora’s father to illustrate the pervasiveness of the objectification of women—and Nora points out what a great “sin” this is.

The last line of the play alludes to Nora’s reply to Torvald’s question asking if he could ever be “anything more than a stranger” to Nora. She replies that “the most wonderful thing of all would have to happen.” Nora suggests that Torvald does not really know her at all; he only knows her as the doll that he has made her out to be. “The most wonderful thing” then, would be for Torvald to be able to see Nora as she really is—as a human being that is smart and capable. Nora suggests that this is nearly impossible, that Torvald cannot change. Ibsen leaves that up to the audience, as this last line implies that Torvald might be willing to change. We are left wondering though, if Torvald would be able to.

Here, Ibsen calls attention to Torvald’s desire to save the “damsel in distress,” so to speak. Torvald wants to be a hero, and we can see this reflected in his actions towards Nora throughout the play. Consider his tendency to imagine her to be helpless—he views her as childish. For example in Torvald’s eyes, Nora is incapable of managing finances, but we know that she is actually quite capable of doing so. By highlighting this character flaw, Ibsen makes a larger commentary on how society, at this time, perceived women as being helpless and men as being the ones to save them.

We have no reason to believe that Torvald knows any more about medicine than Nora does, but he views Nora’s comment as silly. Ibsen illustrates Torvald’s blindness to his wife’s intelligence. Torvald sees his “little Nora” as his “doll” and dolls do not have the capacity to contemplate “scientific investigations.”