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A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen is an interesting play that considers a variety of themes, including morality, law, social standing, and gender equality. However, the central theme of the play and the one reflected in its name is marriage. Torvald and Nora appear to be a happy couple at first, but this image proves to be fake, just like a dolls house. At the beginning of the play, the characters are nice and romantic to each other, using sweet nicknames and jokes; by the end of Ibsens work, they are strangers (Ibsen, p. 91). Reviewing the process through which this occurs is essential to understanding the play and its deeper meaning. Hence, the present essay will seek to show how the events of the play reveal the lack of sincerity and real feelings between Nora and Torvald, painting a picture of a dolls house in place of a happy family. The essay will fulfill this goal by reviewing the image of the couple at three different times in the play.
First of all, at the beginning of Act I, Helmers appear to be a perfect family. The fact that the events are set shortly before Christmas is important, as the upcoming celebration brings feelings of anticipation, joy, and love. As Nora returns home, Torvald hears her humming and calls out to her, Is that my little lark twittering out there? (Ibsen, p. 2). He is calling her nicknames, such as little squirrel, little spendthrift, little featherhead (Ibsen, pp. 2-3). Even though Torvald scolds Nora for spending too much, he shows his affection for his wife, which does not go unnoticed by the reader. Furthermore, it appears that he is unhappy with Nora spending too much not because of his greed, but because he worries about her: Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds today, and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Years Eve a slate fell on my head and killed me (Ibsen, p. 3). Another important feature of the familys description here is collectivism. In discussing his attitudes to debt and borrowing, Torvald emphasizes that the lack of debt is as much his achievement as Noras: We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle (Ibsen, p. 4). Albeit rather short, this moment shows the couples willingness to stay together regardless of the situation, supporting each other and withstanding all kinds of trouble.
The beautiful image painted by Ibsen at the beginning of the play begins to dissipate in at the end of Act 1 and in Act 2, when Nora persists in asking her husband for a favor. Since Torvald is unaware of the history between Krogstad and Nora, she has to trick him into agreeing using feminine tricks, sweet language, and other techniques. Both encounters where Nora and Torvald discuss the matter are filled with insincerity. For example, when Nora raises the question in the morning, she flatters Torvald, telling that she needs him to rescue her, reflecting an image of a damsel in distress: Yes, Torvald, I cant get along a bit without your help. (Ibsen, p. 34). Later, when Nora presses the matter, she appears flirty and sweet despite her growing anxiety: If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very prettily ? (Ibsen, p. 43). In fact, she avoids sharing her true feelings with her husband throughout both encounters. Both the lack of sincerity and the seemingly unchanged nature of Nora and Torvalds interactions despite differences in their moods and situations allows suggesting that the romance and the niceties that the couple share are more of a facade than a real feeling.
The final pages of the play support this idea by showing what is left of the couples image once the facade has been stripped off through conflict. Instead of staying together, as promised in the beginning, the couple falls apart, mainly due to Torvalds fear of being judged by others and his unwillingness to accept Noras past actions and find a solution to the issue together. Torvald refuses to acknowledge that Noras actions were essential to save him, instead focusing on what other people think and how he can prevent her from making questionable decisions in the future: I will advise you and direct you (Ibsen, p. 82). Even though Krogstad does not pose a threat, and the family can return to their ideal roles, for Nora, the lack of trust and sincerity is unacceptable. She opens up about her feelings to Torvald, but he fails to respond to them, calling her unreasonable and ungrateful instead(Ibsen, p. 85). It becomes clear to the audience that the couples happiness was just an illusion; in reality, there is no real connection or love between them. Similarly, Nora accepts this fact, stating that Torvald is a stranger to her and that their marriage was not a real wedlock (Ibsen, p. 91).
Overall, Ibsens play raises important questions about marriage and love, showing how crucial it is for the couple to have sincere feelings and care for one another more than for the opinions of other people. From this perspective, Noras conflict with Krogstad appears to be a test designed to show the couples true colors and feelings. Noras devotion to Torvald has been real; his, on the other hand, was motivated by image rather than love. Once this is revealed, Nora can no longer stay in this marriage, and thus she leaves Torvald and their children at the end.
Work Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Dolls House. Global Grey, 2020.
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