In most literary works, character relationships are the key to the story plot. The protagonist’s behavior is always interpreted based on the constant contact they have with other characters and the society at large. The association of the protagonist with other characters, as well, allow readers to understand dig into the authors’ mind. Family relationships are not exceptional in some literature. Owing to constant interaction and role sharing in families, readers are able to understand the impact of cultural setup the story plot is adopted. In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the society can be mirrored based on the relationship between the protagonists Nora and the husband Torvald, and minor characters such as Krogstad, Mrs. Linde, and Dr. Rank.
In A Doll’s House, society is reflected from the divergent personal interests of the protagonist, Nora. On stage, Nora is a doll: she is a passive and vapid character with little identity. The people around her and the societal norms shape the protagonist’s life. She has accepted that she is a woman who needs to be taken care of by the husband.
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Nora's relationship with Torvald is profoundly shaped by her fiscal decisions. Nora has exaggerated childlike expectations, which always brings her into conflict with Torvald. She forges a loan form for her expensive trip to Italy. In the course, Krogstad tries to blackmail her over the forgery threatening to report her; she says “how shameful of you" (Ibsen 1728) and pleased with him no to tell “the secret – my joy and my pride” (Ibsen 1728). It is vivid that Nora believes she is a woman whose needs should be taken care, she takes a loan hoping the husband will settle them for her. All her financial burdens rested upon Torvald. Ibsen, portrays Nora as a careless person in financial decision, a common misconception among many women (Boel 1). As a result, she commits a crime that can cost family psychologically and financially in court battles. She depends on prying money from Torvald to settle her borrowing.
In the modern society, women are believed to be materialistic. Nora is materialistic. She is fond of buying almost anything from dresses to toys. She has not any important financial budget or constructive plan for his life. Act 1 opens with conflict of class, gender, occupation, and moral standards. Money is the sole source of conflicts. In Torvald’s house, Nora and her husbands are in conflict as a result of her spending behavior. Nora’s extravagancy has increased since her husband is in a well-paying job. She pay the potter double the amount expected, two øres: partly because of her party mood and partly because she sees that as a little amount. Torvald, on the other hand, is a pragmatic economist who does not approves of Nora’s spending behavior. He teases her of being a spendthrift, a behavior she has inherited from her father. Torvald associates overspending to all women, He says “Nora, my Nora, that is just like a woman.” This shows prejudice the society has upon women.
The role of men and women and men are shifting in the society with men being the caretakers of home while women are away. Nora hardly spends time with Torvald and always dumps her children at the nursing. Ibsen says that Nora has never spent time with her husband for almost a decade. In essence, the protagonist hardly bond with her family. The fact that she has no time for her family is a source of conflict due to misunderstanding.
Nora has no active life. She is back seated and waits to be shown almost everything. Owing to her lack of vision, Torvald has objectified her. At all times he refers to her, he adopts the ‘my’ modifier. He even referred to her as “my dearest property.” Mrs. Linde on the other hand, says she would save Nora at “at any price,” as a commodity. Torvald also calls her pet names such as "little squirrel,"little lark," and "Little Miss Extravagant." As a father figure, Torvald comes with rules to arrest Nora's erratic behaviors. Torvald and Nora’s relationship takes the form of that of a father and daughter. Nora whines at Torvald, is poor in judgment, is careless, and immaturely herself to unpleasant thoughts, she places her hand on her mouth and shouts, "Oh! Don't say such things!" at times when Torvalds commits hypothetical tragedy.
Nora recounts that her relationship with Torvald is the same as that she had with her Papa. Women are constantly in the shadow of men. Nora admits that Torvald and her father have treated her more like a doll-child. According to Nora, the two have played with her in her entire life. She calls this "a great sin,” which has stopped her development. Torvald, refer to Nora as “little” in most pet names, drawing his childish perspective. Papa would force her to accept his beliefs and failure to which he would become angry. She is aware that she contributes nothing to the family regarding decision-making, but it hardly worries her. In Act 1, Nora is depicted as a silly and spoilt child, especially when she dances Tarentella. Torvald enjoys her dependency on him just like a child depends the parents. On the other hand, Torvald is also a doll. His life is restricted around Nora. Torvalds uses Nora for amusement and Nora too manipulates his financial spending. The duo coming together makes a doll’s house.
Towards the end of the story, Nora realizes that her family is a doll. She realizes that she only sways with the social norms rather than her individuality. She comes to underscore that Torvald, who she thought was a strict husband was a character constructed in her mind. She comes to terms that her marriage was a doll marriage, she had doll children, and she was a doll wife (Templeton, 1997). The family dysfunction in Ibsen A Doll House was mainly brought about by the protagonist’s weak character, the people who surrounded her and the societal norms.
Torvald’s view of women contradicts that of Nora. Nora believes that she is a mature woman, independent and with active role in the society. Contrary, the husband believes a wife’s role is to beautify home through appearance, management, and behavior. Torvald makes it clear that a woman’s appearance is of utmost important (Metzger 2). He sees Nora as a doll, an ornament or a trophy, whose main role is to beautify his reputation and home.
Torlvald depicts male chauvinism and dehumanizes Nora, which conflicts with her demands. The husband calls Nora with pet names such as “my squirrel” and “my little skylark” but only call her “Nora” when angery. In his reference, Nora is like the little birds, which fritter with money. Torvald only gives Nora money to watch her fritter around with, which is his source of happiness. The manipulative nature of Torvald is a source of conflict in the family.
Class conflict comes out clear in the discussion between Nora and Kristine Linde. Nora realizes immediately that Mrs. Linde has grown thinner and paler, born out of suffering. Contrary, she has been elevated in class after her husband’s promotion. She realizes that her friend was left with nothing after the husband’s death (Cummings 1). She ask whether Mrs. Linde was left with money or children, after which she comments “nothing at all then?” This contrast with Nora’s family, which has children and money to satisfy them. The women’s role in the society is also conflicted upon. Mrs. Linde is seeking a job to furnish her needs, Nora is considered a domestic wife whose role is to beautify home.
Job conflict is developing between Krogstad and Torvald. Krogstad help Nora furnish her financial debt when her husband is sick but Nora is adamant towards assisting him protect his job in favor of her husband. Krogstad threatens to seek legal redress over Nora’s forgery and also to disclose the matter publicly. It is clear that Torvald and Krogstad are facing positional rivalry at the bank.
It can be argued that Torvald has accepted his role in the society. He treats Nora’s wants as trivial and silly. When Nora comes home during the Christmas Eve and asks the husband to check out her wares, Torvald responded by saying, "Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?" (I). He believes that his wife spends most of his money on unnecessary items. Considering it was a Christmas Eve, Nora tried her best to buy less expensive items. Torvald’s comment that "Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time?" (I), also shows that he was aware of the needs and could afford the Christmas needs. From the reactions, it can be concluded that Torvald thinks his wife is a silly person. The nation emanates from the fact that the story plot is adopted from a male dominated society.
Across the play, Nora’s views are hardly given recognition. She fails to listen to Nora’s opinion that Krogstad should be allowed to maintain to keep his position at the bank. Torvald hold that Krogstad is morally corrupt, an opinion that Nora argues that "such a narrow-minded way of looking at things" (II). Immediately, Torvalds sends out a dismissal letter to Krogstad. He only thinks of her wife’s worries as insult. It becomes clear that Torvald hardly think of her wife in important decision-making. To him, Nora’s worries are “insults.” In the society that Ibsen created, women’s view are not considered.
A Doll’s House is set in a male dominated society. The place of women in this society is not identified. According to Ibsen, women are mainly house decorations. Women do not have voices in the society. It comes out clear that Nora’s decisions were often rejected. She is constantly depicted as petty, careless, and one who makes silly decisions. Contrary, Torvald is everything about the home. Men are believed to be responsible, good decision makers, and providers to their homes. A Doll’s house is perfect paternal or chauvinistic society.
References
Cummings, Michael J.. "A Doll's House - a Study Guide." Cummings Study Guides. 2003. 7 Jul 2009 http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/DollHouse.html
Ibsen, Henrik. A doll's house . New York: Dover Publications, 1992.
Metzger, Sherri. "A Doll's House (Criticism)". Answers.com. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/a-doll-s-house-play-8
Templeton, Joan. Ibsen's women . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Boel, Herman. " Norwegian." The Language Database . 2008. Herman Boel. 7 Jul 2009 http://www.hermanboel.eu/language-database/lg_norwegian.htm
