Please offer analysis with respect to some particular aspect of Ibsen's A Doll House. You might choose to explore a significant symbol in the novel, a particular quotation, or a specific scene or action. Also, you might choose to comment on the issue surrounding the correct translation of the play's title (A Doll's House vs. A Doll House), or on the alternate ending written by Ibsen (http://ibsen.net/index.gan?id=11111794&subid=0). Please limit your discussion to ONE point in conjunction with any one of the above topics in order to ensure that other students have opportunities to provide commentary.
IMPORTANT: Since I'd like to use your comments in class discussion on Monday 2/23, this blog entry MUST be submitted by or on Sunday 2/22 in order to receive credit.
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I'm going to focus in on the pet names which Helmer gives to Nora. Besides calling her "my dear little Nora", Helmer has a penchant for calling her quite a few "cute little animal" names. With the exception of calling her a squirrel, Helmer seems to favor calling her a type of bird. He calls her "my little songbird,", little lark", "you little goose." The pet names indicate that Nora is, in fact, Helmer's pet; a helpless creature that he keeps around to comfort and entertain him. Helmer is also consumed with the idea of nurturing and protecting his "helpless little creature" as a master would his pet. The bird references may hint that Nora is a caged bird, trapped by Helmer in their house (which she never leaves) and denied the freedom to fly out to discover her true potential. the fact that he calls her a lark more often than any other name seems to show that he doesn't take Nora seriously, or thinks that she is stupid (larks are often seen as being insane, stupid, or odd). Or maybe that's a loon...
Among the lines that caught my attention was one said by Nora in Act II, "Ahh! I'd love to rip them in a million pieces." Nora was referring to the masquerade clothes. The costumes are representative of the facade she adopts to please Torvald. Similar to how costumes entertain, Nora's false identity entertains Torvald and allows him to play the role of the dominant male. It almost appears as if Torvald is a ventriloquist manipulating what he believes to be his wife's "helpless" limbs. Nora's urge to tear the masquerade clothes ultimately represents her desire to do away with her double life. The conclusion of A Doll House communicates that Nora is much more comfortable as Nora, rather than as Torvald's "frightened little songbird" or tarantella Barbie.
The many hyphens in A Doll House serve several purposes. Since they occur in both Nora and Torvald's speech, they hint at the couple's lack of genuine communication. In the end, Nora highlights that they have failed to have a single serious conversation. Torvald's view of Nora as a child rules out the possibility of meaningful, adult discussions. Second, the numerous phrases severed by hyphens distress the reader. Depending on the scene, they allow the audience to experience the characters' desperation, confusion, or shock. Lastly, the most powerful "hyphen" in the play is the final slam of the door. Rather than Torvald silencing Nora, Nora abruptly cuts off Torvald for once. Torvald is in the middle of, "The greatest miracle-" when he hears the door. This action sadly illustrates that the miracle of transformation on Torvald's part is unlikely to take place.
Nora is a little on the awkward side. It's actually a little frustrating that she won't come clean to Torvald. It is even said that Torvald would pay off the debt for Nora if he ever found out. However, she cannot let Torvald down and similar to what Lauren said he has this control over her. The control begins to consume her entirely. She wants to make Torvald happy at all times and she even put herself into a mess, causing Nora to become paranoid. She can't live her life for Torvald. I also think that Nora gives off a self absorbed vibe, especially when talking to her good friend Kristine. She has to point out how adorable her children for Kristine and she speaks so highly of her own life when really Nora is not living her own life. It's almost as if she needs to tell these things to Kristine to try and convince herself that she is living a great life.
Nora is a character that captures my attention. She carries this self absorbed attitude with her and is materialistic. However, I think that similar to what Lauren said, she acts like that to please Torvald. She lives her own life for him instead of living it for herself. She even points out to her good friend Kristine how adorable her children are. She continues to go on about how she has a great life. I believe that she says these things to try and convince herself that she is living the life that she has always wanted. Nora needs assurance in her life.
A part that stuck with me was in the very end, page 113, when Helmer says, "But there's no one who gives up honor for love," and then Nora replies, "Millions of women have done just that." I thought it was significant because it showed the strength Nora had in that she would become a criminal for her husband and he would never taint his reputation for her. This is ironic when, like Paul said, he treats her like his pet or his property. She has more courage than he has and yet Helmer treats her like an ignorant child. This part also demonstrated why Nora is the doll in "a doll house" because she gave up her honor to be faithful to her husband and to be obediant to her father. Thus she lost her understanding of who she is, if she ever really had a true understanding of that, and this makes her live through the honor of another. Most women in her society give up their honor by sacrificing their independence. Most men would refuse to make sacrifices for their love, and to Nora it would have to be a miracle if Helmer made the sacrifice of his reputation for her. Overall I think this part is a turning point that highlights Nora becoming stronger and Helmer becoming weaker.
One thing that really stuck out in my mind was on page 58 when Rank asks, "do you have any real idea of what society is? and Nora responds "What do I care about dreary old society?" I think that her response is awful, but I think it is essential to figuring out Nora's character in the beginning of the play. She is so focused on her own little world. She is child-like in her mannerisms. She is excited about her secret macaroons, and she plays along with her kids, without any chagrin. Nora isn't aware of the world around her, like Mrs. Linde's situation. She only knows how she spared her father's feeling, and saved her husband. She doesn't understand the severity of lying about her father's signature. When Krogstand calls attention to the laws of such actions she explains how it was just instinct, and that her actions weren't bad, but it was bad laws because the wouldn't believe the situation. It is difficult to grasp that anyone could be so naive.
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