An Analysis Of Henrik Ibsen s A Doll House - 2155 Words

Lisa Agans Dr. Jackson English Writing 301 November 19, 2014 True Identities The title of the play A Doll House, written by Henrik Ibsen, tells us a lot about the main characters in this play. Ibsen wrote this play around the time when husbands and wives had specific roles in society and were very limited on what they could do. Women would have to marry rich, cook, clean,take care of the children, and avoid dealing with life situations. The man’s job was to work, put food on the table, and a roof over their head. This story is focused on a family that looks perfect on the outside but once you step through the door, it’s a tangled web of secrets. So first we are introduced to Nora Helmer, the wife and mother of the family. Nora has a†¦show more content†¦Ibsen’s theme is focused on finding yourself and becoming who you want to be, no matter what society says you re supposed to be. Many characters reveal their true identities in the play, but Nora shows the greatest transition. The title is a perfect way to describe Nora in this play. In the first act Nora acts as a doll. Dolls don’t contain minds or emotions, they just do whatever you tell them to do. One just uses a doll to play with and use for entertainment. The owner of the doll usually likes to be in control which is why they have a toy figure. Torvald is the owner in this case and talks to her and treats her in a derogatory way. He calls her things such as, â€Å"my little lark†, â€Å"my squirrel†, â€Å"my dear little Nora†, and â€Å"my little songbird†. Notice that most have â€Å"little† in front of the name which implies he is talking down to her, as if she was a little girl. Another way of Torvald treating Nora like a child is when he gives her money. As Torvald asks Nora why she looks so sad, he begins to pull his wallet out almost flaunting it and teasing her. This is very similar to the relationship of a father and a daughter. Nora’s smile gets really big and he obviously gives her the money. This also shows the ownership that Torvald has over Nora, controlling all of the money. Now Torvald thinks that Nora is a â€Å"spendthrift†, but Nora really is a pennysaver and uses the rest of the money to pay off the debt. There are a few things that