Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” features complex characters who are different than they appear. Nora and Torvald each undergo a transformation of their character from the start of the play until the finish. Torvald begins the play appearing very strong and confident, but by the end he is broken down to a scared and unhappy man who is holding onto an image of himself to receive respect from all he encounters. Additionally, Nora experiences a similar transformation of moving from a wife who does as her husband asks to an independent and strong woman who is willing to sacrifice everything to bring about her own happiness. Therefore, I assert that Ibsen’s goal in writing “A Doll’s House” is to accentuate that people are not always what they
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Made any visits to the confectioner’s?” Torvald obviously possesses power over Nora and feels the need to treat her like an immature child. This dynamic, however, completely disappears once the truth is exposed about where the money Nora used for the couple’s trip to Italy was from. Once this happens, Torvald and Nora transform into very different people then began the play, with Torvald becoming the immature partner while Nora develops into a strong, independent woman who does not need to be restricted by her husband. This permanent change in dynamic is shown in the final scene when Torvald asserts “no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves.” This is a highly narcissistic view Torvald takes and reveals a crucial element to his character. He claims to care deeply about his family and Nora, yet when he is faced with challenge from his normally passive and controllable wife, he chooses self-image over fighting for her. Torvald’s dramatic change in character is a great example that underscores the complexity of Ibsen’s “A Doll’s …show more content…
She asserts “I am no wife for you” and that due to his hubris, Torvald has now “had his doll taken away from you.” She goes on to then explain to Torvald that “I set you free from all your obligations” in regards to the end of their marriage. This is a drastic change from the traits Nora displayed in the beginning of the play where she was dependent on Torvald for all things. She has now liberated herself from his grasp and the play ends with her leaving, never to be spoken to again. Nora’s dramatic shift in confidence and character is spurred on by her realization that she does not depend on Torvald on as deep a level as she once thought and that she is able function as an independent woman. Additionally, Nora realizes by the end of the play that she never truly loved him and that he is “nothing more than a stranger” that she never truly loved. When she is asked “ will you ever think of me again” by Torvald, she responds by stating that “I shall often think of you, and the children – and this house” which is a statement of crucial importance to Nora’s development as a character. By stating this, she does not state that she will think fondly upon Torvald and her previous life as she knows that it was a mistake. She was trapped within Torvald’s dollhouse and has finally been liberated from it by her decision to leave.
Made any visits to the confectioner’s?” Torvald obviously possesses power over Nora and feels the need to treat her like an immature child. This dynamic, however, completely disappears once the truth is exposed about where the money Nora used for the couple’s trip to Italy was from. Once this happens, Torvald and Nora transform into very different people then began the play, with Torvald becoming the immature partner while Nora develops into a strong, independent woman who does not need to be restricted by her husband. This permanent change in dynamic is shown in the final scene when Torvald asserts “no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves.” This is a highly narcissistic view Torvald takes and reveals a crucial element to his character. He claims to care deeply about his family and Nora, yet when he is faced with challenge from his normally passive and controllable wife, he chooses self-image over fighting for her. Torvald’s dramatic change in character is a great example that underscores the complexity of Ibsen’s “A Doll’s …show more content…
She asserts “I am no wife for you” and that due to his hubris, Torvald has now “had his doll taken away from you.” She goes on to then explain to Torvald that “I set you free from all your obligations” in regards to the end of their marriage. This is a drastic change from the traits Nora displayed in the beginning of the play where she was dependent on Torvald for all things. She has now liberated herself from his grasp and the play ends with her leaving, never to be spoken to again. Nora’s dramatic shift in confidence and character is spurred on by her realization that she does not depend on Torvald on as deep a level as she once thought and that she is able function as an independent woman. Additionally, Nora realizes by the end of the play that she never truly loved him and that he is “nothing more than a stranger” that she never truly loved. When she is asked “ will you ever think of me again” by Torvald, she responds by stating that “I shall often think of you, and the children – and this house” which is a statement of crucial importance to Nora’s development as a character. By stating this, she does not state that she will think fondly upon Torvald and her previous life as she knows that it was a mistake. She was trapped within Torvald’s dollhouse and has finally been liberated from it by her decision to leave.