A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is considered to be one of the greatest realistic dramas written, following the character Nora in her secretive and complex life. Being a well-made play, all is naturalistic and not overly dramatized. However, Ibsen makes use of features within the setting to subtly convey and emphasize the story and its messages. One such feature concerns the doors within the house. At the beginning, he describes four doors in the house: two at the back, and one on either side. In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen utilizes doors in the stage directions as metaphors. Doors reflect the atmosphere and foreshadow events, represent the dynamics between and intents of characters, and symbolize the importance of Nora’s leaving.
In an important …show more content…
An open door is often seen as a symbol for opportunity. The door is unlocked and half-open when Nora spots Krogstad. This is symbolic of the fact that in the end, it is Krogstad’s threat combined with Helmer’s reaction that open Nora’s eyes to the reality of her life. And since the front door leads to the outside world, it is representative of a different kind of life, one that Nora has not led. The door, therefore, symbolizes how Krogstad’s demands provide Nora with an opportunity to leave this life. Given that this scene takes place in Act I, it is clear that Nora does not yet know this, and Ibsen is simply foreshadowing her realization. In this scene, the front door represents the chill of Krogstad’s presence and the opportunity he …show more content…
He says to her, “[w]e won’t have any melodrama” (Ibsen 220), “[l]ocking the front door” (Ibsen 220). Marriage at the time was a patriarchal arrangement, and Helmer typically projects his dominance onto Nora by restricting her freedom in what she can eat and say, demeans her by calling her patronizing names, and more. Nora is entrapped in the marriage. By physically imprisoning her by locking the door in a moment of anger, Helmer shows his true nature. The action is a physical manifestation of the true underlying imprisonment in their marriage. Through these open, closed, and locked doors, the true nature of Nora and Helmer’s marriage is expressed.
Additionally, Ibsen utilizes the door to foreshadow and imply the significance of the ending of A Doll’s House, as well as to convey his own view on Nora’s final choice. The ending is hinted at in various parts of the play; for example, Helmer once remarks to Mrs. Linde that “an exit should always be well-timed” (Ibsen 213). In hindsight, this remark foreshadows the significance of Nora’s dramatic and effective exit. It is somewhat ironic and empowering, because by walking through that door, she turns Helmer’s patronizing instruction on its
In an important …show more content…
An open door is often seen as a symbol for opportunity. The door is unlocked and half-open when Nora spots Krogstad. This is symbolic of the fact that in the end, it is Krogstad’s threat combined with Helmer’s reaction that open Nora’s eyes to the reality of her life. And since the front door leads to the outside world, it is representative of a different kind of life, one that Nora has not led. The door, therefore, symbolizes how Krogstad’s demands provide Nora with an opportunity to leave this life. Given that this scene takes place in Act I, it is clear that Nora does not yet know this, and Ibsen is simply foreshadowing her realization. In this scene, the front door represents the chill of Krogstad’s presence and the opportunity he …show more content…
He says to her, “[w]e won’t have any melodrama” (Ibsen 220), “[l]ocking the front door” (Ibsen 220). Marriage at the time was a patriarchal arrangement, and Helmer typically projects his dominance onto Nora by restricting her freedom in what she can eat and say, demeans her by calling her patronizing names, and more. Nora is entrapped in the marriage. By physically imprisoning her by locking the door in a moment of anger, Helmer shows his true nature. The action is a physical manifestation of the true underlying imprisonment in their marriage. Through these open, closed, and locked doors, the true nature of Nora and Helmer’s marriage is expressed.
Additionally, Ibsen utilizes the door to foreshadow and imply the significance of the ending of A Doll’s House, as well as to convey his own view on Nora’s final choice. The ending is hinted at in various parts of the play; for example, Helmer once remarks to Mrs. Linde that “an exit should always be well-timed” (Ibsen 213). In hindsight, this remark foreshadows the significance of Nora’s dramatic and effective exit. It is somewhat ironic and empowering, because by walking through that door, she turns Helmer’s patronizing instruction on its