Dehumanization Of Nora

In, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Nora is the protagonist of the play. Nora is the wife of Torvald Helmer and a mother of three children. Throughout the play we come to see a woman who is very clever, but perceives her-self in a naïve way. Later in the play we come to see unexpected actions taken by Nora, which demonstrates her ambition and courage. Nora does not fill a parental role in her children’s life, but more as a friend than a mother. In the play, Nora’s role as a wife is to be a typical housewife who stays at home to please her husband even though there is a lack of love in the relationship. Nora is perceive as this naïve person who does not seem to understand the world outside, but later on we come to see a woman who is willing …show more content…
Torvald Helmer is Nora’s husband who treats her as child and does not treat Nora in a respectful manner. The relationship between Torvald and Nora has a lack of love and communication, which is seen later on in the play. Nora acts as a child with Torvald and this has kept her from having her own personality. Torvald dehumanize Nora by referring her to pet names such as a “little lark” and “little squirrel”. Nora’s relationship to Torvald is seen more as a father and daughter relationship than a marriage. “You know, there isn’t anyone who has your good taste – and I want so much to look well at the costume party. Torvald, couldn’t you take over and decide what I should be and plan my costume?” (Ibsen 818) Torvald picks out Nora’s dress for the dance, a fancy Neapolitan …show more content…
In the beginning of the play we can start to see the role between her and her children. “No, don’t bother, Anne-Marie – I’ll undress them myself. Oh yes, let me. It’s such fun…Well? Shall we play? What shall we play? Hide-and-seek? Yes, let’s play hide-and-seek.” (Ibsen 812) Anne-Marie, the nursemaid is raising Nora’s children as her own. Unfortunately Nora spends little time with her children and in the time they have together Nora plays with her children as if she were their friend rather than their mother. Nora along side her husband does not fill the parental role in their children’s life. “But you cant be allowed to bring up the children; I don’t dare trust you with them –“ (Ibsen 845) Torvald is a controlling husband who won’t let Nora raise the children herself which is removing her title as a mother from her. Nora role as a mother has shaped her to be the woman she is. “But you can understand that with Torvald it’s just the same as with Papa – “ (Ibsen 829) Throughout Nora’s life it seems that she has been dependent on a man weather it be her father or her husband. Nora realizes that she resents being dependent on a man because she hasn’t done anything in her life and has scarifies herself for her husband and children. For most of her life she’s been living life according to her father’s and husband