How Does Nora Use Nicknames In A Doll's House

One of the most obvious occurrences of this male dominated social order is Nora and Torvald’s relationship. The concept of male domination within this relationship is established in the very first scene. Nora has just returned from shopping, and Torvald is continuously speaking to her with nicknames such as, “my little lark, my squirrel, and my spendthrift” (1251). On the outside, these nicknames may come off as affectionate and cute, but we later realize that they are used in a degrading, almost mocking, manner. One usually uses nicknames when referring to a child, and Torvald’s use of these nicknames and the tone he uses to speak with Nora shows how he is belittling Nora, and placing himself in a superior position. Torvald views Nora as childish …show more content…
In the beginning of the play, Nora comes across as a naive girl who does not understand how society works. She does not understand that if her husband were to die she would still have to pay back the debts, even if the money was borrowed from strangers. Nora does not understand anything related to politics, economics, or how society works as a whole. When she is unveiling her big secret about the loan to Mrs. Linde, Mrs. Linde asks how much she has paid off already and Nora’s response is, “That’s hard to say, exactly. These accounts, you know, aren’t easy to figure. I only know that I’ve paid out all I could scrape together…”(1259). Nora obviously does not understand the idea of interest, and she also does not understand that she should be keeping track of how much she owes, as she can not always trust everyone. She also does not understand laws; when Krogstad explains to Nora that there are consequences and laws against forgery she retorts, “This I refuse to believe. A daughter hasn’t a right to protect her dying father from anxiety and care? A wife hasn’t a right to save her husband’s life? I don’t know much about laws, but I’m sure that somewhere in the books these things are allowed…”(1267). Nora is completely oblivious to how laws and consequences work in the real world, because she has been …show more content…
Once Torvald learns of Nora’s loan she took from Krogstad, it causes a very large argument between the two. Torvald begins yelling at Nora, and he spits, “Now you’ve wrecked all my happiness - ruined my whole future…”(1292). This is the final moment of realization for Nora; she realizes that all Torvald cares about is himself and his reputation. He is putting his needs and his feelings above his wife’s. If they were truly in love, this is not the way it would have gone, and Nora recognizes this. Nora makes the decision to act on her desire for happiness. Earlier she had made the decision to put herself out of her misery by committing suicide. Now she realizes that she has the potential and the chance to make her own decisions. The social order was telling Nora that her greatest duties were to her husband and children, but Nora decides that, “I have other duties equally sacred… Duties to myself”(1296). Nora is willing to leave behind her children, money, and husband to find her own happiness. Before, Nora was acting childish in believing in a great miracle that Torvald would take the blame for her. Now she is no longer believing in miracles and realizes that Torvald isn’t a knight-in- shining-armour. Torvald tries to please Nora by offering her money, as it had pleased her before. But Nora refuses, and she won’t even take money from Torvald when she is