Ibsen’s A Doll House stage directions reveal a significant change in the Helmer’s home, as the play progresses. Ibsen’s stage directions illustrate an obvious imbalance in the marriage of the main characters, Nora and Torvald Helmer. The stage directions show a shift in the Helmer’s home. Throughout the play, the household transitions from orderly to a disheveled. The changes that take place in the household reflect a transformation in Nora. Moreover, throughout the course of the play’s three acts, Nora’s stage directions mirror the change in her character. Each act of A Doll House opens with stage directions that depict the Helmer home. Act one opens by portraying a comfortable home of the middle class status. Ibsen describes the living
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Her mannerisms and actions better align with a young child, not a grown woman. Nora’s behavior is continually depicted as happy. Nora is illustrated as laughing and humming. She could be viewed as very disconnected from the world, like many children, she is perceived as oblivious to the space around her. Nora’s stage prompts aid her appearance of a child when they direct her to laugh and hum at even inappropriate times. When Rank and Mrs. Linde, two friends, are having a serious conversation Nora breaks out into laughter claps her hands (Ibsen, 15). Nora is so absorbed in her own thoughts; she is completely unattached from a conversation happening in front of her. Nora’s childlike behavior is guided by the way her friends and family treat her. In particular, her husband, Helmer, addresses her by pet names. Helmer’s pet name deemphasizes Nora’s importance, making her seem small. Helmer is the authority and provider of the home. Helmer often scolds Nora, epitomizing an imbalance in their marriage. Helmer’s stage directions portray him wagging his finger at her, like an adult would to a child (Ibsen, 4). Helmer is also illustrated giving Nora money (Ibsen, 3). This stage direction embodies Nora’s lack of adult responsibility and her reliance on Helmer. Act one characterizes Nora as a child. However, Nora is content in her role. She does not challenge, or try to change, the dynamics of the household. …show more content…
However, act two’s description of the room is much different than that of act one. The stage directions for act two describe a disheveled space. The Christmas tree in the corner has rumpled branches, Nora’s coat and hat lay on the sofa while she paces the floor (Ibsen, 29). Nora’s anxious behavior and the unorganized chaos of the home align with her changing character. Nora’s character begins to loose it’s whimsical child like attitude as she becomes more involved with adult
Her mannerisms and actions better align with a young child, not a grown woman. Nora’s behavior is continually depicted as happy. Nora is illustrated as laughing and humming. She could be viewed as very disconnected from the world, like many children, she is perceived as oblivious to the space around her. Nora’s stage prompts aid her appearance of a child when they direct her to laugh and hum at even inappropriate times. When Rank and Mrs. Linde, two friends, are having a serious conversation Nora breaks out into laughter claps her hands (Ibsen, 15). Nora is so absorbed in her own thoughts; she is completely unattached from a conversation happening in front of her. Nora’s childlike behavior is guided by the way her friends and family treat her. In particular, her husband, Helmer, addresses her by pet names. Helmer’s pet name deemphasizes Nora’s importance, making her seem small. Helmer is the authority and provider of the home. Helmer often scolds Nora, epitomizing an imbalance in their marriage. Helmer’s stage directions portray him wagging his finger at her, like an adult would to a child (Ibsen, 4). Helmer is also illustrated giving Nora money (Ibsen, 3). This stage direction embodies Nora’s lack of adult responsibility and her reliance on Helmer. Act one characterizes Nora as a child. However, Nora is content in her role. She does not challenge, or try to change, the dynamics of the household. …show more content…
However, act two’s description of the room is much different than that of act one. The stage directions for act two describe a disheveled space. The Christmas tree in the corner has rumpled branches, Nora’s coat and hat lay on the sofa while she paces the floor (Ibsen, 29). Nora’s anxious behavior and the unorganized chaos of the home align with her changing character. Nora’s character begins to loose it’s whimsical child like attitude as she becomes more involved with adult