Society’s Doll What do you value most in your life? Are your values affected by society? In A Doll’s House, Nora is compared to a doll trapped in its cage, but what about Torvald? He is also trapped in a cage called “society.” During the Victorian Era men were possibly pressured by expectations set for them and all the things they were responsible for. It was probably the same for Torvald. The expectations set towards him is probably the reason why his reputation became the most important thing for him. During the Victorian Era, women did not have many rights and authority, but men did. A convention in 1848 (Victorian Era) was held for the purpose of fighting for women's rights; the name of this convention was the Seneca Falls Convention.
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The reason he doesn’t want Nora to leave is because he worries that people will think he is person behind all of this and view him as a man with no power. Even when he is trying to convince Nora to stay with him by describing how much he loves her, he says, “You are out of your mind! I won’t allow it! I forbid you! You blind foolish woman!” (68) and later says, “But no man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves,” on pg. 70. This is supposed to be a situation in which he is begging her to stay with him because he “loves” her, but it is clear that he does not want her to leave for the sake of his reputation. If he truely loves her he wouldn’t be calling her a “blind, foolish” woman. His emotions and words don't match each other. Another way readers can assume Torvald regrets for his reputation is his sudden change of mind. One moment he takes of his mask of a “caring husband” and insults and abuses Nora but within seconds he wears his mask again and tries to convince her to stay. Before Torvald receives a second letter from Krogstad, he is wrathful and does not try to understand nor forgive Nora, but the moment he reads Krogstad’s second letter, he completely changes his attitude. Page 64 in A Doll’s House is all about Torvald begging Nora to stay and trying to conceive her that he has” forgiven her and forgotten about
The reason he doesn’t want Nora to leave is because he worries that people will think he is person behind all of this and view him as a man with no power. Even when he is trying to convince Nora to stay with him by describing how much he loves her, he says, “You are out of your mind! I won’t allow it! I forbid you! You blind foolish woman!” (68) and later says, “But no man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves,” on pg. 70. This is supposed to be a situation in which he is begging her to stay with him because he “loves” her, but it is clear that he does not want her to leave for the sake of his reputation. If he truely loves her he wouldn’t be calling her a “blind, foolish” woman. His emotions and words don't match each other. Another way readers can assume Torvald regrets for his reputation is his sudden change of mind. One moment he takes of his mask of a “caring husband” and insults and abuses Nora but within seconds he wears his mask again and tries to convince her to stay. Before Torvald receives a second letter from Krogstad, he is wrathful and does not try to understand nor forgive Nora, but the moment he reads Krogstad’s second letter, he completely changes his attitude. Page 64 in A Doll’s House is all about Torvald begging Nora to stay and trying to conceive her that he has” forgiven her and forgotten about