Dolls+House


 * Title: A Doll's House **
 * Author: Henrik Ibsen **


 * Summary**
 * This is the story of a woman named Nora who experiences a coming of age even though she is a grown woman who is already married. Nora is married to a wealthy man named Torvald who is constantly condescending to her and is always treating her as if she is a child. Throughout the play Nora is referred to as "little woman" " little lark" "little squirrel" ect. She is constantly being told she is a woman of little brain and is treated as a doll in Torvalds house. However what Torvald does not know is that Nora has been working countless hours to pay off a loan she illegally took in order to take care of torvald and their family. In The society of the play it was illegal for a woman to do most things without the approval of either her father or her husband. So the fact that Nora took out a loan is a big deal as she has few ways to pay it off. As the story progresses Nora becomes aware of the fact that she is being treated like a doll in Torvalds house, and yet she still ignorantly believes that when the time comes Torvald will be her knight in shining armor and protect her and their children at all costs. this myth is debunked however, when the banker waiting on Nora to pay back the loan finds out her secret and uses it as blackmail. When Torvald discovers what Nora has done behind his back he is horrified instead of grateful even if her actions saved his life. It is here that Nora sheds her dress up clothes and puts on her regular clothes; freeing herself from her role as a doll and starting off into the world where we are left to assume that she will face an almost inevitable death, unless of course she goes back to Torvald.**

Plays the role of the stereotypical women until she decides it is no longer fun to play dress up in this house. Controlling husband. shows the mindset of ownership and power the man of the time has. values appearance over the well being of his family Villain/not villain - does the wrong things for the right reasons- Blackmails Nora to keep his job to protect his children from poverty. is he wrong or right in his actions? Self sufficient woman. wants to be a provider, chooses men's ideals over women's.
 * Important characters**
 * Nora Helmer**
 * Torvald Helmer**
 * Krogstad**
 * Christine**

Important stuff:

 * Nora is never referred to without the prefix "little" until the end of the play when she leaves Torvald - this is where she grows up
 * The costume warn for the dance is the symbol for the clothes put on a doll - a doll has no control

The role of women: This play explores the role of the woman in the home and the place they lay in society. This play was controversial for the fact that a women would never be socially allowed to leave a man under any circumstance. This is how women often end up trapped in detrimental relationships Freedom: Nora is trapped by Torvald and leaving (i.e. death may be her only escape)
 * Themes and Motifs**

"Free. To be free, absolutely free. To spend time playing with the children. To have a clean, beautiful house, the way Torvald likes it." - Here Nora talks to Christine about her belief that paying off the debt will bring her true freedom. this is false. it also conveys the ideals of some women of the era who believed their husbands happiness was their own
 * Memorable Quotes and their SIGNIFICANCE. **

"Something glorious is going to happen." - Noras thoughts on Torvald finding out the truth, she feels he will fill her romantic ideal of a man, he will fail her.


 * Describe the significance of the opening scene. **

Nora in the end decides to leave. this is very important. In the era of Nora and Torvald a woman leaving a man is shocking. Women are viewed as objects of the home that belong to husbands and fathers as it is a father "gives away" his daughter when she marries. It is at the end of this play that Nora has realized what a doll she has been throughout her life and she realizes that she has always belonged to someone besides herself. In her quest to find herself Nora decides to leave Torvad, and without the ability to work or provide for her self Nora will surly die soon of starvation or the cold.
 * Describe the significance of the closing scene. **


 * Describe the author's style and provide examples from the text. **

=Here are some horribly offensive ads that would probably be banned today, however Torvald and the men of his era would approve.=