Question

What is the central theme of A Doll House? How do the various characters illustrate different attitudes toward life and how to live it? What is most disturbing in this play of modern middle-class angst? How does the theme resonate with our society today? In developing your analysis, be sure to examine the various changes in Nora's character by looking at several specific scenes.

Answer 1

• What is the central theme of A Doll House? How does the theme resonate with our society today?What are the changes in Nora's character?
• There are many themes in Ibsen's A Doll's House. Perhaps the most significant theme is that of the absence of the female identity in the male-dominated society.
• Years before, when Torvald Helmer became seriously ill, the only way his life could be saved was if they travelled to Italy so he could recuperate. At that time in society, among many other restrictions, women could not take loans. So Nora, his wife, did the only thing she could—she secretly forged her dying father's signature and took a loan from the disreputable and tragic figure of Krogstad.
• In the course of the play, a desperate and lonely Krogstad angrily demands his money from Nora. When Torvald learns not only what Nora has done, but also that he is at the mercy of Krogstad, who holds the promissory note she forged, he lashes out at his wife and accuses her of being a "hypocrite, a liar...a criminal," with "no religion, no morals, no sense of duty..."
• Nora finally realizes that her husband does not value her as a person, but treats her like a child's doll in a playhouse, controlling her every move; she is also aware that during their entire marriage (like her father did with her before she married) he has also endeavored to control even her thoughts and opinions. Nora's resourcefulness in saving her husband's life and attempting to repay the loan does not matter to him at all.
• This theme of treating woman as an inferior gender is very much prevalant in our grossly patriarchal society.Women,especially,in lower socio-economic status families are still not treated equally and not given any respect.Their opinions are not considered and they are just meant for cooking and cleaning,and taking care of the family.Women are still searching for their individual identity and still trying to find their voice,eventhough times are changing.
• Nora shows gradual development throughout the play to support his theme that above all else, you are human; even in marriage both parties should be given the equal opportunities, rights and respect. While Nora may at first seem happy with her life inside her “doll house”, she begins to recognize that she must find herself, and stop being a toy in the lives of men.
• Nora’s growth could be described as a subtle process. It is not until the end of the play that she even decides to leave and seek out the life experience she needs to develop her own thoughts, ideas and actions.
• Her attitude is now that she needs to discover who she is. Before she was content to devote her entire life to her husband and children, but now she feels that she owes as much to herself and her own happiness.
• Also in Act II, Nora begins to question the law. When Krogstad comes to Nora, they speak of why she used the money. Nora says, “Hasn’t a daughter the right to shield her father from worry and anxiety when he’s old and dying? Hasn’t a wife the right to save her husband’s life? I don’t know much about the law, but there must be something somewhere that says that such things are allowed”.Nora doesn’t seem to question much, but her concern that she could not sign for a loan to take care of her family as a man could shows that she is now questioning the rights of a woman.
• Her attitude in the beginning can be found in Act 1, where she tells Mrs. Linde that all she wants is to be free of her debt to she can "spend time playing with the children. To have a clean, beautiful house, the way Torvald likes it."
• In the end, her attitude is shown by saying at the end of Act III,"I have been performing tricks for you, Torvald. That’s how I’ve survived. You wanted it like that. You and Papa have done me a great wrong. It’s because of you I’ve made nothing of my life."
• Due to time limit,remaining questions can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation.