Rachel Williams

Williams 1

14 Feb 2015
Drama 40b
Sonia Desai
Short Paper
A Dolls House
Nora and Torvald Helmers relationship as a married couple is nothing short of
interesting. The balance of power and order between the two is complicated and almost
imaginary. As a woman, Nora takes on the role of the pretty wife. Torvald, as the man, must be in
control. Nora is treated like a child by Torvald, but in actuality, Torvald is the child in their
relationship.
Throughout the play Torvald belittles Nora. When Nora and Torvald are discussing
money at the beginning of the play, in response to Nora trying to discuss loans Torvald says,
Nora, Nora, you are such a woman! (Ibsen 201). Torvald cannot even take Nora seriously
because she is only a woman to him. The power struggle between Nora being a woman and
Torvalds display of masculinity is displayed again when Nora talks about agreeing to his idea to
wear a costume to the party and how it was nice of her. Nice of you? Agreeing with your
husband? All right, you crazy thing. I know you didnt mean it that way (Ibsen 222). Torvald
cannot fathom the thought that a woman might not agree with everything her husband tells her to
do. He even calls her crazy for it.
Torvald treats Nora like a child from the beginning of the play. Torvald senses guilt in
Nora and questions her, Our sweet tooth wouldnt have been running wild in town today, would
it? (Ibsen 202). This exchange is very similar to that of a parent and child. In Torvald forbidding

Nora from eating sweets, he is controlling her as if she were his child, his possession. Later,
Torvald actually refers to Nora as his most precious possession (Ibsen 238). Torvald has an
intense desire to keep Nora in her place as his child and object. Torvald uses Nora as his personal
item of possession for his viewing and playing pleasures.
Despite Torvald acting as though Nora is only a child, she takes control of many
happenings in the play. Nora got the loan from Krogstad on her own and Mrs. Linde does not
believe Nora could do that. No, a wife cant get a loan without her husbands permission
(Ibsen 207). The fact that Nora went against her own husband and the social norms of the time
and got herself a loan shows the capability she holds. Noras aware that her capabilities must stay
secret too. Torvalds a man-- hed be so humiliated if he knew he owed me anything (Ibsen
208). Nora knows she must hide how intelligent and capable she is from her husband because he
would feel inferior. Noras most abrasive command of control in the play is at the end when she
takes control of her life and marriage. Ive lived by doing tricks for you, Torvald. But thats how
you wanted it (Ibsen 244). Nora becomes aware that all she ever was to Torvald was his doll he
could play with and manipulate.
In A Dolls House, Nora is treated like Torvalds child but in actuality, Nora is capable of
living her own life while Torvald is not. Torvald must live life as a child who plays with his
pretty doll and manipulates her into what he wants. He does not know how to function without
his toy. Nora is a capable woman who throughout the play is manipulated by her husband and
eventually realizes she is not really loved and decides to make a life for herself on her own. In
the confines of marriage and society, Nora is forced to live as a child to her husband, but she
soon realizes, this is not how life should be.