At the time when Ibsen wrote his play, A Dolls House, it was known as the duty of a wife to stay at home, look after the children, and attend to her husband. The main character in the play, Nora is a modern woman who is denied woman power and independence. Through out A Dolls House, Ibsen suggests that independence is only achieved by confronting lifes lies and restrictions.
Nora lives life acting as Torvalds doll living in a dolls house with her husband and children. Torvalds affection towards Nora is mostly based on her appearance. Nora dresses for him in fancy expensive dresses, dances for him, and plays with him all just to make him happy. Noras favorite treat is macaroons but Torvald wont allow her to eat them because he believes they will ruin her pretty teeth. Torvald sees his wife as more of a pet then a wife, You can not deny it, Nora dear. (Puts his arm around her waist) The squander birds a pretty little creature, but she gets through an awful lot of money. Its incredible but she gets through an awful lot of money. Its incredible what an expensive pet she is for a man to keep. Noras dedication to her family blinds her from seeing how she is being treated. This is the beginning of Noras transition to becoming a more independent woman.
There are many different events that occur to make Nora question the world she is living in. Krogstad is blackmailing Nora because of the money that she owes him. Krogstad is telling Nora that is she does not get him his job back at the bank then he will tell everyone about the money and how she forged her fathers signature. Also, Noras conversation with Mrs. Linde and Dr. Rank are crucial to her realization. Mrs. Linde opens Noras eyes to the life she had to prosper through. Mrs. Linde lost her husband and was left with nothing: no money, no children, and no happiness. She explains to Nora that she married her husband for money, not because she loved him and when her husband died his business collapsed and she was left penniless. Marrying someone because you believe his or her money will make you happy is not the way to live. Yes. Three years ago. I know I know I read it in the papers. Oh Christine I meant to write to you so often, honestly. But I always put it off, and something else always cropped up. I understand Nora dear. No Christine, it was beastly of me. Oh, my poor darling, what youve gone through. And he didnt leave you anything? No. Dr. Rank also catches Nora off guard when he is very open to her in how he feels before he dies and Nora is appalled. The actions of Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde catch Nora by surprise and make her realize that is where her life is heading unless she does something about it.
The tarantella is the night that completely wakes Nora up. Torvald makes Nora practice her dance until she has the steps perfect and Nora seems to not care for it at all. But, my dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practicing to much? No, I have not practiced at all. The tarantella is a dance that rids the dancer of venom in his or her body, just as Nora is trying to rid herself of the deadly outside poison, thus being Torvald and Krogstad. There are many different events that affect the way Noras realizing the truth. She is being manipulated by Krogstad and used by Torvald. These events all lead to Noras final transformation to independence.
Nora has to face many challenges through out her life, the biggest challenge of all being self-realization and self-determination. When Torvald goes in his study to read the letter from Krogstad revealing the truth, Nora realizes that she needs to leave and start her very own life and not the life that Torvald and her father expect from her. The letter from Krogstad is what makes Nora realize that this is not the life she wants. Nora has been pretending to be someone she is not her whole life and it was time to change that. That may be. But you neither think nor talk like the man I could share my life with. Once youd got over your fright and you werent frightened of what might threaten me, but only of what threatened you once the danger was past, then as far as you were concerned it was exactly as though nothing had happened. I was your little songbird just as before your doll whom henceforth you would take particular care to protect from the world because she was so weak and fragile. Torvald, in that moment I realized that for eight years I had been living with a stranger, and had borne him three children -! Oh, I cant bear to think of it! I could tear myself to pieces. Nora overcomes and defeats the life she had been living in and proves to herself that she could do what she believed in.
Nora defeated the old theory of it was the duty of the wife to stay at home, look after the children, and attend to her husband. Through realizations and determination Nora gains the strength to leave Torvald and her children. She did not want to be the wife she knew that she was not. Nora was tired of living the life that Torvald and her father expects of her to live. Nora is a woman who over comes woman power and independence and sets out to explore life by herself.
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