A Doll’s House, one of Henrik Ibsen work, is a play that points out on money-related issues and relationship issues between the characters. The primary aim of this response paper will be to analyze the characters in this play. The main actors who explained in this case is Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, and finally, Krogstad.
Nora Helmer is the leading character in the play in that most of the stories revolves around her (Langås 148). Apparently, according to her husband, she was more of a pet than a wife to him. The husband was used to calling her names such as "little squirrel," his "little lark," and, worst of all, a "featherhead" and apparently, this made her happy and contented (Pittman, Frank and Kalman 143). She has been keeping a secret from the husband of how he obtained a massive debt to help in saving his life. Her life has been quite a mess since then as she has been forced to work the odd jobs and skim money from the allowance she obtains from the husband so that she gets to pay the debt (Langås 149). Amazingly, she took the risk of committing fraud as a way of saving her husband, which points out of her daring and firm choices. According to her, love is more important than the law. However, when Torvald gets to learn of her action, he reacts negatively and makes Nora beware that their love was not real from the beginning and that she was just a “doll-wife” to him, the same case as she used to be a “doll child” to her father (Langås 150).
Torvald Helmer does not match up with Nora. According to him, he has never imagined considering Nora to be his wife. Torvald recognizes her as a “doll” based on his approach towards her (Pittman, Frank and Kalman 143). The fact that he is also overprotective of her makes her feel treasured even though the whole act is just pretense. Perhaps the ideal nature of Torvald can be said to be filled with hypocrisy. He is selfish in that he gets to have the fan with his friends and on the other hand, he does not allow his wife to experience the same sort of happiness. In the end, his life suffers a tragedy in that he is left alone with the children as the wife decides to depart from their marriage (Pittman, Frank and Kalman 155).
From the play, Krogstad is considered as an adversary as he has employed the aspects of using tactics in the course of the act. He is an intimidator, blackmailer and further instills threat on Nora, to ensure he secures his job at the bank. In the beginning, Krogstad points out clearly that his intent is for him to restore back his life. He was once involved in a crime but comparing it with Nora’s he sees it as a small issue. However, the most astonishing thing concerning him wanting to restore back is life is that he, as a result, blackmails Nora, which brings up the aspect of irony.
The play represents a tragedy that faces the society. According to Torvald, he mistreated women without sparing their lives and in the end; he was left alone to deal with his own life and that of his children. Apparently, Nora’s action to leave her home is justifiable, but in the end, this gets to be the habit adopted by all women who undergo the same suffering as hers, it will imply that the society would inevitably collapse.
Works Cited
Langås, Unni. "What Did Nora Do? Thinking Gender with A Doll's House." Ibsen Studies 5.2 (2005): 148-171.
Pittman, Frank S., and Kalman Flomenhaft. "Treating the doll's house marriage." Family Process 9.2 (1970): 143-155.
