Relationship in A Doll's House Essay

A Dolls House

In Henrick Ibsens A Dolls House, the main relationship we see is Nora Helmer and her husband Torvald Helmers. Their relationship is seemingly influenced by their era. When first reading the play, one may suggest that the women in this play are victims of this era. As the plot develops, we see that the relationship is also influenced by Noras lies, which suggest she was also a victimizer in her relationship, aside from her era. By the end of this play, we see how Noras secret changes the relationship between the couple, as she violates the stereotypical role-play as a wife and mother in her era, which generates her inspirational growth.

Nora, the main character, was first introduced as a very sheltered, immature, and optimistic woman. Helmer we see as proud of his male role in society and in the household, father-like towards his wife, and greatly cares for his appearance in others eyes. When speaking to each other, Helmer communicates to Nora as if she was his child instead of his wife. He does this by things such as calling her nicknames with negative characteristics, such as his little lark, spendthrift and featherhead. Both Nora and Torvald, put on a face for the rest of the world and each other. Surprisingly, these choices of faade complimented each other. We gradually see how it isnt good enough for her, yet hides it anyways through most of the play. In this era, it is expected for a woman to go straight from her fathers hand to her husbands and the sacrifices it meant. Nora speaks of this in the end of the play, He played with me just as I used to play with my dolls. And when I came to live with you I was simply transferred from Papas hand to yours. Throughout the play, you can see that Nora looks for more control of her life, for example, when she talks to Helmer about Christine, She is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man so as to perfect herself. By sneaking around and manipulating her husband to do as she wants she feels she isnt as useless as everyone thinks she is. Their relationship is something we see today in many countries where women are considered a mans property. In more modern countries, wed like to think times have changed. During Noras era, women were not considered equal to men. It was uncommon for a woman to leave her husband and children.

Towards the end of the play we see a huge transformation in Nora, being that she feels she must leave for the reason that she needs something more out of life. An example of this is When I look back on it, it seems to me as if I have been living here like a poor woman just from hand to mouth. I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you would have it so. You and Papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault I have made nothing of my life. We also see this when she says, I have other duties just as sacred. Duties to myself. It is what leads up to this that lets one consider that even though woman are victims of this era, Nora plays as a victimizer in her relationship with her husband. She played a big role in her relationship being the way it was. Her personality towards her husband let him act accordingly towards her. We see this by the way she willingly responds to him when he calls her his squirrel and spendthrift. Although we see how she must play both roles, her husband was unaware of the way his wife was being fake towards him, he was not at wrong for treating her the way that he did. If he had still treated her as she did, even after she had tried to be truthful towards him all along, then it would have been understandable that she was just a victim of her era and the males in her life.

In conclusion, reading this play now, one may quickly presume that the women are victims of their era and the men in their lives. Looking at Noras relationship with her husband before and after the lies came out, we see that although Nora was a victim of her era, as was much of the women in her time, she was also a victimizer towards her husband and their relationship. Her lies were what caused all the conflict in her life, but in whatever way, it gave her the opportunity to find herself, while most women of her era could not. Being as uncommon as it was for a wife to leave her family, Nora leaving her family, lend to a new life for her. She went from being a victim of her era while perhaps a victimizer of her relationship, to a hero of her era.