A Doll’s House – questions to consider after Act II
1. In what ways does Ibsen show Nora Helmer to fulfil the role of the Victorian woman?
Nora, on one hand rebellious and daring is at the same time a model for ideal Victorian housewives. Her family, Torvald and the children are her first priority and she is ready to sacrifice many of her own wishes for their well being. This however may not encompass what is necessarily best for the family however it demonstrates her obedience to Torvald’s wishes and veneration of is rules and ideas. This obedience is crucial to a Victorian housewife because her place in the marriage is not to make decisions, her prime responsibilities should be within the four walls of the house, to keep her husband and her children happy and to make the home a safe haven where her husband may find solace from the perils of the outside world.
2. In what ways does she not adhere to the role?
Nora’s dichotomy is that at the same time she is the ideal Victorian housewife, she is also the antithesis of the stereotype, recalcitrant and strong as she stands her ground instead of surrendering and upholds her personal values even though acting as if she followed only Torvald’s wishes not her own. As if intentionally, she breaks the smallest of his ground rules (macaroons) and the largest that are protected by the law (fraud). She blatantly lies about Mrs. Linde’s possession of the macaroons and exploits the sacredness of her marriage as she commits fraud behind his back and keeps it secret from him. Nora, quite childish and naive emotionally does not see the inappropriateness of her intimacy with Dr. Rank. She openly expresses disbelief when Mrs. Linde suggests a deeper relationship between them yet the interaction between her and Dr. Rank often touch on sexual innuendo- when Nora speaks ambiguously about Dr. Rank’s inability to pursue pleasure Dr. Rank and the audience are led to think whether or not Nora is conscious of the double entendre of her dialogue.
3. In what ways does Ibsen develop Nora’s character to present her complexity? In what ways might this have been a challenge to the audience of the period it was written in?
Ibsen reveals Nora’s multiple facets by introducing various other characters used to elicit a different aspect of Nora. For example Torvald brings out the child/ wife in Nora, around him she is obedient though capricious and ingratiating. By comparison with Mrs. Linde we become aware of her emotional immaturity however we also get an in depth look at Nora’s almost selfless motivations. By juxtaposing an idealistic characteristic for a Victorian woman with characteristics women would have been strongly reprimanded for, Ibsen demonstrates the limitations Victorian ideals have set for women and their potential beyond that. Audiences from the era would have found her recalcitrance preposterous and punishable so perhaps Ibsen wanted to pass on the idea that women and married women should be able to legally make important decisions within the family as they were capable of doing so without compromising the happiness and well being of her family. This is paralleled by Mrs. Linde’s success in taking care of her ailing mother and supporting her brothers. Being a widow there were no legal restrictions to her ability to work and is not only self sufficient but taking on the role of a wife to Krogstad and caretaker of his children. Nora’s secret meetings with Krogstad would also be a cause for concern, as women weren’t supposed to meet with their husband’s acquaintances when the latter wasn’t present. Nor should she be making illegal transactions behind his back no matter how loyal the cause. A woman should be transparent with her husband. Her ambiguous flirtation with Dr. Rank is more deplorable because of his status as a family friend but more so their blatant, indiscreet discussions about his syphilis a sensitive subject and social taboo.
4. What elements might have shocked a Victorian audience in Act 2?
Firstly the revelation of Krogstad as Nora’s creditor is shocking as the deed itself is immoral, especially, in the Victorian context, for a woman, behind her husband’s back. Nora’s flirtation with Dr. Rank would gain much disapproval as it suggests her infidelity in the sanctuary of her own home! And with her husband’s best friend, a factor that makes their innuendo more unacceptable. However, despite seeing so many faults in Nora we also see Torvald in a new light when he reveals his reason for firing Krogstad- his pride. His pettiness compels audiences to take a second look at
his “correctness” and begin to question his righteousness, wisdom and authority. It is also shocking that Nora was prepared to take her own life to protect Torvald from blame; such a hard decision was not expected from a woman so seemingly naive.
5. Through the presentation of Nora, what ways does Ibsen suggest that it is a necessity for a person to fulfil their “destiny”?
Ibsen always denied being a feminist as he advocated first and foremost, equal human rights. In his forward thinking he suggested that women like Nora should fulfil their destiny because equal human rights was the right path to follow and he encouraged women to make it happen rather than waiting for it to be. Nora’s infamous door slam asked women to stand up for the cause and be the change, no social change could occur if women themselves refused abandon coveted Victorian values. The structure of the play helps represent this symbolism. A well made play expects the plot to return to normal after the denouement however Nora shockingly decides not to accept Torvald’s pleads and forgiveness but chooses to leave her family without any particular set plan of action. Her daringness defies the bounds of set theatrical structure, and perhaps indicates the birth of a revolution in human rights. Ibsen’s controversial subject matter did make people stand up, his plays often elicited debates and arguments in theatres and venues around the world, they became not only a past time for people as traditional plays were meant to be, but a medium for social change, an object of conversation.
6. Does Ibsen build empathy for Nora in Act 2? If so, in what ways?
Ibsen does build empathy for Nora. Although many audiences would have reprimanded her, being aware of the full extent of her crime however audiences would also be moved by the extent of her devotion to her family. She is willing to kill herself for their sake. Her selflessness moves audiences and washes over the blame we assert to her, and we begin to transfer frustration with Nora, to frustration with short-sighted legal restrictions that begin to seem unreasonable. It is hard to imagine the chaos of Nora’s internal conflict, juggling the need to stay calm, maintain her stature as a wife whist contemplating suicide. The strength it takes to remain so calm is commendable and increases our empathy for her character.
7. Ibsen parallels some themes with other subplots in the play for example lies and deception, breaking the law, poisoning one’s offspring, if someone goes away – everyone will soon get used to it. Name which parts in the play it occurs and the effects it has on the audience.
All these subplots are interwoven into the play in act 2, for example we find out the true extent of Nora’s crime between her tense conversations with Krogstad, and her immediate change of character in Torvald’s presence. The idea that one’s children could be “infected” with moral corruption is introduced by Torvald whilst he reprimands Krogstad for poisoning his children. It has the effect of dramatic irony on the audience as Nora is the embodiment of the claim however there has been no evidence to be viable. Another questionable idea introduced and taken to heart by Nora is she believes Anne- Marie’s claim that anyone can get used to the absence of a parent in time. Despite many lapses in their arguments that their ideas hold truth, Nora takes them as knowledge and falls prey to their false arguments. It suggests that although Nora can be an adult, and has the potential to be one she is still widely immature and needs to gain experience by herself to understand and grow. It may allude to ingrained Victorian attitudes towards society and its functioning, how many people will take ideas as facts and change the course of their life for better or worse because of them, without even hesitating to question whether there is any other way to live or whether the way of thinking is correct at all.
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