A Dolls House - notes on each Act.

• Nora is busy frolicking and playing games with her children, amidst an atmosphere of laughter and joy, when Krogstad’s reappearance puts an end to the merriment and the air is silent and foreboding. The children are taken away into another room, and Nora becomes rather apprehensive and uneasy. Her bright mood is quickly washed away when Torvald threatens her to reveal the secret of her borrowing money from and committing the act of forgery to do so. Upon realizing the end to her secrecy, Nora, who is always a mouthful, is shut silent. There is constant emptiness in the atmosphere, as though an unexpected wall had been broken, that which was so sure would always remain intact.  

• Macaroons, a favored sweet treat of Nora’s is apparently forbidden in the household by Torvald, so as to prevent damage to his wife’s teeth. The fact that she must hide and secretly eat them, shows how limited she is. Unable to even consume that which pleases her without her husband’s consent, demonstrates the little freedom she has. Torvald’s concern towards maintaining Nora’s teeth, ultimately her appearance, symbolize her as again a doll, a pretty figure meant to be shown of perfectly. Nora is unaware of her lack of independence and the extreme to which she is controlled, for if she was treated as an equal, or even an actual person, she could expect the minimal right to divulge what she likes, without fearing consequences.

Act Two-

• The Nurse we find had raised Nora in her younger years, as she had no mother of her own. Nora suggests to the Nurse the idea of her having to do the same for her children, should she fade from their lives as well. The Nurse tells her, the children are missing her as they are accustomed to having their mother with them, yet continues in saying they become accustomed to anything easily. This reassures Nora, in that they would adjust to her permanent absence as well as her temporary. It is rather foreshadowing, for Nora may actually be thinking of committing suicide or running away, from her conversation with Anne.

• Doctor Rank, from the interaction between him and Nora, we can decipher has syphilis, and is awaiting the time for his end. He does not wish Torvald near his sick-room as he understands it to be one of the things Torvald considers ugly. While earlier Rank was a mere friend of Torvald’s but now a sense of pity is created as he is nearing his death, with the childish fear and jealousy of being replaced by Christine (Mrs. Linde). However, his language with Nora is rather odd and uncomfortable, as it gives the impression that Rank has deeper feelings for her. This is with reference to his constant claims to be equal to Torvald in his compassion for Nora, as he too would be willing to give his life for her should it be necessary. Creating a conflicting opinion of sympathy and suspicion, Rank change’s our perspective altogether.

• Deeply apprehensive about the divulgence of her secret, Nora looks to persuade Torvald of sustaining Krogstad’s position in the bank. She suggests singing and dancing to please Torvald, in exchange for Krogstad’s job. Seeing as that was futile, she pretends to be afraid that he will tarnish Torvald’s name in the newspapers, as he did her father. When Torvald reassures her that his reputation is above suspicion, she prolongs. Torvald insists that nothing can be done, as not only poses problems of professionalism with him in office, but his dismissal has already been arranged not to be altered on the whim of his simple wife. He accuses him of being narrow-minded, a claim Torvald cannot seem to bear. He cannot believe she had the courage to address him so and continue her protest despite condemnation from him. This changes the setting of the once peaceful, happy home to an unexpected power struggle.

• Krogstad now in the anger of having been dismissed from his job, despite his warning to Nora to direct her husband otherwise, attempts to frighten her by suggesting the appearance of her body, once she commits suicide. Nora confesses having had such notions but admits to not possess enough courage to carry out the deed. The audience may partially consider this a possible outcome, for Nora is seriously considering the revealing of her dark secret to be the end of her. Krogstad’s blackmail adds additional pressure on Nora as well as the audience as what will truly happen when Torvald discovers the truth.

• The ‘wonderful’ thing Nora may be referring to could be her death. She proclaims to have only 31 hours more to live, and suspects deep down, despite the efforts, Torvald will indeed learn of her misdeed. She seems unable to bring herself to commit this to him, and fears the complete demolition of her fantasy home once all is put in the open. Her options look to dwell largely in suicide, regardless of her dearest efforts to somehow avoid the truth. At this point, Nora is confused and tired from hiding and stressing, and believes the dance to be the last night living her once spotless life.

Act Three-

• Mrs. Linde and Krogstad, known to be lovers previously, were forced to go in separate ways du e to the harsh, uncompromising demands of life. Yet, they coincidentally met once again, at a later point, where they may complete the dream of theirs left incomplete. Ironically, they unite in the Helmer’s, the house on the verge of splitting because of their arrival. Since their introduction, the downfall of the Helmer’s home began. Their connection is similar to that of an inverse relationship, where happiness in one, leads to demise in the other. It was in that very sitting room that they recreate their love story that Nora’s doll’s home falls apart.

•  Unlike the Helmer’s, the relationship between Krogstad and Christine, overlooks the prospect of love, but gives value to duties, independence, survival, and obligations. They, having had the option to choose one another, did not do so, for their family and other’s sake. In contrast, the Helmer’s relationship is rather selfish and fake. They even among themselves think solely of their own personal reputations and integrities. This implies that life outside the ‘doll’s house’ demonstrates prospects tougher than salary shortages and money wasting, such as the fight for survival creating the obstruction between desire and duty.

• The idea of a masquerade ball is quite relevant to the idea of a ‘doll’s house’ as both demonstrate a façade. The purpose of the mask, is to portray a certain feeling through the use of mask it remains hidden, what is truly felt. Similarly, Nora reveals her life as somewhat been like that of a masquerade ball. She has played with both by her husband and father, as a doll, a admiring plaything, forced to ‘mask’ her genuine opinions and affairs. Thus, like the ball, Nora’s life too is quite superficial, for like the masks, everything seems merry and perfect, when behind it all, nothing was ever right.

• The ending was probably the most effective, as the husband and wife ultimately settle their issues, through a discussion, something never done in their many years of marriage. Nora, always agreeable to the ponders of Torvald, and Torvald busy in always busy in business affairs is forced to acknowledge his wife not as his beautiful toy but as an equal human being and proper wife. Nora realizes the large lacking in her life, and understands despite the little love for him, the presence of her husband a continued obstruction to her journey of self- discovery.

• Ibsen, title the novel “A Doll’s House” for it represents the falsehood and superficiality of the Helmer family, that was incased in fake senses of joy and merriment, created by the characters’ themselves. The title refers to the setting where life provides all necessities along with additional luxuries, where money the root cause of the split of a pair such as Krogstad and Christine, is in abundant. Thus it is the place where money the central theme and necessity of society at the time was not an issue. However, ironically, despite having the luxuries the love pair and others was deprived of, the ‘doll’s house’ breaks, as it does not possess the hardcore foundation of trust, honesty, and understanding between the two in the relationship.