Mrs. Linde has always been and will always be working for and dedicated to others. If not a source of tremendous joy, it is at least where she finds life most comfortable. During the years after her husband’s death, Mrs. Linde “had to scratch out a living somehow”, in order to support her mother and younger brothers. For three years she worked “without a moment’s rest” doing “a little teaching and whatever else [she] could find” (Ibsen 23). Once her mother passed and her brothers became self-sufficient, the pressure to support others was lifted from Mrs. Linde’s shoulders. When Nora comments that Mrs. Linde “must feel so free” now, Mrs. Linde’s response speaks depths about her character. “Oh no…” she says, “just unspeakably empty. I have nothing to live for” (24). Mrs. Linde is by nature a caregiver--- the stability of providing for others is an essential element in her life. She finds great pride in knowing she “was able to make her mother’s last days a little more comfortable” and in knowing that she provided her brothers with the care they needed (25). But when no one is dependent on her, she becomes anxious and uncomfortable.
Nora, on the other hand, feels no strong desire to care for anyone…especially her children. She does seem to love them, but she does not have unbreakable or undeniable maternal instincts to actually mother them. More like accessories which complement her lifestyle than actual human beings with needs of their own, Nora’s children are not particularly relevant to her identity as a human being. She is an individualist who must live for herself, not a caregiver who lives for others. Once Nora realizes her need to leave Torvald and to lead a life where she can truly understand herself, she does not struggle with leaving her children. “I am not fit to bring them up” she bluntly states, “I must be by myself if I’m going to understand myself and the world around me” (112). Cleary, being a mother is not what Nora feels is her purpose in life, not what brings her more joy than anything else, and not what feels natural to her. By creating such a character, Ibsen is pointing out that women are not designed simply to bear and raise children.
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House: A New Translation by Nicholas Rudall. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee Inc., 1999. Print.
