A Doll’s House:

Motif: Finances and the roles of men and

women
By: Annalise Steinmann
and Glider Mapalad
Intro: Within the motif of finances and its effect on the gender
roles, it is through the hyperbolization of certain events,
imagery, and the characterization of Nora and Torvald that
Ibsen portrays dissatisfaction of the essential jurisprudence
that distinguishes the roles to be played between men and
women, highlighting and criticizing their disparities.
Beginning
Beginning
● “Spendthrifts”(15)
○ The use of this word by Torvald whilst discussing their ability to spend quasi-exorbitant
amounts of money undermines Nora’s own financial desires. Torvald brings up the term
“spendthrifts,” or people, particularly wives who go through exorbitant amounts of money,
whilst discussing with, or rather demanding Nora to check her potentially excessive
spending.
● “You have no idea what it costs a man to feed these little birds”(15)
○ This word choice of “little birds” made by translator Nicholas Rudall helps define the roles of
women and men as perceived in Norway in the 1800s when this book was written.The use of
the word “birds,” by translator Nicholas Rudall that not only describes the children Nora and
Torvald must care for, but lumps in Nora as well, further displays Ibsen’s dissatisfaction with
the roles played by men and women when it comes to finances, as the image of a bird
portrays a sense of vulnerability and fragility as birds are small, delicate creatures.
Beginning (continued)
● “Nora! Nora! You still haven’t come to your senses! Even at school you just loved to spend
money”(21).
○ This was also said by a fellow woman: shows deep integration into society to the point that
women criticize each other when they both should protect each other from this form of
emotional belittlement.
● “Good heavens, no! How could I? He has such strict rules about these sorts of things. And, well, like
most men, Torvald has his pride”(25).
○ This was said in response to Mrs. Linde’s questioning of Nora as to whether or not she told
her husband of her financial mishandlings, and the simple display of such shock helps
distinguish these roles.
Krogstad and Nora
● “No plan that I would put into practice.”(76)
○ Nora not having any method of paying back Krogstad is symbolic of women not having
accessible means of garnering a profit

● “I’m not asking your husband for a penny.”(77).

○ Krogstad is the foil character of Torvald, who is an allegory for male desire; Krogstad’s
discrepant actions understate the dominance of men in society
Female Perseverance
● “I forged a signature”(79)
○ Nora’s actions reveal the options to which women had to gain a profit
○ the fact that Nora had to exploit the system reveals the extent to which women were
oppressed

● “A women without any feelings was leaving her man when a more lucrative prospect showed
up.”(88)
○ This was the best option for Mrs. Linde; this requirement for Linde to sacrifice love for
wealth shows the extent to which women were oppressed.
 Ibsen highlights the oppression of women caused by the
dominance of men within his play, a Doll’s House. He does this
via numerous rhetorical ploys such as characterization and
symbolism regarding the motif of the roles of men and women
in finance. He highlights the dominance of men in an act of
proclamation to raise the social status of women, a belief to
which he strived to make true in his writing of A Doll’s House.