Myumi Lee
IB English HL I
2023-24
Dr. Malashewski
Dialectical Journals: A Doll’s House
Selected passage
(inc. page #)
“Mrs. Linde: And since then
have you never told your secret
to your husband?
Nora: Good Heavens, no!
How could you think so? A
man who has such strong
opinions about these things!
And besides, how painful and
humiliating it would be for
Torvald, with his manly
independence, to know that
he owed me anything! It
would upset our mutual
relations together; our
beautiful happy home would
no longer be what it is now.”
(Ibsen 14)
“Nora. Call her back,
Torvald! There is still time. Oh
Torvald, call her back! Do it
for my sake--for your own
Analysis
Within this significant dialogue between Mrs. Linde and Nora in
the play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, a pivotal revelation
regarding societal expectations and the intricate weaving within the
Helmers' marriage unfolds. Nora's passionate refusal of the idea of
revealing her secret to Torvald serves as an intense commentary on
the established gender norms that excited within the 19th century’s
society. The commanding exclamation, “Good Heavens, no!”
signifies both Nora's steadfast determination and the oppressive
nature of societal expectations pushed upon women who lived in
that time period. This remark, laced with ardent denial, becomes a
language weapon that fights against the traditional expectation that
a wife should tell her husband everything. Torvald's “manly
independence” becomes a recurring motif and emerges as a key
point in this dialogue, accentuating the fragility of the male ego
when confronted with the prospect of financial dependence on a
woman. Nora's astute recognition of Torvald's “strong opinions”
subtly critiques the deeply ingrained patriarchal norms that
undermine a woman's agency, implying a delicate balance between
preserving a semblance of autonomy and conforming to societal
expectations. The strategic use of exclamatory language heightens
the impact of Nora's rejection, amplifying the underlying tension
between societal expectations and individual autonomy, ultimately
foreshadowing the impending disintegration of the Helmers' marital
frontage. Ibsen implies Nora's dialogic agency not merely as a
narrative device but as a profound view through which to scrutinize
and critique the restrictive societal constructs circumscribing and
delineating the women’s roles during this era.
Incorporated in Ibsen's A Doll's House, the heartfelt plea by Nora for
Torvald to retrieve Krogstad serves as a poignant exploration of the
intricate interplay between power dynamics and gender roles in their
matrimony. The urgency encapsulated in Nora's fervent plea unveils
 sake--for the children's sake!
Do you hear me, Torvald? Call
her back! You don't know
what that letter can bring
upon us.
Helmer. It's too late.
Nora. Yes, it's too late.
Helmer. My dear Nora, I can
forgive the anxiety you are in,
although really it is an insult
to me. It is, indeed. Isn't it an
insult to think that I should be
afraid of a starving
quill-driver's vengeance? But I
forgive you nevertheless,
because it is such eloquent
witness to your great love for
me. [Takes her in his arms.]
And that is as it should be, my
own darling Nora. Come
what will, you may be sure I
shall have both courage and
strength if they be needed.
You will see I am man enough
to take everything upon
myself.” (Ibsen 35)
Act 1 + Act 2
the impending crisis, laying bare the facades encasing their ostensibly
idyllic existence. The deliberate repetition of the entreaty, “for my
sake--for your own sake--for the children's sake,” orchestrates a
rhythmic cadence, exposing Nora's desperate struggle to salvage
familial equilibrium.
Torvald's cavalier dismissal of Krogstad as a “starving quill-driver”
epitomizes the pervasive societal arrogance prevailing among the
bourgeoisie, insulating themselves from the struggles of the less
privileged. This arrogance is further accentuated through Torvald's
assertion of self sufficiency in handling the repercussions, erecting a
veneer of invincibility. Ibsen deftly employs Nora's emotionally
charged appeal and Torvald's condescending reassurance as literary
devices to unravel the veneer of conjugal felicity. Nora's supplication
metamorphoses into a metaphor for her awakening to the fragility
of their meticulously constructed happiness. Simultaneously,
Torvald's patronizing tenor becomes a manifestation of societal
norms circumscribing women and perpetuating the illusion of male
omnipotence. This pivotal juncture establishes the prologue for
Nora's disillusionment, revealing how societal expectations and
entrenched gender norms coalesce to become constraining fetters.