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2004-11-15T03:32:51-05:00

Krogstad: Villain or Victim?

2004-10-15T21:58:07-04:00

Krogstad: Villain or Victim? In the play “A Doll’s House,” Henrik Ibsen effectively presents a sudden twist on characters by providing details in such a way that it changes the reader’s view on major characters as opposed to how he previously described them. For example Nora, the protagonist seems somewhat naïve and immature at first; yet she eventually captures sympathy as the play reveals some of her secrets. The focus of this paper is about Krogstad. Although depicted as rude and, he deserves a degree of sympathy along with Nora. One reason why Krogstad ought to have the compassion he deserves is that he feels forced to take desperate measures. He is determined to do everything he can to save his employment and the welfare of his family and if necessary “shall fight for [his] little job as if [he] were fighting for [his] life” (#931). Many years previously he was involved in a scandal that ruined his reputation. When Torvald, the new Bank manager decided to fire him, Krogstad realized that his family was threatened. Under such intense pressure he was able to blackmail Nora and Torvald. The case of Nora presents an interesting parallel. Realizing that her action would either let her father die with a broken heart or cause her husband to lose confidence as a father and provider of the family, Nora made the same mistake, making her offense “no more and no worse” than Krogstad is(#933). This dilemma which contributed greatly to our support towards Nora is essentially the same reason why we should give Krogstad the same empathy. Aside from saving his children, Krogstad wanted to “win back respectability” that he used to have before his reputation was ruined (#931). He wanted to be able to live a normal, peaceful life again as evidenced by his words: “I want to get on my feet again” (#947). His main motive was not to inflict trouble upon Nora and her family intentionally but was driven with a desire to lift himself from the mud the society had left him. In two instances he was abandoned by the ones he loved. After being left by Mrs. Linde for reasons of financial security, he was again abandoned by his wife later on in his married life leaving him with children to nurture on his own. He felt like the “ground had slipped away

A Doll's House Unmasked

2003-12-05T01:26:39-05:00

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House opens with a playful atmosphere between Torvald and his wife Nora. They seem as a happy couple with nothing to hide from each other. As the play continues to develop, this idea of cheerfulness becomes a misconception. Torvald manipulates Nora and treats her like a doll. Nora seems to enjoy this relationship, but when the reader learns about her true feelings and her past actions, we can observe that her true desire is to be free from her husband’s manipulation. The apparent joy and good-humored environment present at the Torvald’s household is just a way to hide the secrets and differences between the couple. In A Doll’s House, when Nora lies about eating macaroons, it can be considered as an example of an ostensibly humorous episode emphasized by a much more serious purpose. It is funny how Torvald asks Nora in a childish manner if she has gone against his will by eating macaroons: “(wagging his finger at her) Hasn’t Miss Sweet Tooth been braking rules in town today?” Nora hides the truth by answering that she has not had any macaroons that day. Torvald seems to be joking around with her, but the fact that for such a trivial subject Nora has to lie, denotes the tension in their relationship. Nora lies about the macaroons twice, first to Torvald and then to Dr. Rank. Rank and Mrs. Linde appear to be involved in a deep conversation about society when Nora breaks up into laughter at the thought of Torvald’s power at the bank. “What do I care about tiresome society?” replies Nora. She suddenly takes out a bag from her pocket and offers Rank some macaroons. She then lies, saying that Mrs. Linde had given her the macaroons, and makes both Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde eat some. Nora feels the need to lie about eating the macaroons because she feels guilty. The macaroons symbolize Nora’s deceptions, which reach the point of committing forbidden acts. These deceptions are the roots of the problems between the apparent happy couple. Nora fakes her attitude towards her husband in order hide all their faults. Eating the macaroons appears to be an inconsequential action with no importance, but for Nora it is important that Torvald does not find out she has been eating them. It is also extremely important for her that Torvald does not find out the

A doll's house

2002-12-05T13:00:00-05:00

In this scene, how does the dramatist effectively expose characters, relationships and issues so as to make the audience keen to see the rest of the play? Act one scene one from ‘a doll’s house’ by Henrik Ibsen is effective in many ways for enrapturing its audience. Henrik Ibsen successfully manages to introduce many themes and issues alone into the first scene. The scene focuses solely on the two characters Nora and Torvald. Our first impressions are that they are a happily married couple but there are many clues, which hint at the marriage Nora and Torvald have. It appears Torvald controls Nora. Ibsen seems to suggest Nora is a vivacious and cheerful character who is very spirited. Her humming and her smiling all add to the gaiety of her character. In contrast her characterisation to Torvald is very different. Ibsen portrays Torvald as an admirable man who is rigidly honest, a hard worker, and a man of high ethical ideals. He is serious and logical whilst Nora is not; she is made to be very feminine whilst Torvald is conveyed as the representative figure of masculine society. Their behaviour toward each other is affectionate, there does not seem to be any tension between them, Nora appears to be a submissive and dependent character. She exemplifies the roles expected of women and mothers during the time at which the play was set. But who is in control of the relationship is not clear. On the surface it does to some extent show that Torvald is in fact the dominant one in the scene. Torvald lectures Nora on the use of money, while she is left to ‘sulk’. Torvald addresses Nora as one would address her a child. (Quotation) She is Torvald’s ‘skylark’, his ‘squirrel’ and does not object to the terms he uses over her. In fact she plays up to him, she plays the role of a child and does not act the role of a mature married mother. Her role is soon very clear; while he lectures her gently and treats her as a child she uses the child like façade in manipulating him into giving in to her. Though Torvald is in charge, taking the leading male role, adopting a conventionally controlling tone when talking about the rules of money, it is Nora through her cajoling, teasing and asking who gets Torvald without him realizing giving her more money. It is

Dramatic Effects produced by the Addtions and Changes in the Final Version

2001-12-08T13:00:00-05:00

(English presentation on A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen) All great literary writers are very critical about their word choices. They try to select the words and the sentences to maximize the effects on developing the themes of their works. As a famous modern playwright, Henrik Ibsen also chooses his words and sentences very deliberately. In one of his best-known plays, A Doll’s House, Ibsen makes many changes and additions to his earlier drafts in order to achieve the most [appropriate and sufficient] dramatic effects” on the themes, and on the audience and the readers in his final version the play. The deliberate situation, word and sentence choices are evidenced in three passages in ACT III, which is known as the “discussion” act and falling action of the play. From the very end of “page 57” to the middle of “page 58”, Torvald describes how, at parties, he “pretends not to know her so that he may seduce her all over again”, and he is very “amorous with Nora” until Dr. Rank interrupted. However, in the earlier draft, Mr. Helmer has not drunk too much champagne and is not so amorous with Nora. Ibsen emphasized on the mental condition of Mr. Helmer and his acts as a result of his condition. As I know, people’s drunken words often reveal their real thoughts. Since Torvald is not sober, he reveals to Nora that their marriage is just a result of his “seducing” of her, which further demonstrates us that Torvald’s affection of Nora is only for his own enjoyment. Then, at the end of page 63, Mr. Helmer cries, “I am saved, Nora, I am saved!” instead of “You are saved” in the original draft. The deliberate word exchange from “you” to “I” is used to emphasize that Torvald is much more concerned about himself—his own appearance other than his wife—Nora. Later, in the middle of page 70, Ibsen added two lines to his draft: Hel. … But no man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves. Nora. It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done. The addition of those two lines illustrates that Torvald puts his honor above anything else, even above his wife who loves him and makes sacrifices for him. Those two lines also reveal the “theme” of the inequality between husband and wife in a marriage. Although all women are willing to make sacrifices for their loved ones, men are not. The

Act Two Scene 6

2001-05-29T14:00:00-04:00

What does this scene reveal about Nora? What is its importance in the whole play? In Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”, in Act Two Scene 6, Nora’s deceptive behaviour and desperation reaches its climax due to the arrival of the letter. This is because the letter contains the means she used to get hold of the money. During the time when the play took place, society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play the role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children and made sure that everything around the house was perfect. Work, politics and decisions were left to the males. Nora broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husband’s treatment. She did not borrow the money in the ‘right’ way instead she forged her father’s signature. By doing this, she not only broke the law but also stepped away from the role society had placed on her, being totally dependent on her husband. In this scene, she faces the truth in the letter. The person from whom she borrowed the money, Krogstad, wants payment on the loan. He also blackmails her about influencing Helmer to give him a better job at the bank and hence increase his position in society. This causes Nora to try to keep the letter away from her husband; but what is the significance of the letter and what does it mean to Nora? Possibly, this letter catalyses how Nora acts and how she thinks and she has been deceiving Helmer for the whole of their marriage. This included all sorts of deceptions. One thing that a good audience can recognise is how petty her lies become throughout the play. Nevertheless, no matter how petty her lies are, all she wanted is to cover up her secession. Associated with her deception is the situation she is now in, her desperation, which causes an avalanche of deceitful behaviour and thoughts. When Helmer asks if she is trying on her costume, her agreement is followed by “I’ m going to look beautiful for you,” which reveals and sums up her deception. The truth is that she is trying to sort out her next moves with Mrs Linde in how to keep Helmer away from that letterbox. Conceivably, Nora is beautiful as commented by Helmer, but what lies underneath her beauty are, the complicated thoughts and the idea of forgery. Nora

Nora Helmer and Women in American Literature

2000-10-29T13:00:00-04:00

Women were valued very little by nineteenth century society. The treatment of these women was also extremely negative; they were expected to stay home and fulfill domestic duties. Literature of this time embodies and mirrors social issues of women in society. Henrik Ibsen uses Nora Helmer in A Doll House to portray the negative treatment of all women throughout society during the nineteenth century. Many women characters throughout American literature reflect the same conflicts and attitudes of Nora in Ibsen's play A Doll House. The role of a woman was inferior to that of a man, especially in marriages. The main duties of a woman were centered around the home. They were expected to fulfill their domestic duties, such as caring for the children, cooking washing, and cleaning the household. She had the responsibilities of dealing with a household and she almost always had children to care for, which required strength and knowledge; however, being able too fulfill marital duties and satisfying her husband brought satisfaction to some married women. In the play A Doll House, Nora too finds happiness in keeping her husband pleased. She always 'play-acts' for Torvald, and she enjoys doing so. Nora has the responsibility of dealing with household issues. She basically oversees Anne-Marie, who is the children's nurse, in caring for the three small children; she is also responsible for doing household shopping as suggested in these lines: ...come here so I can show you everything I bought...new clothes for Ivar here--and a sword. here a horse and a trumpet for Bob...And here I have dress material and handkerchiefs for the maids. Old Anne Marie really deserves something more. (Ibsen 784) This proves that Nora does have responsibilities in her home, and she is capable of effectively caring for the members of her family. In Rose Terry Cooke's "How Celia Changed Her Mind," it is suggested that a married woman is nothing more than someone who is obligated to fulfill domestic responsibilities and duties. Mrs. Celia begins to understand and realize that the image she had of marriage being an equal partnership between the two parties is very uncommon, as illustrated in the following lines: "...she discovered how few among [women] were more than household drudges, the servants of their families, worked to the verge of exhaustion, and neither thanked or rewarded for their pains" (Cooke 472). A marriage, in the opinion of Mrs. Celia, calls for a woman to

A Doll's House's central theme

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

One of A Doll's House's central theme is secession from society. It is demonstrated by several of its characters breaking away from the social standards of their time and acting on their own terms. No one character demonstrates this better than Nora. During the time in which the play took place society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions were left to the males. Nora's first secession from society was when she broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husbands treatment. By doing this, she not only broke the law but she stepped away from the role society had placed on her of being totally dependent on her husband. She proved herself not to be helpless like Torvald implied: "you poor helpless little creature!" Nora's second secession from society was shown by her decision to leave Torvald and her children. Society demanded that she take a place under her husband. This is shown in the way Torvald spoke down to her saying things like: "worries that you couldn't possibly help me with," and "Nora, Nora, just like a woman." She is almost considered to be property of his: "Mayn't I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to no one but me -that's all my very own?" By walking out she takes a position equal to her husband and brakes society's expectations. Nora also brakes society's expectations of staying in a marriage since divorce was frowned upon during that era. Her decision was a secession from all expectations put on a woman and a wife by society. Nora secessions are very deliberate and thought out. She knows what society expects of her and continues to do what she feels is right despite them. Her secessions are used by Ibsen to show faults of society. In the first secession Ibsen illustrates that despite Nora doing the right thing it is deemed wrong and not allowed by society because she is a woman. While the forgery can be considered wrong, Ibsen is critical of the fact that Nora is forced to forge. Ibsen is also critical of society's expectations of a marriage. He illustrates this by showing how Nora is forced to play a role than be

The Doll's House Essay

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

A contributing factor to the story "The Doll's House" by Katherine Mansfield is the characterization of Kezia as she travels in her innocence through the symbolic world of experience. Kezia is essential to the plot because she represents a taboo, offering opposition to common ways of thinking. Through the portrayal of Kezia, as she interacts as the symbolic eccentric, Mansfield emphasizes the powers and blind justification of conformity within a society. The story commences with the arrival of the doll's house sent to the Burnell children. The Burnells take a great liking to this new acquisition. As the two older children admire the red carpet, red plush chairs, and gold frames of this highly ornamented house, Kezia, the youngest of the girls, takes an interest in the rather simple lamp. In fact, "what she liked more than anything, what she liked frightfully, was the lamp." This infatuation symbolizes her impeccability in comparison to the others as she is drawn to the unadorned lamp. Kezia proceeds to find fault with the state and proportions of the doll's house and perfection with the lamp in its simplicity. As others take interests in the gaudy nature of the house, Kezia rebels: "But the lamp was perfect. It seemed to smile at Kezia, to say 'I live here.' The lamp was so real." Conflict intensifies as Kezia remains the odd ball. The appreciation of the lamp is a metaphor for the actions to come. Kezia likes the lamp because she does not know any better. Thus, she decides to befriend the Kelveys because she doesn't see anything wrong in doing so. The Kelveys are a family that are shunned because of their economic status. Throughout the town, "Many of the children, including the Burnnels, were not allowed even to speak to them." Without a second thought, school children and their families followed in the consuming tradition of looking down upon these unprivileged people. Kezia offers offset to this common path of thinking and questions such a blind following. She asks her mother, "Can't I ask the Kelveys just once?" To which, the response is, "Run away, Kezia; you know quite well why not." Mansfield successfully expresses the enveloping and controlling nature of conformity through the juxtaposition of Kezia's innocence to the prejudiced views of those who live in the world of experience. While others remain to push Kezia's nonconformist qualities down, she pursues contact with the

Links between Crime and Punishment and A Doll's House

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

There are many links between Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and A Doll's House, by Henrik Isben. Each character goes through many ironic situations. Throughout both of the works all three types of irony are used. In this essay irony is going to be used to link the two works together. Dramatic, situational, and verbal irony are going to be used to link the two works together. Dramatic irony is used throughout Crime and Punishment. The reader knows that Rodion Romanovitch Raskolnikov killed the pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, and her sister, Lizaveta Ivanovna. A quote to support this is, "He took the axe right out, swung it up in both hands, barely conscious of what he was doing, and almost without effort, almost effort, almost mechanically, brought the butt of it down on the old woman's head." (Dostoyevsky 114) No one in the novel knows who killed the pawnbroker and her sister except for Raskolnikov. The police officer, Porfiry Petrovitch, suspects that Raskolnikov killed the pawnbroker and her sister but he cannot prove it. The reader also knows that Luzhin puts money in Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladov's pocket when she is not looking. After Sofya, whose nickname is Sonia, finishes talking to Luzhin she leaves. Sonia has no idea that Luzhin has put money into her pocket. Raskolnikov's friend, Andrei Semyonovitch Lebezyatnikov, was present when all of that takes place. "All of this was observed by Andrei Semyonovich." (Dostoyevsky 460) Luzhin goes to a reception for Sonia's father, Semyon Zakharovitch Marmeladov, and announces that Sonia is a thief. Sonia immediately denies the accusation. Luzhin tells her to look in her pocket. Sure enough the money that he was missing was there. Luzhin wants Sonia to marry him but she does not love him. Luzhin plans to blackmail Sonia into marrying him. Lebezyatnikov steps in to save the day when he says, "I saw it. I saw it.... And even though it's against my convictions, I would be prepared to swear to it on oath in any court of law you'd care to name, because I saw how you slipped it into her pocket on the sly!" (Dostoyevsky 465) A Doll's House also contains many examples of dramatic irony. In A Doll's House the reader is aware that Nora borrowed money from Krogstad without her husband's permission. Nora also forged her father's name to gain the money. She says, "You don't know all. I forged a