A Doll's Hous And Nora
One critic put it best when she wrote, "Nora must walk the tightrope between what is right for her children and husbandÂ… and what is appropriate for her." (Hunter) Through out the whole play, Nora always acts "appropriately," but, not until the end does she act in a way that is best for her. The controversy that surrounded "A Doll House" made the play appear to be a radical comment on society that dealt with themes never before presented on the stage, until Ibsen came along. Although at first glance of the play, this theory seems to be up-held, upon closer consideration, it is quite obvious that Ibsen's intentions were not to rock the social order of the day. Not only is Nora the perfect archetype of the housewife of the era, but Ibsen admits his motives for writing the play were not to answer "the women's question," and that the ending is not a comment on women's independence.
Nora's character is not only a seemingly normal housewife, who appropriately does not care for her own children, but she also perfectly portrays every aspect of what a woman of her stature should. Nora's appearance is a key in unveiling Ibsen's intentions for this character. In every rendition of "A Doll House" Nora is thin, put-together, and very classy. There is even a scene in Act 1 in which Nora convinces her husband that she has not eaten any macaroons, hence possibly damaging her girlish figure, and going against what Torvald has suggested for her diet. (Ibsen) If her character had the intention to elevate women, she would not be forced to lie to her husband about consuming sweets. In every outlet of her life, she doesn't fail to uphold the image that people may have of a woman of her time. She is proper in her language, deliberate in her flirting nature, and very in-tune to what it is others want from her. And although a woman borrowing large sums of money with out her husband's consent was completely un-heard of at this time, the way Nora handles it is in line with the...
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