key quotes

• You have never loved me. You have only thought it pleasant to be in love with me. (P80)


  Through Nora's dialogue, Ibsen illustrates the change in the character from naivety to maturity
• Do I have to tell you that? Isn't it your duty to your husband and children? (P82)

  Ibsen explores gender roles, specifically highlighting that a woman should put her family before herself.
• I must try to discover who is right, society or me. (P83)

  Nora questions whether she should subvert the societal norms and do what feels right for her.
• Nobody sacrifices his honour for the ones he loves.... Hundreds and thousands of women have. (P84)

  Ibsen highlights the societal norms- that many many women give up their individuality and sacrifice everything for their family.
• He used to call me his baby doll, and he played with me as I used to play with my dolls. (P80)


  Nora recognises that has always been objectified, even by her father
• I've lived by doing tricks for you, Torvald (P80)


  Nora recognised that she has always done everything Torvald asked her to do. At this point in the play, her lines of dialogue become much longer than Torvalds
• The heavy sound of a door being slammed is heard from below. (P86)


  Final stage direction suggests the finality of Nora's key decision to leave her husband
• Can't I look at my most treasured possession? At all that loveliness that's mine and mine alone, completely and utterly mine?(P69)


  Throughout the entire play she is objectified by her husband- Ibsen highlights this even when the audience understand so much more about her.
• She takes a bag of macaroons out of her pocket and eats one or two; then she walks stealthily and listens at her husband's door. (P1)

  Symbol of macaroons represents the lies and deciet in Nora and Torvald's relationship
• my little skylark... my little squirrel... my little singing bird (P1-3)


  Use of diminutives to dehumanise Nora
• It's incredible how expensive it is for a man to keep such a pet (P4)


  Torvald constantly makes it seem like she's simply an animal he keeps
• Just like your father. Always on the look-out for money, wherever you can lay your hands on it; but as soon as you've got it, it just seems to slip through your fingers. (P5)


  genealogy- children are blamed for their parents mistakes from the beginning- perhaps a warning from Ibsen about the need for change
• As soon as Christmas is over... [the doorbell rings in the hall]... (P6)


  Nora and Helmer's conversation about their new life is interrupted by the stage direction with Mrs Linde's arrival. Perhaps Mrs L is partly responsible for Nora's final decision to leave T
• Ah, now you look a bit more like your old self again... you are paler, Kristine... and perhaps eve a bit thinner. (P7)


  Nora does not behave how we would expect with her old friend
• I won't be selfish today... Have you heard about the greate stroke of luck we've had in the last few days? (P8)

  Says that she won't be selfish them immediately is.
• He's our best friend and he always looks in on us at least once a day. (P10)


  Nora's close bond with Dr Rank is clear
• Life has to go on, and one starts thinking only for oneself. (P11)


  Mrs Linde highlights to Nora at the beginning that life can be different
• where you haven't known much trouble or hardship in your own life. (P12)

  Mrs Linde underestimates Nora to begin with but she soon understands what she's capable of
• I know you tend to look down on me, Kristine. But you shouldn't, you know. (P12)


  Nora knows that she is capable of more than people expect
• when it happens to be a wife with a bit of sense for business... (P14)

  Nora is proud of what she did to save her husband
• Torvald is a man with a good deal of pride. It would be terribly embarrassing and humiliating for him if he thought he owed me anything.(P15)


  Reputation is ever important and Nora would do anything to protect her husband's
• when Torvald isn't quite so much in love with me as he is now, when he's lost interest in watching me dance or get dressed up or recite. (P15)

  N recognises why Torvald is with her
• Then spring will be here and blue skies... When you're happy, life is a wonderful thing. [The door-bell is heard in the hall] (P16)


  Nora's hopes for the future are interrupted by the stage direction as Krogstad enters
• He's rotten to the core. (P18)

  Dr Rank describes Krogstad
• these are some Kristine gave me... you were't to know that Torvald has forbidden them. (P19)


  Nora's multifaceted character clear to Mrs L as she lies to Dr R about the macaroons
• You speak disrespectfully of my husband like that and I'll show you the door. (P25)


  Nora fiercly protects her husband to Krogstad
• That job in the bank was the first step on the ladder for me. And now your husband wants to kick me off the ladder again, back into the mud. (P26)


  Krogstad may seem terrible but he is just trying to protect his reputation
• [after a moments silence, throws her head back and looks at him defiantly] (P28)


  Stage directions show Nora's courage when dealing with Krogstad
• It's quite clear you haven't the faintest idea what it is you've committed. But let me tell you, my own offence was no more and no worse than that, and it ruined my entire reputation. (P29)

  Krogstad highlights that Nora's crime was fraud
• [The door half opens and Krogstad can be seen. He waits a little; the game continues] (P23)

  As Nora plays with her children, Ibsen creates tension by Krogstad appearing upstage
• [still leaning against the back of his chair, running her fingers through his hair] (P32)


  Stage directions show Nora's manipulation of T
• He can never drop the mask, not even with his wife and children. (P33)


  Dramatic irony- we now know that Nora is wearing a mask
• Krogstad's been poisoning his children for years with lies and deciet. (P33)

  Dramatic Irony- Nora has also been lying
• [pale with terror] Corrupt my children... Poison my home? It's not true! It could never, never be true! (P34)


  Nora's realisation of the trouble she has caused makes a dramatic ending to Act 1
• [the Christmas tree, stripped, bedraggled and with its candles burnt out... Nora walks about restlessly] (P35)


  The Xmas tree could symbolise Nora's state- she is gradually coming apart.
• Oh, if only I could rip them up into a thousand pieces. (P35)


  Nora says this of the fancy dress costumes- she is tired of pretending
• I've often wondered how you could bear to hand your children over to strangers. (P36)

  A suggestion that Nora may hand her children over to her husband
• And if my little ones only had you, I know you would... Oh what am I talking about! (P36)


  A suggestion that Nora may leave her children with Anne Marire
• Torvald is so terribly in love with me that he says he wants me all to himself... it used to make him jealous of sorts if I only as much as mentioned any of my old friends from back home. (P38)


  T prevents N from having any friendships
• It's already known down at the bank that I'm going to give Krogstad his notice. If it ever got around that the new manager had been talked over by his wife... (P42)

  Reputation and the importance of male power in the patriarchy