A Dolls House
Torvald
The play, A Doll's House, focuses on the way women were viewed in the past, especially in the context of marriage and motherhood. Torvald, in particular, has a very clear and narrow definition of a woman's role. He believes that it is the sacred duty of a woman to be a good wife and mother. In essence, he sees women as child-like, helpless, creatures detached from reality.
Torvald is a bank employee at the beginning of the play, and has just been promoted to bank manager. Torvald spends a considerable deal of his time at home in his study, focused on business, interacting very little with his children. In act one, at the beginning of the play, it is shown how he sees his wife as a helpless, delicate bird. Torvald says, "Is that my little skylark chirruping out there"(1385)? He also sees Nora, his wife, as a compulsive shopper; "a spendthrift" is another way Torvald describes her. Torvald says, "You can't deny it, Nora dear. [Puts his arm round her waist.] My pretty little pet is very sweet, but it runs away with an awful lot of money. It's incredible how expensive it is for a man to keep such a pet"(1386). Torvald blames Nora's actions on her father, he had similar spending habits. It seems, after Torvald helped Nora's father get out of some money trouble, he has held it against Nora.
Later in act one, Nora lies to Torvald about Krogstad, an employee of Torvald's at the bank, being at their home. He becomes very disappointed in Nora. Torvald tells her that Krogstad is a corrupted man. He lies and is a cheat and therefore, because of these things, his family suffers. Torvald says, "A fog of lies like that in a household, and it spreads disease and infection to every part of it. Every breath the children take in that kind of house is reeking with evil germs"(1404). Torvald also tells Nora, "Practically all juvenile delinquents come from homes where the mother is dishonest"(1404). Torvald is a...
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