A Doll House

6 Pages 1501 Words

The function of the past in Ibsen’s play The Doll House is to generate conflict within Nora and between Torvald and her, and thus contribute to her decisive departure at the end. Nora and Torvald’s upbringing and experience cultivate their perception of conventional domestic roles. Moreover, other characters stories of their past reshape Nora’s point of view and give her encouragement to leave. Therefore, the past is significant in this play as it dictates the main conflict.
Nora and Torvald are nurtured in a society where male is the dominant figure. Torvald believes that the male should be protective of the female and head the family. At first, Nora has no complains and she just takes it as it is. She enjoys her “beautiful, happy home” (54). Therefore, Torvald claims himself to “have [has] strength and courage enough as a man to take on the whole weigh [problems] myself [himself]” (79). This believe of his which seems to the norm of the culture defines Nora as the weak. She is constantly nicknamed by Torvald as “song bird” or “poor thing” or “my little darling” throughout the text. Nora has no problem with Torvald’s masculine pride because she fantasizes that Torvald loves her and she understands him. She said to Rank, “You know how deeply, how inexpressibly dearly Torvald loves me; he’d never hesitate a second to give up his life for me.”(83) However, she is disappointed to Torvald outrageous response to past. That’s why Nora becomes another person and takes control of the situation for once and then come to a decision to exit.
Both Mrs. Linde’ and the maid, Anne-Marie’s story of their past has influenced her final departure. Anne-Marie, the nurse, has given her daughter to stranger so that she can work with Nora. Nora’s initial reaction is that she cannot understand how Anne-Marie did it. Nora’s thinks that her children might forget her once she leaves. She asks Anne-Marie whether her ...