A Doll’s House Notes
Top 5 Episodes
Episode 1: Opening Dialogue – the Formation of a Clichéd Marriage
Setting: ‘a piano,’ ‘engravings on the wall,’ ‘a what-not with china,’ ‘small bookcase with
leather bound books.’
o This is clearly the setting of a middle class home.
Use of epithets – ‘little squirrel,’ ‘little songbird,’ and ‘squanderbird.’
o Very derogatory, with ‘songbird’ having intertextual links to feminist literature.
o Representative of the mask Nora wears around Torvald.
o ‘poor little Nora.’
Theme of dependence – ‘on New Year’s Eve a tile fell off the roof on to my head’ – T ‘Don’t
say such dreadful things!’ – N
o ‘I’ll wrap up the [money] notes in pretty gold paper and hang them on the Christmas
tree.’
Lacks fundamental understanding of money in appearance, but in reality
she’s highly capable – this is the image Nora wants to convey to Torvald, link
to Feminist anthology = helplessness is admirable.
o ‘It’s incredible what an expensive pet she is for a man to keep.’ - T
Paternal, dehumanising.
Motif of the ‘bag of macaroon’ in opening stage directions.
o Nora lies about having macaroons blatantly to Torvald, ‘no, how can you say such a
thing?’
Petty lie builds on the paternal image in their marriage’s dynamic.
Small sign of rebellion potentially, indicative of her future rejection of
Torvald’s patriarchal love.
Idea that her looks will spoil should she indulge herself – shallow love.
o ‘(pops a macaroon into [Rank’s] mouth).’ = symbol of pride at the discovery that
everyone at the bank comes under Torvald.
Episode 2: Confrontation with Krogstad – Inciting Incident = Turning Point
Krogstad is met, but not fully characterised besides knowledge that he has mysterious
connections to Nora and Linde.
o Rank describes him as ‘a moral cripple,’ ‘morally twisted.’
Question-answer structure of the scene mimics that of a lawyer interrogating a criminal,
anticipating Nora’s criminal actions and condemning her.
o ‘You have a moment to spare?’ – insinuates power is in Nora’s hands, when it is very
well known it is not = power play. - K
o ‘I imagine [Torvald] has his weaknesses like other married men.’ -> use sex to
influence him. - K
‘My sons are growing up: for their sake, I must try to regain what respectability I can.’ - K
o Krogstad is a humanised villain, adding to the genre of the well-made play and
directly parallels Nora later in the play.
‘I can assure you it is no bigger nor worse a crime than the one I had
committed and thereby ruined my whole social position.’ - K
, o ‘This job in the bank was the first step on the ladder. And now your husband wants
to kick me off that ladder back into the dirt.’ - K
‘If I get thrown into the gutter for a second time, I shall take you with me.’ -
K
A humanisation of social climbers?
o Crux of the play is on the fact that ‘a wife can’t borrow money without her
husband’s consent.’ – L
‘Hasn’t a daughter the right to shield her father from worry and anxiety
when he’s old and dying?’ - N
‘Hasn’t a wife the right to save her husband’s life?’ - N
Episode 3: Things Get Worse For Nora – Conflict Deepens
‘I’ll do everything that you like, Torvald.’ – N whilst ‘decorating the tree.’
o Belief that Torvald is faultless in the marriage, a victim.
‘I’ll sing for you, dance for you.’ – N willing to play the part to retain her own
happiness = takes enjoyment from his satisfaction?
o Torvald ‘(wags his finger)’ after uncovering Nora’s lie that Krogstad had been talking
to her.
‘A songbird must have a clean beak to sing with.’
Reiteration of epithet reinforces use of dramatic irony = his idea of the lie is
so trivial to its reality.
o ‘little Miss Independent’s in trouble and needs a man to rescue her.’
Nora strokes his ego to manipulate him -> patronisation is permitted by
Nora = ironic.
Realisation that her children are in danger of being corrupted by her own attitudes.
o ‘he must wear a mask even in the presence of those who are dearest to him, even
his own wife and children!’
Ironic, we see both faces of Nora already.
Later would be used against him in her recognition of being in a ‘doll’s
house.’
o ‘an atmosphere of lies contaminates and poisons every corner of the home.’
Idea that Nora’s role in the public sphere is punished and intrudes on her
domestic sphere.
‘Every breath that the children draw in such a house contains the germs of
evil.’ – dramatic irony, he’s describing Nora.
o Nurse (Anne-Marie) – ‘a poor girl what’s got into trouble can’t afford to pick and
choose.’
‘But you daughter must have completely forgotten you.’
Nora sees herself in the Nurse, idea that she is toxic to the children taken as
fact.
Doesn’t even stop to consider that it’s Torvald that’s toxic.
Ibsen voices working class motherhood through Anne-Marie.
o Contemplates suicide = dark themes to mirror real life issues.
‘I shan’t be able to spend so much time with [the children].’ - N
‘Now I have the courage.’ – N, ‘Under the ice? Down in the cold, black
water?’ – K
