Annotated Bibliography

Blunt

Professor Kim

ENG 1123

20th November 2021

“A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen

As a play that majors on marriage between Nora and Torvald, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen’s is used to provide insights on love and marriage on if there can be love in marriage. Marriage has been brought out as a joining of equals. The play majors on the dissolution of a marriage which does not meet these expectations. In this evaluation we will major on how marriage has been brought in “A Doll’s House.”

Based on the play when marriage starts it tends to be fun and joyful. Nora and Torvald tend to be happily married. Nora tends to talk joyfully about her love for Torvald and Torvald refers to Nora through the use of romantic pet names. In the opening scenes Torvald refers to the wife as “my little Lark,” “squirrel,” and “songbird.” This shows how marriage has always been in the beginning before other issues come up. Their loving marriage is filled with love and minimal complaints. Even when Torvald is scolding her he ensures that he adds some loving words for instance, Torvald accuses Nora for wasting money and that character runs in her family. Torvald tells Nora she is “exactly the way her father was”. (1.50,50). However he adds that he loves his lovely little singing bird just the way she is. This shows how much he loves her.

Marriage has as well been brought out to be governed by major rules in the society which brought out the role of husband as well as wife. Nora says “Every time Torvald gave me money for new clothes and such, I never used more than half, always bought simple cheap outfits”(1.205,205). Torvald is expected to provide for his wife and kids for anything that they want. It is the role of every woman to use that which is given to her in a responsible way and avoid wasting.

The love between Nora and Torvald tends to be deceitful. This is because true love was not a main value when it came to marriage in 1879. When the Christmas tree is brought, Nora emphasizes to have the tree hidden till it is trimmed in order to be presented. This brings out her need to be perfect. When she sees that it is a matter of time till Torvald identifies her secret the tree begins wilting till it is “stripped of its ornaments with burned down candle ends on the disheveled branches” (2.485,485). The secret is brought out after tarantella which Nora performs for the family. She dances in a more wild manner as though she tries to rid herself of the deception that she has implemented in order to maintain her husband’s love. She attempted to stay at the ball longer in order to avoid facing her secret.

In conclusion, A Doll’s House brings out the theme of love and marriage. The play is revolving around Nora. It portrays the image that society has on the expectations of all women. The basis and impact of the story as a result of the timeline the play follows is based on the way, Nora and Torvald were brought out as equals. Also, how they face up to various conflicts during their marriage. The play brings out the nature of marriage in regard to the rules of marriage as well as trends of marriage.

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. “A Doll House.” Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell, Cengage Learning, 2017, pp. 883–940