A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR KCSE CANDIDATES

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTIONS

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Wafula Wekati 

After looking at easy ways to analyze A Doll’s House for Kenyan secondary schools, let us now have some practice questions for students and teachers. 

Before answering the questions it’s important to learn some simple ways of writing essays based on A Doll's House.

Tip: Some of these sample essays may lack full textual illustrations and are simply meant to guide the learner on how to go about essay writing. Ensure you know the process of essay writing before you attempt writing the essays. 

Always support every claim with sufficient textual backing while attempting to clearly highlight the embedded moral value.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

1.    Self sacrifice must be rewarded. Write an essay to validate this claim basing your illustration on Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, most women are portrayed as being selfless.  They give up their valuable time, comfort and possessions in order to help other people. This does not go unrewarded.  Anne, the nanny, halfheartedly leaves her own child in order to help Nora and her three little children. By so doing she gets an income and a good place to live.

Nora, a character in A Doll’s House, is selfless. She borrows 250 pounds from Nils Krogstad in order to save her ailing husband’s life. When they get married, Torvald Helmer leaves his job because there is no prospect of promotion. He then works early and late to provide for his family. He overworks himself and falls dreadfully ill.  The doctors tell Nora that the only thing to save his life is to live in the south. Nora makes a great sacrifice when she borrows a tremendous amount of money in order to facilitate the trip. A woman is not allowed to borrow money without her husband’s consent.  Since her husband would not allow her to borrow the money, she is forced to forge her father’s name in order to get the money. She takes this risk for the sake of love. After a year of staying in Italy, they come back and Torvald is well and sound as a bell. Indeed, women sacrifice themselves for those they love.

Moreover, Nora also sacrifices for the sake of her three little children when she leaves her home fearing that she may corrupt her children.  Due to the societal expectations, she is convinced that she is a corrupt person as a result of her lies and pretentious nature of her marriage. Her marriage to Torvald is full of deception. She lies about trivial things like eating macaroons to serious issues like borrowing money from Krogstad and telling her husband that she got it from her father.  Torvald convinces her that such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Fearing to deprave her own children and poison her home, Nora chooses to leave. Leaving her children is an unbelievable act of self sacrifice. She does it for their sake. Ultimately, she achieves independence from a suffocating male-dominated marriage and gains freedom to try and understand her role in society.  What a big sacrifice!

Mrs. Linde also plays a sacrificial role in the lives of her mother and her siblings as seen in A Doll’s House.  She abandons Nils Krogstad the man she loves, and marries a rich man whom she does not love for the sake of her family. Her mother is bedridden and helpless and her brothers depend on her so she has no choice but to abandon her true but penniless love and marry a man of means who she does not love.  She is glad that she makes the end of her mother’s life almost free from care.  She is also proud of what she does for her brothers for they are since independent. This is a big sacrifice on her side and a reflection of how women in the society in A Doll’s house are selfless.

Lastly, Anne is also portrayed as a selfless woman. She sacrifices her happiness for the sake of Nora and her three little children when she leaves her child out among strangers. Nora wonders how she could abandon her own child. Anne says she was obliged to, if she wanted to be Nora’s nurse since Nora had no mother. She is depicted as an affectionate woman. Nora Helmer says Anne was a good mother to her when she was little. As a result of her selflessness, Anne gets a salary and a good place to live.

In conclusion, it’s true to say that most women are selfless and thus play sacrificial roles in the societies in which they live. Their acts of sacrifice never go unrewarded as seen in A Doll’s House.  

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

2.    Things are not always as they seem. Write a composition based on A Doll’s House to validate this assertion (20 Marks)

We live in a world of illusions where what you see is not always what you get. Truly, all that glitters is not gold. Nora’s marriage to Torvald seems like a perfect, happy marriage but it turns out to be a suffocating prison for Nora.

First, Nora seems like a silly, childish woman that is extravagant, hardly self-reliant and only good for housekeeping.  However, her actions prove that she is wise, mature and strong willed. Her husband refers to her as a little squirrel and a little spendthrift. Torvald overworks himself and falls dreadfully ill.  She borrows a loan of 250 pounds when her husband falls sick in order to facilitate a year long vacation in Italy for him to get some rest as recommended by the doctors. She does needle work and crocheting to pay off the loan herself. She also saves the money she gets from her husband so she’s not a spendthrift after all.  This is great sacrifice. When her husband rebukes her for borrowing the money, she leaves him. This shows her strong will and independence. It turns out that she was never happy after all. Indeed, things are not always as they seem.

Also, Torvald seems like a loving, strong, benevolent husband. Later we realize that he is petty, selfish and cowardly.  He is a vain man who only cares about his reputation and what others think of him. The reason he gives for wanting to dismiss Krogstad is that he assumes an overly familiar tone with him when others are around. Even his wife finds this narrow-minded. He is too weak to deliver the promise to risk his life’s blood and everything for Nora’s sake. When he gets wind of Krogstad’s impending blackmail, he calls Nora a criminal and a miserable creature and forbids her from raising the children. He is fearful of being exposed. All that glitters is not gold.

At first, Krogstad seems to be a bitter, vengeful extortionist but we later realize that he is actually merciful and sympathetic. Nora borrows a loan of 250 pounds from him and forges her father’s signature in the process. Torvald Helmer plans to dismiss Krogstad from his position at the bank after he is made manager. Krogstad is forced to blackmail Nora in order to keep his job and clean his reputation.  He writes a letter to Torvald with the details of his secret transactions with Nora. He does all this for his two sons. When he gets reunited with Mrs. Linde his old flame, he sends Nora's bond back, revealing his merciful side. Krogstad is an earnest lover. Things are not always as they seem.

Doctor Rank is introduced to us as a very good friend to the Helmer’s. Nora says that he is Torvald’s best friend. He visits them on a daily basis. Little did we know that he is secretly attracted to his best friend’s wife.  He even confesses this to her. His true motive for the daily visits is his love for Nora.

Lastly, the Helmer’s marriage appears loving but it is not. It is full of lies, pretence, play-acting and an unequal relationship. At first Torvald seems like an affectionate caring husband calling her pet names and giving her money and Nora appears happy, flirting with him and playing with the children. Cracks appear when we come to know of the deception. She lies about trivial things like eating macaroons to serious stuff like borrowing a loan without her husband’s knowledge. She says she got the money from her father. Torvald is also seen as a selfish man who does not love Nora but only cares about public reputation. Nora acts childishly but hides her true nature from her husband. Eventually she is forced to leave Torvald.  She says that she was not happy at all. Surely, things are not always as they seem.

In brief, appearance can be deceptive. It is true to say that things  are not always as they seem.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

3.    Selfish individuals can cause pain to themselves and others. Write an essay based on A Doll’s House to validate this statement. (20 Marks)

Some people only think about their own advantage and opinions that other people have of them. Such selfish people always bring misery to themselves as well as those around them. One such person is Torvald Helmer. He protects his reputation so much causing suffering to Nora his wife.

Torvald causes pain to Nora when he treats her like a child and a play object instead of a wife and an equal partner. He calls her silly names like squirrel, skylark, and little spendthrift. He forbids her from eating macaroons because he wants her to look beautiful for him. He only thinks about his public reputation even at the expense of his wife’s happiness. He does not want to keep Krogstad at his job, even after his wife begs him to, because says people will think that he’s influenced by a woman.  When he finds out about Krogstad’s betrayal, he rebukes his wife even after promising to do anything for her sake. All this causes pain to Nora who says she was never happy. She leaves Torvald and her own children with a quest to rediscover herself.

Torvald also causes pain to Krogstad when he dismisses him from his job for trivial reasons. When Torvald is made manager at the bank where Krogstad works he plans to fire him. Krogstad committed an indiscretion-forgery, and this has made society to view him in ill repute. However, this is not the reason why Torvald wants to fire him. He wants to fire him because he assumes an overly familiar tone with him even when other people are around. When his wife asks him to keep Krogstad at his job he refuses because of what people will say. Krogstad was trying to win back as much respect as he could for the sake of his children. When Torvald dismisses him, he is distraught.

Torvald causes pain to his children. He does not love his family. He only cares about other people’s opinion of him. When Nora borrows a loan from Krogstad without his permission, he thoughtlessly admonishes her and even forbids her from raising her children. He calls her a criminal and a miserable creature. When she could not take it anymore, she decides to leave, leaving the children under the care of a maid, Anne. The children suffer the pain of growing up without a mother.

Lastly, he causes pain to himself as a result of his own selfishness. He suffers when his wife decides to leave him. Torvald is a conceited man who only thinks about himself. He dismisses Krogstad from his job for selfish reasons. He also mistreats his own wife just to appear strong before the world. He restricts her from doing what she wants and treats her like a doll-an object to be played with. The marriage is hinged on deception and pretence. When he shows his true colours of a man who only cares about himself, Nora decides to leave. As a chauvinistic control freak, Torvald is shocked. What will society think of him! Thus he brings suffering upon himself.

In conclusion, a selfish man who only cares about other people’s opinions of him based on his action causes misery to himself and others.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

4.    The society in A Doll’s House is portrayed as one that inhibits personal freedom. Write a composition to validate this claim basing your answers on Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. (20 Marks)

The society in A Doll’s House is one that has conventional codes that have a controlling effect on what individuals. People are prevented from expressing what they feel. One has to conform to societal expectations or suffer the backlash. Such a suffocating atmosphere creates misery.

Torvald only cares about what the society finds acceptable and respectable. He is concerned about the appearance of his wife and his home more than her happiness. He forbids her from eating macaroons because they will ruin her teeth. She tries to convince him to keep Krogstad at the bank but he only thinks about what the bank employees will say-that he is easily swayed by his wife. He fires Krogstad not because of the indiscretion or being bad at his work but because of being overly familiar with him when other people are around.  He forbids Nora from raising the children, but wants her to stay under his roof because he wants the marriage to appear perfect in the eyes of the world. His life is controlled by society’s influence.  

Krogstad spends much of his life in disgrace because of society’s moral standards. He committed an indiscretion-forging a name. He tries to win back respect by keeping his job at the bank. He is even forced to blackmail Nora.  His blackmail works because society cares about certain repressive moral values.

Nora plays the role prescribed for women in this society. She plays with her children, dresses fancily and dances for her husband. Her husband treats her like a doll. She is not allowed to borrow money without her husband’s consent. When her husband falls ill she is forced to secretly borrow two hundred and fifty pounds from Nils Krogstad.  She even forges a name in order to get the loan. The society’s moral values completely ignore an individual’s personal identity. Nora behaves in a childish manner at first but she is obviously mature, wise and strong-willed. She decides to leave Torvald and the children. He asks what the world will think of that. Indeed, the society has a repressive effect on her life.

Anne’s life is ruined because of one youthful mistake-she gets pregnant out of wedlock. The society frowns down upon this. She is forced to leave her own child out among strangers and to work as a nanny to get a decent place to live and a source of livelihood. The man who got her in the family way is not interested in taking up the responsibility.

To sum up, the society in A Doll’s House is controlling on an individual and this results in negative consequences for most of the individuals.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

5.    Both parents and children have an obligation to take care of each other. Write a composition in support of this statement basing your argument on events in A Doll’s House. (20 Marks)

Parents are tasked with the obligation of raising their children in a morally upright nature; this is because children are impressionable and they ape what they see. On the other hand, children have an obligation to care for and protect their parents as well. Nora plays with her children. She also does not tell her father about Helmer’s illness because she does not want him to worry when he is ill himself. 

Mrs. Linde is portrayed as a caring and affectionate daughter. She makes a sacrifice for her mother. When her mother was bedridden and helpless, she breaks off her relationship with Nils Krogstad, a man she loved and marries a rich man whom she does not love. She needed to provide for her ailing mother. Her selflessness pays off when she manages to make the end of her mother’s life almost free from care. She is proud of herself for this.

Nora is also a caring daughter. Although she feels like her father, just like her husband, mistreated her, she still loved and cared for him. When Torvald falls ill, she is forced to forge her father’s name in order to incur a loan of two hundred and fifty pounds from Nils Krogstad. She reveals that the reason she did not simply ask her father to sign the bond is that she did not want to bother her father since he was sick. Thus she plays her filial role of protecting her father from disagreeable news in order to spare him anxiety.

On the other hand, Nora’s father was tasked with the role of raising her daughter well but due to societal norms, that does not seem to be the case. She says that she has been greatly wronged by her father. He forced her to have the same opinions as him. He called her his doll-child and played with her like a doll and she grew up and made nothing of her life. All she does is perform tricks for her husband. She reckons that her father committed a great sin against her.

Parents have a duty to live responsibly or risk harming their children inadvertently. Dr. Rank is ailing and even eyeing imminent death. He inherited a deadly disease-consumption of the spine, from his father. His father is famous for his youthful amusements. His reckless lifestyle negatively affects his poor son. Rank sends a card with two black crosses to the Helmers hinting that he succumbs to the illness.  

In conclusion, it is indeed true to say that both children and parents have an obligation to take care of each other.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

6.   Human relations based on lies are bound to fail. Write an essay based on A Doll’s House to validate this statement.

We live in a world full of lies, pretence and falsehood. The society in A Doll’s House is no different. The Helmers marriage is not a happy one as it seems and Dr. Rank’s visits to the Helmers have more to it than meets the eye.

First, Nora lies to her husband Torvald concerning several things. She lies about eating macaroons and about Krogstad’s visit. She acts childishly when she is not. She makes Torvald and Mrs. Linde believe that she is a shallow minded individual who is incapable of any serious transactions. She even borrows a hefty loan from Krogstad and lies that she got it from her father. Further, she forges her father’s name in order to incur the loan. She is not allowed as a woman to borrow and her obstinate husband would not accept help from a woman. When her husband finds out about this deception, her marriage is wrecked since she chooses to leave her husband and children in pursuit of independence and personal fulfillment. The 8 year union crumbles because of lies and pretense. 

Also, when we meet Dr. Rank, we regard him as Torvald’s best friend. He visits the Helmers on a daily basis. He seems like a close friend to Torvald Helmer. Nora tells Mrs. Linde that he is Torvald’s best friend. However, there is an ulterior motive behind his daily visits. He reveals to Nora that he is secretly in love with her. Thus we see him as a pretentious man. He uses his close ties with the family to visit Nora everyday yet his motive is not clearly known. His revelation makes Nora uncomfortable. She asks the maid to bring the light. Dr. Rank's hidden intentions cause a slight strain between Nora and him. 

Nora’s marriage to Torvald is enough proof that things are not always as they seem. It seems like the Helmers enjoy a happy, enviable marriage.  On the contrary the marriage is riddled with deception. On many occasions Nora lies to Torvald. She acts childishly and performs tricks for Torvald in order to please him yet behind his back she is a wise, mature woman. She understands financial transactions including borrowing and repayment. She makes works secretly in order to repay the loan. Torvald is also deceptive. He says that he’s willing to put his life on the line for Nora’s sake. Instead, he admonishes her bitterly when he finds out about her secret. Nora chooses to leave Torvald. Surely, this is a society full of deceptions.

Lastly, Torvald is also portrayed as a deceitful character. He pretends to be a loving, generous husband. He gives his wife money and calls her pet names regularly like a caring man.  In real sense he is a conceited man who only cares about his reputation. He dismisses Krogstad from his job even after his wife begged him not to do so. He does not truly love his wife as we first thought. He treats her like a play object. When Nora realises this, she leaves Torvald and their 8 year marriage breaks. Surely, it’s a world full of deception.

In conclusion, it is true to say that the society in A Doll’s House, as well as the world we live in, is full of deception which causes disintegration of human relations.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

7.  Unwise decisions can cause misery. Write an essay to qualify this statement citing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

    One ends up in anguish/affliction when they make imprudent decisions. A single injudicious choice may cause untold suffering to the perpetrators or others. Torvald and Krogstad are examples of characters in A Doll’s House who cause misery as a result of making silly decisions.

     Torvald chooses to treat Nora as an unequal partner in the relationship. He treats her as a doll; and talks to her playfully. He calls her pet names like little squirrel and little skylark. Instead of treating her like an equal partner, he controls her, denying her any liberty to be herself.  He forbids her from little harmless pleasures like eating macaroons. Because of Torvald’s manly independence, Nora is forced to keep secrets in order to maintain order in their home. Torvald is only concerned about Nora’s appearance and people’s opinion of him. He thinks Nora’s opinions are silly and insignificant. Because of his obstinacy Nora is forced to borrow a loan in order to save his life. In the process, she commits fraud.  She suffers trying to repay the loan. She works like a man doing copying jobs, embroidery, crotchet-work, embroidery etc. She saves but she says it is difficult and at times she is her wit’s end. When he finds out about the loan, he insults her. Nora says that Torvald never loved her. She has fought hard for three days. Nora was never happy, only merry. She had to pretend. Torvald’s overbearing nature causes misery.

    Krogstad’s decision to blackmail Nora causes profound misery to her. Nora is forced to borrow 250 pounds from Krogstad as a last resort, when Torvald falls ill. She forges her father’s signature in order to get the loan and to save her dying father anxiety. Krogstad decides to blackmail Nora for selfish reasons. He wants her to influence Torvald, the new bank manager, to let him keep his subordinate role. Krogstad wants to keep his job at the bank for self-respect. He heartlessly says that he will not part with the bond even if Nora had money to pay off the loan yet this is not part of the initial deal. He says that if he loses his position a second time, Nora would lose hers with him. He does not care about Nora’s children. He is callous and indifferent that Nora is suicidal. He even demands a higher (managerial) position at the bank. Krogstad punishes Nora in a bid to rehabilitate himself. This decision is rash since it causes Nora distress. She contemplates running away or killing herself. He loses his job at the bank all the same. He regrets and even decides to ask for his letter back unread. He also suffers surely, since he regrets and repents, and sends Nora’s bond back. Surely, injudicious decisions cause misery.

     Krogstad’s decision to forge a name is unwise. Nora says he may have done it out of necessity but Torvald maintains that it is by imprudence. He says Krogstad is forced to be a liar and a hypocrite. His lies poison his home filling it with germs of evil. He says that Krogstad has lost all moral character. Dr. Rank also says that Krogstad is morally diseased. Krogstad lives in a repressive, unforgiving and judgemental society and he knows better than to commit an indiscretion. He is forced to work hard in order to cut himself free from the bondage of “a diseased moral character”. He is even forced to blackmail Nora in order to keep his job and win back respect. He strains in restricted circumstances for one and a half years. Because of his sons, he has to clear his name. He suffers shame and disgrace since everyone regards him as a blackguard with a diseased moral character. He has to lie and poison his home and he even struggles to win back respect even through reprobate means like blackmail.

     Torvald insults Nora when he finds out about Nora’s secret. He calls her a miserable creature, a hypocrite and a liar. Furthermore, she adds that she’s a criminal. Since he only cares about his reputation he says that Nora has destroyed his happiness and ruined his future.  He even calls her a thoughtless woman. He is worried that people will think that he is a party to her “criminal” action. He wants to try and cover up everything before the eyes of the world.  He says that Nora cannot bring up her own children because he has lost trust in her but she has to remain in the house. He only cares about the appearance. When Krogstad sends Nora the bond, Torvald screams that he is saved. He only thinks of himself. He finally acknowledges the pain and misery Nora undergoes for the past three days. Nora shocks Torvald when she tells him that their marriage is simply an act; full of pretence. She decides to leave him since the wonderful thing (Helmer’s selflessness and sacrifice) she longs for does not happen.  He Torvald is astounded and he feels forsaken. Torvald begs her to stay claiming he is a different man-he suggests that they may live as brother and sister. He sinks in a chair and buries his face in his hands. He feels empty. He is dismayed about what people will say. Surely, his erratic decision causes him agony. 

    In conclusion, imprudent decisions may cause distress to us and to those around us.

     Do you think Dr. Rank makes an irresponsible decision when he confesses her love for Nora? Let me hear your views in the comments’ section below.

   

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

8. Write an essay to show how secrets damage relationships making reference to Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House?

Relationships built on trust and sincerity usually thrive. Keeping secrets can cause rifts and misunderstanding and thus ruin the relationship. In A Doll’s House Nora’s secretive nature ruins her relationship with Torvald and the children.

First, Nora secretly borrows a 250 pounds loan from Krogstad to facilitate their trip to Italy. The trip is recommended by the doctors after Torvald fell ill due to overworking. Since his life was in danger Nora tried to convince him to raise the money for the trip but he was adamant. She tried tears and entreaties, asking him to be indulgent to her and that she wanted a trip abroad like other young brides. Torvald dismisses these as whims and caprices. Nora then secretly borrows the money without his knowledge. Although she does it for the sake of love, the secret causes a strain in their marriage. Since a wife can not borrow without the husband’s consent, she struggles to conceal the matter. Nora admits that it has been difficult trying to repay the loan. When Torvald learns about her secret from Krogstad’s letter he calls her all sorts of names such as hypocrite and liar! Surely secrets damage relationship.

Apart from taking the loan secretly, Nora also commits fraud. She forges her father’s name. Krogstad promised to get her money on security of a bond, which her father had to sign. Her father died on 29^th of September yet the bond was dated 2^nd of November in Nora’s handwriting. Nora admits she forged the name to spare her dying father anxiety. Krogstad threatens to use this knowledge to compel Nora to convince Torvald to keep him at the bank. Nora is scared that if Torvald learns of the secret it would ruin their relationship. Krogstad had committed a similar indiscretion and lost his reputation. He threatens to blackmail her. In an effort to keep concealing her secret Nora tells the children not to tell Papa about Krogstad. Torvald says Krogstad is a hypocrite who poisons his children with germs of evil. He says that a bad mother ruins her children. She refuses to keep playing with the children despite them begging. The secret bruises the warm bond among Nora and her children.  

Nora’s secret about the loan and the forgery give Krogstad a perfect opportunity to blackmail her. Mrs. Linde is bound to take Krogstad’s subordinate position to the bank through Nora’s influence. Since Krogstad is trying to win back respect for himself, he vows to fight for his position. He threatens to write to Torvald about Nora’s fraudulent bond. The threat troubles Nora. She is worried about her children and family. She becoming paranoid and Mrs. Linde notices that she is concealing something. Krogstad even demands a higher position at the bank. Nora thinks of running away and committing suicide. When Torvald learns of the secret he hurls insolent expletives at Nora and bars her from raising the children. This leads to Nora’s awakening and her decision to leave. She leaves Torvald and the children.

For eight years in her marriage, Nora conceals her true feelings towards Torvald. Although she loves him, she feels greatly wronged by him. She has not achieved anything because of him. Torvald treats Nora like a guileless child and calls her pet names. He mistakenly thinks she is a lavish spender who cannot handle financial transactions. Earlier, Nora tells Mrs. Linde that the last eight years have been a happy time for her. She later confesses that Torvald never loved her and she was never happy-only merry. She simply pretended to like everything Torvald wanted. She conceals the fact that she enjoys an occasional macaroon. Torvald forces her to go to the Tarantella as a Neapolitan fisher-girl. To Torvald, Nora is a skylark or a little squirrel but she says she is reasonable human like him. She says Torvald has never understood her and they never held a serious conversation. She had kept all these to herself for eight years. This causes an irreplaceable damage to their relationship. Nora leaves Torvald and the children.

In conclusion, keeping secrets can ruin relationship. Relationships should be built on trust and sincerity.
 

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

9.  Selfishness does not pay. Write an essay to show the truth in this assertion in relation to Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.  

      Many of us are self-centered and we do things for personal gain. Sometimes we hurt others in pursuit of self-fulfillment. This vice usually goes unrewarded. Torvald and Krogstad are selfish characters and their actions do not pay off.  

     

     Torvald is a vain man who only cares about his reputation. His selfishness goes unrewarded. Torvald in his quest to guard his reputation lacks consideration for Nora. Nora borrows 250 pounds for a trip to Italy, since Torvald overworks himself and falls ill and the trip is to save his life as per the doctors’ recommendations. Nora is forced to forge her dying father’s signature, in order to spare him the anxiety, since she is not allowed to borrow. She keeps this a secret but expects Torvald to be a compassionate, loving man in the event that Krogstad spills the beans. When Torvald reads the letter and learns of the secret, he cries out that Nora has destroyed his happiness and ruined his future. He calls her a liar, a criminal and a thoughtless woman. Torvald is distraught that people may think he was a party to her “criminal” action.  He is indifferent to the fact that Nora borrowed the loan out of necessity for his sake. He forbids Nora form raising the children but wants her to stay in the house so that in the eyes of the world everything seems normal. When Krogstad sends the bond back, Torvald says that he is saved. Nora gets an epiphany that Torvald does not love her; that their marriage was an illusion. She was never happy, only merry. She decides to leave him and seek self-fulfillment and independence. She is tired of living with a strange, selfish man. Torvald desperately begs her to stay saying he is a different man-that they may live as brother and sister. When she leaves, he sinks in a chair and buries his face in his hands. He loses his wife; whose sacred duties are her husband and children, in his view.  For a man who cares too much about reputation and opinions, he is dismayed. He feels empty. Surely, selfishness does not pay.

    

      Krogstad’s selfishness is also unrewarded. Although, he is pushed against the wall by the repressive society, he has no right to punish Nora the way he does. They have a deal about a loan which Nora struggles and tries to pay faithfully, albeit with difficulty. Krogstad maliciously uses Nora’s injudicious act of forgery to blackmail her. When Torvald falls sick, Nora is forced to borrow 250 pounds from Krogstad to facilitate a trip to Italy to help Torvald rest and recover. Since women are not allowed to borrow, Nora is supposed to send the bond to her father to sign.  Her father dies on 29^th September yet the bond signature is dated 2^nd October and is in Nora’s handwriting. She has committed a forgery. She says Krogstad put so many heartless difficulties in her way. Krogstad threatens to blackmail Nora over this fraud. He tells her that it depends on her what sort of Christmas she will have. He wants her to influence Torvald not to dismiss him from his subordinate position at the bank, since he is the new manager. This causes Nora untold suffering. Krogstad does not care about Nora’s children. All he cares about is clearing his name. This makes Nora suicidal. She says she has thirty one hours to live. Krogstad taunts her about death by drowning in ice-cold water, floating up in spring looking horrible and unrecognizable. He even demands a higher (managerial) position at the bank. He goes against the terms of their agreement and says that even if Nora pays off the loan he would still not part with her bond. Eventually when Krogstad reunites with Mrs. Linde he wants to recall the letter unread. Krogstad, sends back the bond after reuniting with Christine, claiming he regrets and repents. Torvald learns that Nora has had three agonising days since Christmas Eve. His selfishness barely bears any fruits, since he still gets the sack and only ends up with regret. Self-centeredness does not pay, does it?

    

     Dr. Rank is a self-centered man. He visits the Helmer’s everyday in the guise of friendship. Nora says that he is Torvald’s best friend. We do not expect betrayal from best friends, something the good doctor does not know or simply overlooks. Dr. Rank considers Krogstad morally diseased and slanders him right before Nora and Ms. Linde. We expect him to be an upstanding man of character. They have light-hearted intimate chats with Nora which she finds harmless. She even shows him her flesh-coloured silk stockings. They laugh and smile with one another. Nora says she needs a tremendously big favour-that he helps her prevents something and says Torvald loves her and would be ready to die for her. Dr. Rank then confesses that he equally loves Nora, his best friend’s wife. This makes Nora uncomfortable that she asks Helen to bring the lamp. She loses trust in Rank. Nora clarifies that she loves Torvald but is pleased with Rank as a companion. Due this selfishness, Dr. Rank loses Nora’s trust and friendship and does not gain her love. To sum up, his selfishness goes unrewarded.

     

      Lastly, Torvald’s selfishness manifests itself in the way he treats Krogstad. Torvald dismisses Krogstad from the bank for a rather petty reason. Torvald has been made the new manager at a bank; Krogstad works here in a subordinate position. Torvald also plans to appoint Mrs. Linde in the same position. Torvald regards Krogstad as a liar and a hypocrite who poisons his home with germs full of evil. This is because he is guilty of an indiscretion-he forged a name. Krogstad blackmails Nora into coaxing Torvald not to fire Krogstad. Torvald says that it is already known at the bank that he means to dismiss Krogstad and selfishly says that changing his mind, at his wife’s bidding, would make him look ridiculous before his staff.  He overlooks Krogstad’s moral failings. He also acknowledges that he is a good worker. Despite this he still goes through with the plan to fire him because as a result of their past friendship Krogstad assumes an informal tone when people are around and this makes Torvald’s position at the bank intolerable. Nora thinks this reason is quite narrow-minded, and indeed it is. Krogstad is struggling to keep his job at the bank, in order to take care of his sons and to redeem and clear his name. Eventually, Krogstad sends the damning letter about Nora’s secrets to Torvald making him angry, insolent and openly inconsiderate. This reveals his selfish side. Nora decides to leave him. His self-centeredness is fruitless.

     In conclusion, being selfish may cause pain to us and to those around us. This insensitivity always goes unrewarded, surely.

     Is it fair to consider Krogstad selfish? Leave your thoughts in the comment section. 

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

10. Write a composition to show how repressive moral principles may cause pain to individuals citing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. 

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION 

11. It is vital for individuals to make decisions cautiously in life since decisions made hurriedly have far reaching consequences. Write an essay to illustrate this assertion from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll's House.

 More often than not poor choices have catastrophic outcomes. Characters in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll's house such as Torvald and Krogstad make some bad decisions that end up becoming a thorn in their flesh as my essay furthers.

 Torvald makes the decision to fire Krogstad from his job at the bank and it ends up breaking his family. Krogstad was blackmailing Nora using the forged bond and had asked her to make Torvald retain him at his post at the bank. Nora tries to convince Krogstad not to send out the dismissal letter as she knows Krogstad writes in papers and he will write malicious articles about him. Torvald says that not only is Krogstad immoral but he also does not like the familiar tone with which he takes with him while at work and it is for this that he wants him fired. Torvald refuses to be convinced by Nora and says that society will judge him harshly if he were to be manipulated by his wife and he ends up sending out the dismissal letter. Upon finding the letter, Krogstad comes back to the Helmer’s household and drops the letter detailing the forgery that Nora committed. Torvald’s anger is unlike what Nora expected as he finds out that she committed an indiscretion behind his back. His reaction convinces Nora to leave him. Despite his pleas, Nora rejects his advances and insists on leaving the house. Torvald ends up suffering at the end as a result of sending out Krogstad’s dismissal.

 Krogstad committed an indiscretion in his life that ends up painting him as a bad man in the society. While talking to Nora, he says that many years ago he was guilty of an indiscretion and he is glad that the matter never came to court but all his ways were closed after that. He says that his one false step that had lost him all his reputation was nothing worse than the one Nora did and he resorts to being a shylock. His action has spoilt his name in the town as even Dr. Rank says that Krogstad suffers from a diseased moral character and Helmer says that he forged someone’s name and calls him a guilty man. Krogstad loses the trust of the town folk and he says he must try and win back as much respect as he can. He struggles to redeem his name for the sake of his kids. He even tells Nora that for a year and a half he has not been in any dishonorable dealings. Krogstad also loses his job at the bank for his behavior and the job is given to Christine.

 Dr. Rank’s father also chooses to live a carefree life that ends up hurting Dr. Rank. Nora confided to Christine that Rank suffers from consumption of the spine as his father was a horrible man who committed all sorts of excesses and that is why Rank has been sickly from childhood. Rank also says to Nora that his spine has had to suffer for his father’s youthful amusements. He says that his father did not leave a healthy life as he was partial to asparagus and consumed heaps of port and champagne so he was an alcoholic. All his father’s musings end up affecting Dr. Rank himself who has not even had the pleasure of enjoying these things. Dr. Rank eventually says that he has done tests on himself and he is bound to die soon from his disease and tells Nora when the two black cards with crosses on top are sent, they would signify his inevitable death. Rank’s father chooses to live a carefree life and his decision ends up hurting his son.

Torvald chooses to treat Nora as a child and not as an equal partner in marriage and this leads to their breakup. When Krogstad sends out the letter detailing the bond, Nora had expected that he would take full blame for the bond and refuse to be blackmailed by Krogstad as he had high moral values. Torvald instead agrees to Krogstad’s terms, reprimands Nora like a child, denies his love for her and insults her for the forgery without even asking what the money was for. This proves that he is a hypocrite and coward to Nora. When Krogstad returns the bond, he says that he is safe and ironically forgives Nora for her actions. Nora realizes that she has been living a lie ever since getting acquainted to Torvald for the past 8 or more years. Nora says that they have never sat down to exchange as Torvald had forced his tastes and preferences on her. She says she has been a doll-wife just like she was her papa’s doll-child. Theirs has been a marriage based on pretense and she needs to stand alone to understand herself. She asks to separate from Torvald and the children with hope that if Torvald changes then she will come back. Torvald’s decision to reprimand Nora on the discovery of the bond ends up being detrimental as his wife leaves him.    

To sum up, individuals must be conscious of their choices because hurried decisions have consequences. 

 

     Others: Dr. Rank’s decision to confess his love to Nora that eventually makes Nora to lose the trust that she had in him.

 

 A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION

12. Self sacrifice must be rewarded. Write an essay to validate this claim basing your illustration on Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

Nora, a paragon of selflessness, gives up her own desires and wishes in order to help her husband and her children and spare her dying father care and anxiety. She sacrifices her self-worth, material comfort and opinions for the sake of others. These altruistic acts eventually pay off.

First, Nora sacrifices her self-worth and respect when she illicitly acquires two hundred and fifty pound loan from Krogstad in order to save her husband Torvald’s life. According to the laws and customs at the time, a wife could not borrow without her husband’s consent.  Nora’s husband Torvald was dreadfully ill and the doctors recommended a trip to Italy to aid in his recovery. He had earlier quit his job, overworked himself and fallen ill. Nora tries to coax him to take the trip by asking him for a tour abroad like other young brides. She tries tears and entreaties and even suggests that he takes a loan. He remains adamant forcing Nora to take a loan in order to save his life. She forges her father's name in the process. She does it to spare him care and anxiety about her husband’s life. She does it for love’s sake. Nora’s troubles pay off since the trip saves Torvald’s life. When they from Italy after a year, he’s healed sound as a bell. Nora sacrifices her respect but saves her husband’s life.

Nora endeavors to repay the loan secretly without her husband’s knowledge with a view of sparing him pain and humiliation of knowing he owed her something. In the process she gives up her material comfort. Torvald is a vain man who values manly independence. Knowing Nora took a loan for his sake would hurt him and upset their mutual relationship, so Nora decides to repay it by herself. She works tirelessly doing needle work, embroidery and crotchet-work. This affair causes her a lot of worry since it is difficult to meet her engagement punctually. She tells Mrs. Linde about her quarterly interest and payment in installments which are difficult to manage. She sacrifices her material comfort by buying the simplest and cheapest things in order to save part of the housekeeping money and pay the loan. She also tirelessly worked late doing some copying work to raise money. Nevertheless, she still buys Torvald a good table and her children smart clothes. Thus the money helps to maintain a beautiful happy home for Torvald and her three children.

Apart from that, Nora sacrifices her own preferences, aspirations and opinions in order to please and avoid upsetting her father and her husband. At home, her father influenced her to have same opinion as his. If she differed with him she concealed the fact to him. She was a doll-child to be played with. Nora feels that Torvald is just like his father. He does everything according to his tastes and forces Nora to acquire the same tastes. He considers her a childish play-object, a doll-child and their home is a playroom. He refers to Nora using playful pet names such as a little skylark and a little featherhead. He even forbids her from innocuous pleasure such as eating macaroons. He decides that she attends the fancy dress ball as a Neapolitan fisher girl. Nora blames Torvald and her father for failing to make anything out of her life. She gives up her own desires for the sake of her husband Torvald and her father, thus averting a strain in their cordial relationship.

Lastly Nora gives up her home and family in pursuit of self fulfillment and education. After persevering the suffocating environment of Torvald home for eight years, Nora decides to leave her children under her Nanny Anne’s care and go and seek fulfillment of her hopes and ambitions. Her marriage is rife with misunderstanding. As husband and wife they have never had a serious conversation. Nora has never been happy playing the role of a doll in a play room, yet she is a reasonable human being. Nora says that her most sacred roles are duties to herself not her husband or children. She is no longer content with what most people say, what is found in books, the law or religion. Since Torvald could not make a sacrifice for her sake, she says he’s not the man she thought he was. She leaves the children with Anne and says they are in better hands than hers. In order to make some strides in life and achieve personal objectives, we sometimes make hard decisions and sacrifices. Nora gives up her family with a view of achieving liberty and self-fulfillment.

In conclusion, self sacrifice pays off. When we are selfless we help our loved ones, avoid alterations or strained relationships and create joy.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION

13. Write an essay showing how desperation causes misery citing illustrations from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll's House.

When people find themselves in hopeless circumstances, they sometimes take rash decisions unwary of the danger they may cause. This may result in great suffering. Characters like Nora, Torvald, Mrs. Linde and Krogstad find themselves in desperate situations that bring about misery.

First, Nora is desperate to save Torvald's life but ends up suffering in the process. Initially, Torvald quits his job. He then overworks himself dreadfully by working early and late, trying to earn more than before. He falls dreadfully ill (P12). The doctors insist that he has to go south (P13). Nora is forced to borrow 250 pounds from Krogstad in order to facilitate the trip (P37,77). She tells Mrs. Linde that she procured money for the trip. Mrs. Linde is shocked and wonders if she won a lottery since a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent (P18). She deems it imprudent but Nora reveals that she takes the desperate measure to save her husband’s life. He was in a dangerous condition. In her despair, Nora tries to convince Torvald to take the trip as if it were for herself. She tries tears and entreaties, asking him to be kind and indulgent to her. She even suggests that he takes a loan. He is angry and refuses to engage in her “whims and caprices”. Nora has no choice but to devise a way out of the difficulty (P19). In her desperation, she secretly and fraudulently procures a loan to fund the trip (P40). Although Nora is glad that she saves her husband’s life, the secret repayment of the loan causes her a great deal of distress. It is dreadfully difficult for her to manage quarterly interest and payment in instalments. It is difficult for her to meet her engagements punctually. She is forced to save her housekeeping money and buy the cheapest and simplest things. She has even found other ways of earning money like copy writing, which she does every evening until late at night. Consequently, she becomes desperately tired (P21). In brief, it was a difficult undertaking for Nora who says, “Many a times I was at my wits end.” (P22)

Secondly, Mrs. Linde is desperate to take care of her bedridden mother and young brothers and this causes Krogstad and her pain in the long run. Nora wonders why she married her husband yet she did not love him. It turns out she did it out of desperation. Mrs. Linde's mother was alive then. She was bedridden and helpless. Mrs. Linde also had to provide for her younger brothers. She could not refuse the rich man's offer so she jilted her partner, Krogstad (P14). Her husband died and she has been a widow for three years now. His business went into pieces and he left her nothing – no children, sorrow or grief to live on. Nora feels sorry for her, saying she must have suffered (P10). Mrs. Linde tries her hand in running a small shop then a small school. Her last three years seemed like one long working-day, with no rest (P14). Her life is unspeakably empty so she needs a regular job or something to occupy her thoughts and keep her busy. Her unhappiness makes her so bitter. She is tired of her little backwater (P15). Krogstad considers Mrs. Linde heartless for she jilted him for a more lucrative chance. She tells him that she did it for her helpless mother and two little brothers – not for the sake of money. However, many a time she asked herself if she had the right to do it (P 86). Krogstad was hurt. He confesses, “When I lost you, it was as if all the solid ground went from under my feet.” He feels like a shipwrecked man clinging to wreckage. Mrs. Linde also feels like a shipwrecked woman having no one to mourn for or care for (P87). This misery is as a result of her desperate decision to marry the rich man. She begs Krogstad to take her back since she needs someone and something to work for. She offers to be a mother to his children when they join forces. Mrs. Linde's misery arises from her initial desperation.

Also, Krogstad is desperate to win back respect in town by keeping his subordinate position at the bank. He blackmails Nora causing her untold grief. Krogstad is so desperate to keep his job. He asks Nora to influence Torvald to let him keep his position which is to be taken by Mrs. Linde (P34). Nora confessed that, having a tiny bit of influence, she had pleaded Mrs. Linde's case (P33). In his desperation Krogstad is prepared to fight for his small post as if fighting for his life. He had lost respect when he committed an indiscretion (P35). He wants to win back respect for the sake of his sons. His first step up is keeping his post. Torvald's dismissal would be kicking him back in the mud (P36). He will compel her by telling her husband that she secretly owes him money. Nora cries that this will put her in a horribly disagreeable position (P37). Nora confesses to forging her father's name after Krogstad pointed out the discrepancy in the bond (P40). Nora's father died on 29th of September. His signature is dated 2nd of November. Nora tries to justify her indiscretion. Papa was ill and the trip was to save her husband’s life. Krogstad warns her that the law cares nothing about motives. He frightens her that if he loses his position again, she will lose hers with him (P41). Later, Nora tries to covertly plead Krogstad's case but Torvald dismisses her. He tells her about Krogstad’s wrongdoing and says that wayward children are influenced by deceitful mothers (P47). Nora refuses to be with her children despite them begging so hard (P48). She earnestly begs Torvald to dismiss some other clerk for the sake of their family. Later on, she contemplates desperate solutions like running away or committing suicide. She begs Krogstad to tear up the incriminating letter and promises to pay him. Nora appears worn out and acts wildly and nervously (P80, 83). She says she had thirty one hours to live before drowning in the icy black water, never to see Torvald and the children again. When Torvald gets learn of Nora's secret, he calls her a miserable creature. She is a liar, a hypocrite and a criminal who has ruined his future. He forbids her from raising her own children. She later confesses that she has fought hard and suffered agonies. She chooses to leave the ingrate, Torvald. Krogstad’s desperate effort to keep his bank job causes Nora untold suffering.

Lastly, Torvald is desperate to guard his reputation and he causes Nora pain. Nora keeps the secret about the loan she borrowed from him because he is a vain man who is hell-bent on preserving his reputation at all cost. Because of his manly independence, he would find it humiliating and painful that his wife helped him. This would upset their mutual relations (P20). In a bid to keep her secret, Nora tries to influence Torvald to keep Krogstad at the bank. Torvald says he feels physically ill in the company of fraudulent people like Krogstad (P47). He tells his “song bird” not to confer with and make promises to “a man like that” and not to tell him lies- A song bird must have a clean beak to chirp with (P44). She begs him earnestly to keep Krogstad at the bank and promises to sing and dance for him in the moonlight. She asks him to dismiss some other clerk for his own sake. Torvald is unafraid. He remarks that compared to Nora's father his reputation is above suspicion and he hopes to guard it. Since his staff know that he plans to lay off Krogstad, he would feel ridiculous if he changed his mind at his wife’s bidding (P59). He plans to fire him because he is overly familiar with him even when other people are present. When he sends Hellen with the dismissal letter, Nora desperately asks him to call her back. The letter could cause unspeakable harm. When he learns of Nora's secret, Torvald cries, “Miserable creature – what have you done?” He calls her a hypocrite, a liar and a criminal. She has destroyed his happiness and ruined his future. He is worried that people would suspect he was behind her “criminal action”. He demands she stays but not to raise the children. He does not care about her happiness only about appearance before the eyes of the world (P105). When Krogstad sends him the bond, he screams that he is saved. Nora feels greatly wronged by Torvald. She has been living as a poor woman existing merely to perform tricks. She has never been happy. When she decides to leave him, he is only distressed about what people will think. Nora expected Torvald to defend her and assume responsibility for the guilt but he is too conceited to make such a sacrifice. As soon as his fear about ruining his reputation was over, it was as if nothing had happened (P117). When Nora leaves, he sinks in the chair and buries his face in his hands. He says, “Empty. She is gone.”

In conclusion, desperate situations call for desperate measures which may result in nothing but agony.

A DOLL’S HOUSE ESSAY QUESTION

14. Proud people fail eventually. Making reference to Torvald Helmer in A Doll's House, write an essay to validate this statement.

People who are overly arrogant are bound to fail. Torvald Helmer is too conceited. He feels self-important on many occasions. Eventually he looks foolish when Nora decides to leave him because of his pride.

First, because of his actions of self-importance, Torvald treats Nora as a child and an unreasonable woman. Torvald never takes her seriously. He takes her playfully by the ear and refers to her by pet names that denote pride for example poor little girl or helpless little mortal. Instead of regarding Nora as a reasonable wife, he calls her a squirrel or a skylark. When Nora complains about having been in a eight year marriage that was devoid of any serious conversation, Torvald foolishly compounds the matter by averring that playtime is over and lesson time begins for both Nora and her children. Tired of his egotism, Nora decides to leave him. Torvald tries to forbid her like he would a child. He calls her a blind foolish woman and spells out her supposed most sacred duties – duties to her husband and children. Nora sticks to her guns further exposing Torvald’s pride when he dismisses her stand. He claims that it is unheard of for a girl her age to challenge conventional societal norms. That she talks like a heedless child. Reality dawns on him when he realizes that an abyss had opened between them. He is stunned that Nora is resolute about parting with him. In his despair, he promises to change and suggests rather ludicrously that she stays and they live as brother and sister. He begs her to allow him to write to her or help her if need arises but she declines. When she leaves he feels empty. Pride, really, comes before a fall. (pg. 108, 111-115, 117,118, 119, 120)

Secondly, Torvald cannot make any sacrifice for Nora because of his pride. He later on regrets this and begs her earnestly to allow him to treat her well. Following Krogstad’s impending blackmail, Nora hopes that Torvald would be selfless enough to take everything upon himself for her sake. That would have been a wonderful thing. Torvald is too haughty to make such a sacrifice. He claims rather absurdly that no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. Nora tells him that she cannot bind herself to such a man who only cares about himself. When Krogstad sends the bond, he wants things to go back to normal as they were before. To Nora, he is a strange man. Nora chooses to leave him. He is turned into a beggar, coaxing Nora to stay. He asks her to stay until the next day. He even suggests that they live as brother and sister when it becomes apparent that she is determined to leave. He offers to help her if need be. His hypocritical pleas prove futile when she leaves him, astounded and feeling empty. His pride leads to his inevitable fall. (pg. 106, 108, 117-120)

In addition to that, Torvald is too proud to openly express his love to his wife Nora. She exists only to please him. During the dress ball, he speaks so little to her. He only steals furtive glances at her, like a secret lover, enjoying the frivolous entertainment. Nora tells him that he has never loved her. He only thinks it pleasant to be in love with her. Like her father, Torvald treats her like a doll. She has to obey or pretend to like all their opinions and tastes. She exists merely to perform tricks for Torvald. Nora has never been happy in Torvald’s home. She is only merry. She decides to leave Torvald because of his excessive pride. Torvald is shocked. He wonders what he had done to forfeit her love. She has waited for eight years for him to stand up for her. This does not happen. When Krogstad blackmails her, he insults her instead of coming to her defense as she had hoped. She finds this odd. Torvald’s fall is clear when he implores Nora fervently when she decides to leave. He cannot fathom parting from Nora. He is willing to fill the abyss that has opened between them. He promises to become a different man. He offers to help her and request her to allow him to write to her. She declines help from a “stranger”. He feels miserably empty and stunned when she leaves him reeling in shock, his face buried in his hands. Surely, his pride results in his downfall. (pg. 96, 110, 111-120)

Also, Torvald is too chauvinistic to accept any help from Nora. His manly independence would make it too painful and humiliating for him to know that he owed her anything. Nora is thus forced to keep the loan she got from Krogstad a secret. If Torvald found out about it, it would upset their mutual relations and dampen their beautiful happy home. Nora is forced to repay the money secretly and this gives Krogstad an opportunity to blackmail her. The secret is her joy and pride and the revelation would put her in a disagreeable situation. She hopelessly tries to beseech Torvald to keep Krogstad at the bank to avert the blackmail but Torvald is too proud to listen to her. Eventually, Torvald's true colours are revealed when Krogstad lets the cat out of the bag. He calls Nora a liar, a criminal and a thoughtless woman. He is so worried about what people will think or say about him. He compels Nora to stay but forbids her from raising her own children. She decides to leave him because of his selfish  haughtiness. Torvald is forced to adjure Nora to stay. He miserably promises to change. He desperately asks her to leave the next day. He hopelessly fails to stop her departure even when he avers that they could live as brother and sister. Due to his pride, Nora regards him as a stranger she cannot bind herself to. She leaves him feeling dreadfully empty. (pg. 20, 36, 42, 61, 103, 110-120)

Torvald is too proud to borrow money. Nora grapples with the gargantuan burden of repaying a hefty loan of 250 pounds she incurred from Krogstad. When Nora suggests that they borrow some money before the new year, Torvald in his usual arrogant fashion labels her a little featherhead. He claims that Nora's suggestion is womanish and that there is no beauty in debt and borrowing. When he falls dreadfully ill, Nora hints that he raises a loan to facilitate the lifesaving trip to Italy. He almost gets angry and haughtily dismisses her “whims and caprices”. Nora is forced to borrow to save the money Torvald’s life and now she must repay the loan secretly. It is a dreadfully difficult affair and many a times she is at her wits end. When Krogstad threatens to blackmail her about the forgery, she hopes Torvald would sacrifice and say: “I am the guilty one”. He is, however, not ready to make such a sacrifice for her. Nora says she cannot bind herself to such a man and chooses to walk away from her marriage. She commands him to sit and listen as she recounts the pain she experienced in their eight year marriage. When she is determined to leave him, Torvald earnestly entreats her to stay. She asks her to leave the next day. He wonders if there is anything he could do to fill the abyss between them. He offers her help but Nora would not accept assistance from a strange man. Nora laughs off his ridiculous suggestion that they live as brother and sister. She walks away leaving Torvald hopelessly empty. Needless to say, pride comes before a fall. (pg. 2-3, 19, 116-120)

Lastly, Torvald’s pride is apparent when he seems to care more about his reputation than his wife's happiness. When Torvald finds out about Nora's secret he does not empathise with her. Instead of talking it out reasonably, he insults her calling her a liar, a criminal and a thoughtless woman. He demands an explanation from Nora whom he arrogantly refers to as a miserable creature. He compares Nora to her father, whom he says was want of principle. He blurts out that Nora has destroyed his happiness and he is being punished for ignoring Nora's similarities to her father. He is worried that people will suspect he aided Nora in her ostensible indiscretion . He is in the power of an unscrupulous man thanks to a thoughtless woman, he says. We know that his arrogance led to all this. Furthermore, he forbids Nora from bringing up her own children and demands that the matter be hushed up at all costs. He intends to paint a picture of normalcy to the outside world, unwary of the abyss between him and his wife. He struggles to guard his reputation at the expense of her happiness. Later on, Torvald is elated that he is saved when he gets the bond back from Krogstad. As a result of his apparent self-indulgence, Nora chooses to leave him. He unsuccessfully tries to implore her to stay. Nora commands him to sit and listen to her as she recounts her unhappy role in their marriage. She walks out terming him a stranger. He asks if he could be anything more than a stranger to her. Torvald's miserable pleas fall on deaf ears. He loses his dear wife because of his pride. (pg. 103-104, 106-108, 109-120)

Surely, pride leads to a fall. Torvald's arrogance results in his downfall. His wife leaves him feeling desperately empty.

 

 

Click here for essays on Inheritance, A Doll's House, Memories we Lost, A Silent Song and Blossoms of the Savannah. 

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