A Doll’S House By Henrik Ibsen Illustrates The Tale Of

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen illustrates the tale of Nora Helmer, a Norwegian housewife and mother, who ultimately and courageously takes a stand against her husband Torvald Helmer. During the beginning of the play Nora succumbs to her husband’s will and often does whatever it takes to please him. She listens to him in all matters and expresses her true feelings to her companions. The marriage between Nora and Torvald is delusive because he treats her, as the title proclaims, like a â€Å"doll†. By the end of the play Nora evolves from a child-like and secretive woman to a heroine of strong will. After confronting Torvald and calling him out on his sexist behavior towards her, she leaves her duties by walking out of what use to be her home.†¦show more content†¦It is Torvald who is behaving impulsively by choosing to say whatever he desires to Nora. Nora already struggles with her self-worth and desires to prove herself to everyone in stating, â€Å"Yes, Torvald still says I am. But little Nora isn’t as stupid as everybody thinks† (Ibsen, 9). Instead of being appreciative of the fact that his wife values his opinions, Torvald does not recognize how his words could impact or hurt Nora’s self-esteem. Torvalds’s condescending attitude is also depicted through the pet names he uses for Nora. In Act One Nora tries to help Krogstad regain a position at the bank. As she is informing Torvald how serious and important the situation is to her, Torvald proclaims, â€Å"Little song-birds must keep their pretty little breaks out of mischief; no chirruping out of tune† (Ibsen 31). In a marriage, a pet name may be used to address one’s spouse as a symbol of affection, such as the term â€Å"sweetheart† or â€Å"honey†. It is not the pet name itself that poses a problem. Nora does sing and perform, but the real issue lies in the way Torvald utilizes these names. Nora is more than a pretty face. Although she lacks certain skills, such as cooking, she places her husband before herself. This is conveyed to the reader when Nora explains to Krogstad the reason for her dishonesty. Nora argues that she forged her father’s signature in order to receive money to care for her husband