Reclaiming Independence: Search for Selfhood in A Doll's House, By Morgan Wood

In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll’s House, independence and the quest to achieve is a recurring theme in the play. Ibsen directs his audience to think of independence by indicating how marriage was typically structured in the late 1800s. In demonstrating this structure, we see that old society defines marriage and gender into distinct roles of different responsibilities.  The result was losing selfhood. While the audience would typically consider Nora Hemler, the wife, as the partner to most lose her selfhood, one must consider that Torvald Hemler, the husband, is a victim of losing selfhood as well. He, like Nora, is trapped to a similar standard that Nora is. A Doll’s House was an incredibly influential for the Victorian Era and modern time because it speaks to more than feminism.  After all, why stretch such importance in Act III not only on Nora but Torvald? As demonstrated in Act II, Henrik deliberately placed importance on both genders and their struggle for selfhood. In A Doll’s House, Henrik calls to attention how society views and classifies both Nora and Torvald into gender roles that try to terminate independence.   and is influential to independence that men and women appreciate in modern society. Ultimately, Nora leaves her family-setting a lifestyle recognized in this time as defiance.

Throughout A Doll’s House, Nora is classified by her peers as an acceptable woman: obedient, yet a bit foolish. Nora's dialogue with Miss Linde shows that Ms. Linde recognizes how predictable and naïve Nora is. She claims Nora is a "lunatic" (Pg.793), for conceiving a plan to save her husband and break the law and social code In Act II Ms. Linde states, "Now listen, Nora: in many ways, you're still like a child. I'm, a good deal older than you, with a little more experience…" (Pg. 810). Mrs. Linde is aware of the importance to conform to social norms, and fears that the consequences for Mrs. Helmer may be great, as a "mother-like" tone reassures it. Even within one's social group, Ms. Linde thinks Nora is slightly inferior.  "And You do, too, if you ask me.  You're not your Father's Daughter for nothing..." (Pg. 809).   Ms. Linde recognizes that Nora is toyed with men in their society, and Nora finally recognizes in Act II: "Are you forgetting that I'll be in control of your final reputation?" (Pg. 821). Both Ms. Linde and

Nora obviously classifies her husband as the superior in their relationship, as is remarked to Mrs. Linde in Act II "A man handles these problems so much better than a woman." (Pg. 811). Nora accepts that solving problems is something that men typically accomplish “better” in their role. It's quite obvious that Torvald has some control over the actions of Nora.  In Act I, Torvalds controls Nora's "sweet tooth," "[shaking an admonitory finger.]  Surely my sweet tooth hasn't been running riot in town today, has she?" (Pg. 787).  He views Nora literally as the ideal housewife and wants her to perpetuate this whole look.  He knows that by giving demands to Nora, it helps her maintains this image as well.  Torvald's waft of superiority is shown by constantly referring Nora to pet names, such as by calling her a “squirrel” (Pg. 785), and "sweet little lark" (Act I &II Pg. 787 & 825).   Their entire marriage is based on the commands of Torvald. In Act III, when Torvald recognizes the actions Nora took to save her husband, he furiously demands her complete compliance: "You stay right here and give me a reckoning. You understand what you've done? Answer! You understand?" (Act III, Pg. 835). 

All of Torvald's peers view him as well-respected, and superior in his class. Nora adores him, Dr. Rank respects him, and Krogstad is envious of him.  He is the ideal Victorian Era man.  During Henrik's time, men were in the workforce providing for their families and responsible for most of their assets. In return to Torvald treating his wife as inferior in their relationship, Nora feeds to his superiority by giving into his demands and accepting his commands, even when she secretly defies her husband, "You know I would never think of going against you" (Pg. 811).  For Dr. Rank, there is solemn respect for Torvald, as they have been friends since childhood: "…He's Torvald's Best Friend from childhood…Dr. Rank belongs to this house" (Act II, Pg. 810).  Even within Torvalds own gender, he is superior for being a banker.  Krogstad holds some negative views of Torvald, only because he is envious of Torvald's position.  As he states in Act II, "…It's not at like fine Torvald Helmer to have so much guts—" Pg. 819).  Torvald is seen to have some negative views with the modern audience of A Doll’s House, but as the positive reception from Nora breaking away from the norms of society shows, the negative or dangerous actions of Torvald show the conforming of gender roles is equally as important.  In the journal article "Ibsen's A Doll's House," Paul Rosefeldt explores the pollution of fathers in this sage of society, "In A Doll House, the absent father permeates all classes" (Pg. 84), as the father is Patriarch both in society and in the home, and viewed with respect and admiration. 

Torvald by his wife’s standards appears to be superior and an excellent husband that loves Nora, until the conclusion of Act III.  Nora treats her husband with just as much if not more respect for her husband than their peers and associates.  In Act I, she complies with Torvald's commands by saying, "yes, whatever you say, Torvald (Pg. 786).”  At this point in the play, it seems there is a fine distinction between Nora and Torvald.  Contemporary readers may believe that Mr. Helmer seems to be the antagonist in this story, since. He is the one that controls Nora's actions and demands her full respect.  Readers should, consider Torvald as a protagonist as well, and one just quite as damaged as Nora. He is staged in this "Doll House" just as Nora is. Nora and women at this time, were mistreated, while Torvald and the men were a result of societal leadership.  According to the words of Rosefeldt, "The inherited pollution of the father also inscribes Nora's behavior” (Pg. 85). Commenting on Nora's carelessness about debt, Torvald states that she is “[e] exactly the way your father was (Pg. 128)" (Pg. 2).  Perhaps Torvald is speaking more about himself than Nora in this context.  Men and their superiority encapsulate Nora in this trap. As she says, "He used to call me his doll-child, and he played with me the way I played with my dolls.  Then I came into your house--..." (Pg. 838). Torvald, in fact, needs to rely on his wife. At the conclusion of Act III, Torvald does everything in his power to convince Nora to stay, "Abandon your home, your husband, your children!  And you're not even thinking what people will say." (Pg. 839) From Torvald’s statement, the audience observes that he is taken back by Nora's defiance to society, as they both have lost their independence, and individuality. These classifications and views show that both Nora and Torvald are in an unloving, uncomfortable marriage.  They are pawns used for whatever society labels them as.  In Act III, Nora seeks for her own independence. Torvald responds to Nora's defiance:

            Nora: What do you think are my most sacred vows?

Torvald: And I have to tell you that! Aren't they your duties to your husband and children?

Nora: I have other duties equally sacred.

            Torvald: That isn't true. What duties are they?

            Nora: Duties to myself.

            Torvald: Before all else, you're a wife and a mother.

Here, Torvald classifies her as wife and mother.  There isn’t a part in the play that Torvald recognize her as an equal partner in love.  Nora, as shown in Act II, depends on Torvald for what she needs to say: "You know I could never think of going against you." (Pg. 788). Nora finally wants to discuss matters involving their marriage: "It's still not so very late.  Sit down, Torvald; we have a lot to talk about." (Pg. 837) The lack of conversation the two married had together, proving their marriage has some flaws.  Was it truly based on love?  Hannah Katarzyna and Emerson Zmijewska in their dissertation on the play, state: "…It is essential to stress according to socio-economic criteria of the period they are both traditional bourgeois spouses" (Pg. 126).  It would be probable for both characters to be happy in their marriage at a time because they both complied to the standards, until Nora does the unthinkable, "The way I am now, I'm no longer your wife" (Act III, Pg. 841).

            Above all else, Nora is seeking her independence and her own identity: "I don't believe in that anymore. I believe that before all else, I'm a human being, no less than you -----or any way, I ought to try to become one.” (Act III, Pg. 840). No longer is she seeking the approval from her peers or husband.  After, she realizes their marriage had no basis for true romance, she now has to find herself.  Zmijewska and Katazyna, discuss Ibsen's beliefs on the matter "' For me, liberty is the first and highest condition of life…' And that is why A Doll’s House had to be written, and Nora to make her momentous exit, in order to illustrate all the un-free, repressed human beings living in a social structure that puts more emphasis on superficial propriety and superficial beauty instead of absolute values."  (Pg. 108). 

Similar to Nora and Torvald's confided room for individuality, the traditional cultures of Asia are displayed in these structures as well.  Looking at the play through a modern lens, we see that Nora's self-hood is more relevant than ever; demonstrating its continual everlasting meaning and importance for human beings. Ibsen could not have anticipated the structure and norms of society today when he composed this in the late 1800s. Globally this play has had much influence.  People are curious to know what became of Nora. A representation of her has been shown through women's suffrage and other modern events. A less known but impactful example comes from Hyaeweoi Choi, a type of Nora during Colonial Era Korea. Ms. Hyaeweoi gives an account of real Korean events that were shaped by this era called "New Woman," based off of example.  In 1920 in a Korean magazine called “New Woman”, Hyaeweoi explains "The magazine opened the era of the New Woman with a profound sense of historical agency in asserting the ideas, vision, and sensibilities of women themselves in their new role as equal and legitimate members of society." (Pg. 62). 

            A Doll’s House, not only defied societal rules on gender and marriage, but it also led men and women in a modern society to uphold independence.  It's known that Nora and Torvald are seen quite differently from their peers, and even between each other. Nora is seen as an obedient housewife inferior to her husband, while Torvald is superior in their marriage and society in general.  Their marriage demonstrates the different responsibilities of men and women. As a result, both are classified and their indepdence is terminated. Nora seeks to escape her classification that both she and her husband have set in their household and seeks independence that is "...the first and highest condition of life", as described by the author himself (Zmijewska and Katazyna Pg. 108).  In the modern era, Nora is a more of idol for women who want to be seen as equal partners. Through a real-world experience in Korea, it is shown the real liberation of women recently bound by Japanese ruling of old traditions and values that fall apart in A Doll’s House. As George Simmel, a German Sociologist noted: "The deepest problems of Modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique life."  Thus, let the preservation of independence be implored in A Doll's House, and be remembered as defining, an underlying theme of this play.

           

Works Cited

Choi, Hyaeweol. “Debating the Korean New Woman: Imagining Henrik Ibsen’s “Nora” in Colonial Era Korea”. Asian Studies Review, vol. 36, no. 1, Mar. 2012, pp. 59-77. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10357823.2012.653001.

Mays, Kelly J. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 11th ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2014.

Rosefeldt, Paul. "Ibsen's A Doll's House." The Explicator 61.2 (2003): 84-5. ProQuest. Web. 28 Mar. 2018.

Zmijewska-Emerson, Hanna. "The Construction of Social Imagery in "Pillars of Society", "A Doll House" and "Ghosts": A Study of the Roots of Ibsen's Modernity." Order No. 9709367 University of Minnesota, 1996. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 28 Mar. 2018.