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A Doll's House Symbolism Essay

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Throughout A Doll’s House, the use of symbolism is present. Through Torvald’s actions, the reader develops a clear understanding of Nora and Torvald’s relationship and thus developing theme. He treats her as if she is a child, but Nora doesn’t act upon this until the end of the play. This may be due to the constant reminder of her secret bank loan, which affects her attitude and interaction with her husband. Although not typically considered as imagery, stage directions are helpful to the reader as they provide visual information that the reader can use to help set the setting. Without prior knowledge of the play, the title seems odd, but as the story unfolds, the title becomes clearly connected to the plot and theme of the story. Through the …show more content…
Through the play, Torvald calls Nora by names [nicknames] that symbolize that their relationship is not as strong as it should be, and that he does not see her as an equal. These nicknames include “squirrel”, “spendthrift”, and “sweet tooth”. Overall, these nicknames depict the power Torvald has over his wife, Nora, and the inequality of their marriage. When Torvald calls Nora a squirrel, it shows that he does not view his wife as another human, but instead, an animal. For instance, in Act One, Torvald asks, “Is that my squirrel rummaging around” (Ibsen. Act I. Page 970)? After Torvald asks this, Nora excitedly agrees but does not comment on the nickname that she has been called. This simple, seemingly unimportant interaction symbolizes that Torvald has power over Nora, and …show more content…
Although it may not seem like the story fits the title at first, it becomes more and more evident throughout the duration of the play that the title fits the story perfectly. There are two different perspectives one could look at this with. From the dolls within a doll house, and as the owner of the doll house in this play. From one viewpoint, a reader can observe that Torvald acts as if he is the owner of the dolls and the doll’s house. Torvald time and time agin shows us that he has full control over Nora, who represents the doll, which is displayed through all of the nicknames he uses with her and the way he makes her feel when he isn’t confident in her sincerity. Whether it’s getting a blank loan or just simply sneaking a macaroon without Torvald’s knowledge, Nora becomes increasingly more nervous as she imagines Torvald’s reaction. Another display of Torvald’s ownership over the doll’s that shows his control is when he forces Nora to dance the tarantella. When Torvald asks Nora if she has practiced, she replies, “No, I haven’t practiced at all yet” (Ibsen. Act II. Page 1000). As soon as Torvald hears that she has not practiced yet, he reminds her that she needs practice and has no choice not to. From an alternate perspective, Nora can be viewed as the owner and her children are her dolls. This view can be supported because when Nora spends time with her children, all she does

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