Choose one of the discussion questions as the subject for your elaboration. Enlighten us with your thinking! You should post one elaboration each week.
Choose one of the discussion questions as the subject for your elaboration. Enlighten us with your thinking! You should post one elaboration each week.
Checking in to see how you are doing with your elaborations:) Looking forward to seeing your thoughts.
ReplyDelete#7
ReplyDeleteWhat does the reader learn when Helmer raises the subject of sweets, saying, "Hasn't Miss Sweet-Tooth been breaking rules in town to-day?"
This statement by Helmer frustrated me intensely. First of all, he is being extremely condescending. I do not believe that a man has the right to tell his wife what she can and cannot eat, do, or say. Putting these restraints on Nora show Helmer's blatant distrust of her. Secondly, I think Helmer is self centered, and this statement proves it. He wants Nora to be his daughter and wife all at once, which is not possible. He wants her to keep her appearance up solely because it is more pleasurable for him that way (in public and in private). I also think it hurts Helmer that Nora likes to indulge in sweets, which does not involve her husband at all. The fact that Nora can take pleasure in something other than pleasing her husband is incomprehensible to Helmer. And I personally think that is just ridiculous.
#8/9
ReplyDeleteWhen the family was short of money, what did Nora do so they could all celebrate Christmas? What does this symbolize, and what does it suggest about her character? What does the reader infer about the Helmer family's choice to have servants even when they are in tight economic circumstances?
Nora stayed up for three weeks to hand-craft Christmas decorations so her family could have a standard holiday. This demonstrates how dedicated, obsessive, and a hard-worker Nora is. She is never afraid to do what it takes to get what she wants; in this case, she desires to keep up appearances with society's standards. Nora herself said she enjoyed being creative and helping out the family. However, it just angered Torvald because he didn't get laid during this time. Torvald is so proud that he can't have his pretty little wife lift a single finger. Instead of making loans, maybe they should get off their lazy butts and do their own housework for once. I think it is healthy for both partners in a relationship to work in some capacity or another. However, as a feminist, that doesn't mean that women must only cook and wash the floor with a toothbrush.
“And you don’t have to strain your dear little eyes, and work those dainty little fingers to the bone…”
#47
ReplyDeleteWhy does Ibsen include the conversation between Helmer and Nora about the fancy dress ball?
I found this moment in the play to be especially revealing of the nature of Torvald and Nora’s relationship, and I think that’s why Ibsen wrote it in. Leading up to the mention of the ball, Nora and Torvald are discussing Krogstad’s visit to the house, and how he attempted to convince Nora to help him keep his job. Torvald scolds her about lying, to which Nora protests until Torvald drops the conversation in favor of his work. Nora could continue and explain why Krogstead wants his job, or ask about the situation, but instead she moves to the frivolous subject of shopping. Husband and wife had a chance to hold a serious conversation, but Torvald just wants his wife to obey him without question, and Nora falls into her subordinate role again. As she talks of dresses, she even says “Torvald, couldn’t you take me in hand and decide what I shall go as and what sort of dress I shall wear?... I can’t get along a bit without your help.” Nora’s switch from discussing a serious topic with her husband, to asking him to pick a dress for her, shows that Nora would rather act as an agreeable pet than as a woman who’s opinions conflict with her husband’s.
#11
ReplyDeleteHow is Nora's self-centeredness illustrated in her initial conversation with Mrs. Linde?
This conversation between Linde and Nora is one of my favorite parts of the whole play. Although it isn't the most exciting or suspenseful scenes, I think it is a prime example of Ibsen's true skill at crafting his plays. Just like we talked about in class, Ibsen was a realist author. As a part of his realist plays, he allowed dialogue and small character nuances to develop his story and characters, rather than make his characters deliver long soliloquies to the audience. This exchange between Nora and Linde is a completely average, believable conversation between two women; however, Ibsen is able to seamlessly provide crucial exposition and develop his characters. Nora, who at first appears friendly and caring by persuading Linde to talk about her life, actually shows her true feelings of superiority over Linde by "one-upping" all of Linde's stories. Nora continues to dominate the rest of the conversation. The rest of the chat between these women also provides years of important background information, including some of Nora and Helmer's financial status and Linde's marriage.
#22
ReplyDeleteWhy has Nora's work copying documents been so important?
I think the most important reason and the obvious reason is because this job is helping pay off the loans she received from Krogstad. She has to make sure her secret from the past is never revealed so that she can protect her reputation and appearance of a traditional woman who never does anything without her husband's consent. Ironically, while she is trying to protect her feminine and pure persona by copying documents, she is stepping into a man's role. Women would not have been trusted to do that kind of job. This minimal task of copying documents might seem tedious and unimportant to some people, but in Nora's mind it gives her a purpose and it fuels her need for independence. Although I'm glad she feels independent, it makes me sad and angry that she believes copying other people's work makes her valuable. She doesn't realize that women are capable of so much more and they have the power inside to make change and create original things!
#50 Why does Nora reject the return of her children at the end of this act?
ReplyDeleteNora rejects her children just after the part of the play when Helmer tells Nora, and the audience his views on how the traits of parents affect their children. His speech makes me really dislike him, becaus he talks about how the mother is the one that ruins the children, never thinking that her could have anything to do with it, which cause Nora to panic and refuse to see her children. She believes that because of what Helmer said, that she will harm her children because of her dirty dealings and refuses to go near them because of it. This shows how influential Helmer is on her, but also that Nora truly believes that she is a bad influence, which I think is foreshadowing for her departure at the end of the play, because she truly believes that she should distance herself from her children.
3. Torvald Helmer has several pet names for Nora. What do they include, and what do they say about how he regards her?
ReplyDeleteHelmer almost never calls Nora by her actual name and only refers to her with pet names like little sky-lark, little squirrel, and little spendthrift. He tries to make every name he calls her cutesy by adding little before it, when in fact, all he is doing is insulting her. No one wants to be called a spendthrift, because it is not an endearing term at all. Torvald knows this and calls Nora these names to keep her under his control. He tries to dehumanize Nora by equating her with forest critters. He sees her as subordinate to him and childish. This further enforces the father-child relationship between Nora and Helmer. Once Nora realizes she is in an unhealthy relationship with her husband, she leaves Helmer's control and is no longer a little squirrel. Therefore, she humanizes herself and becomes more than just a woman, but a human.
#24. At this point in the play, where is the power allocated among Helmer, Nora, and Mrs. Linde?
ReplyDeleteA strong sense of irony is present in this situation, as Mrs. Linde, a single woman of little fortune, has the most power. She is not only in the position to ruin her fellow woman Nora, but she is also able to potentially damage the social status and relationship of a man who she is socially beneath. By divulging her secret to Mrs. Linde, Nora has given her all of the power. Socially, Helmer has the most outward power, but he is not aware of the fact that he is indebted to his wife, and that a woman has the ability to ruin the life of that same wife, and of himself.
#31
ReplyDeleteHow does Nora manage the conversation when she asks her husband to give Mrs. Linde a job?
Nora's management of the conversation gives the audience penetrating insight into the inner workings of her mind. She seems to have Helmer entirely "figured-out" psychologically, and is able to manipulate him with ease. When Nora claims, "Christine is tremendously clever at book-keeping, and she is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect herself-" (27), she is discreetly flattering Helmer. By craftily asserting that Mrs. Linde is socially subordinate and needs a knowledgeable and intelligent mentor, Helmer immediately feels superior, powerful, and obligated to help the struggling widow to improve his reputation. Nora's cunning control techniques reveal the irony of her relationship with her husband; she is more capable and intelligent than Helmer is, but her status as a woman restricts her freedom.
#51 What does Nora's final comment - "It's not true. It can't possibly be true." - say about her state of mind.
ReplyDeleteThis question and statement reveals and solidifies a lot about Nora. It shows that Nora is losing the societal based traditional female identity she has had and that she is also losing her own personal identity. Nora is now no longer just the typical housewife she is "supposed to be" according to society. Along with this, she is losing the identity of power she once had. She believed she was in control and had everything set but now that the truth has surfaced, she has lost the control she fought so hard to keep hold of. Along with this, it shows Nora's incompetence in accepting truth and reality. Up to this point, Nora has lived in her own little reality and hasn't had to live in or see the world as it truly is. She is now seeing how sins can and will resurface no matter what happens and that there is always a consequence for a person's actions. It reveals how naive and flighty Nora truly is and how she is not as in control and strong as she believes she is.
51. Looking over Act 1, identify the protagonist and antagonist and classify Nora, Helmer, Krogstad, Mrs. Linde, and Dr. Rank as to whether they are round or flat characters.
ReplyDeleteThe protagonist would be Nora because her goal for the continued up keep of her family really drives the play.
The antagonist is Krogstad because his threats to Nora about revealing her secrets about forgery create a conflict in the play.
Nora: Nora is a round character because at the beginning of the act she is happy about her husband's new job and the money that they will be getting from this new job. At the end of the act she is now fearful of what Krogstad will do and how she is going to fix her mistakes.
Helmer: Helmer is a flat character because he keeps the same attitude throughout the act.
Krogstad: (I was sort of unsure about this but...) Krogstad is a flat character because he is motivated by the same thing, keeping his job, throughout the act and blackmails Nora.
Mrs. Linde: Mrs. Linde is a flat character because her attitude does not change throughout the act, even though she is offered a new job. She stays calm and is the voice of reason with Nora.
Dr.Rank: Dr.Rank is a flat character because he is the friend of Nora and Helmer. Not to much more is known about at this point in the play.
#35 What is ironic about the following conversation?
ReplyDeleteNora:When anyone is in a subordinate position, Mr.Krogstad, they should really be careful to avoid offending anyone who-who-
Krogstad:Who has influence?
In this converstation Nora is trying to threaten Krogstad by using the power her husband has over Krogstads life/career. The ironic thing about this is that Krogstad is the one that actually has the power over both Nora and Helmer. The secret loan and forged signature is enough to ruin the lives and reputations of Nora and Helmer, and by keeping the secret Krogstad has power.
#23 What danger's exist in Nora's employment?
ReplyDeleteHelmer would not approve if he found out Nora was working. He wants Nora to remain is "little skylark." He wants to continue on as the provider and paternal figure toward Nora. On top of that, Torvald would want to know why Nora was working and she would not be able to come up with a good explanation without telling the truth.
5. What does Nora's flirtatious behavior suggest about her relationship with Helmer?
ReplyDeleteNora is very flirty with her husband because she is trying to act like the wife both Helmer and the audience expect her to be. She conforms to the 'little squirrel' Helmer wants. The flirtatiousness feels shallow, as if she doesn't really love him, which is consistent with her revelation at the end of the play. Also the fact that she uses her flirtatiousness to get money out of Helmer shows that she cares more about money than about him.
Week #2 Postings begin below
ReplyDelete12. What assurances does Helmer give Nora when she is horrified about the firing?
ReplyDeleteHelmer's reaction to Nora's desperate pleas made me laugh out loud. He basically informs her that he is "MAN" enough to handle anything and that Krogstad doesn't scare him. Besides employing dramatic irony, this allows the reader to grow their hatred of Helmer even more due to his pompous and arrogant nature. PS Helmer isn't man enough to know the truth; he doesn't handle the cold hard truth very well at the end of Act 3.
This song reminds me of this play:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzkkrDYRGSU
Here is a Tarantella by Squire that I am currently working on at lessons. I love this version the best!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neW8iZu9WXA
13 What news does Doctor Rank reveal about himself?
ReplyDeleteDoctor Rank informs Nora that his death is imminent. He also tells Nora that he does not want his best friend, Torvald, there to see him die. He thinks that Torvald is too refined and proper to be at his side when he dies. This shows that even during his best friend's time of greatest need, Torvald would still only care about appearances. Because Doctor Rank is sickly and dying, Torvald cannot bear to be seen with him. Torvald believes he is above death.
14. What is Dr. Rank's confession to Nora, and how does it change the dynamics among the characters?
ReplyDeleteDr. Rank tells Nora that he is in love with her, and for Nora that means it gets real for her. She suddenly backs off of asking for his assistance because she does not want to ruin the purity of his feelings for her. I think that after living with Helmer, Nora appreciates Dr. Rank's real feelings that go much deeper than Helmer's do. Therefore she does not want to abuse her 'feminine power' of beauty when it comes to Rank. This disappoints Rank because Nora becomes more distant, but it is her way of respecting his feelings.
7. Why does Ibsen include the scene in which Helmer tries to convince Mrs. Linde to take up embroidery rather than knitting?
ReplyDeleteFirst, I think it adds a little bit of humor into this mounting tension that is about to explode. It demonstrates role reversal by Torvald talking about female crafts and I imagined Torvald telling Mrs. Linde in a gossip manner that knitting is simply not fashionable. In addition, it shows that Helmer is a control freak; he is trying to control his doll's friend.
Act 3, #17. What is Helmer's attitude toward Nora upon reading the letter?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if we touched on this aspect of the question in class, so I thought I would talk about some of my observations. Once Helmer reads Krogstad's letter, he is openly distraught over the revelation that his public opinion may be in danger. He projects his anger towards Nora over her actions. However, instead of speaking to her like the adult woman that she is, he begins to chastise her like a small child. He grabs her and pulls her towards him so that he may explain the repercussions of her actions. When Nora starts towards the door, he bolts the locks on their door and continues to lecture her since he hasn't finished his screaming. I think that this is another example of Helmer's mistreatment of Nora. Helmer, lost in the depths of his fantasy world, refuses to see Nora as an equal adult and chooses to treat her like his immature child instead.
Act 3 #5 What does the fancy-dress ball symbolize?
ReplyDeleteThis fancy-dress acts as Nora's "costume," in which she embodies the perfect woman for a husband and for society. This "costume" also represents how Torvald only cares about Nora's appearance and can not see beyond the surface: who she really is as a person. Nora's own husband and all of society is too distracted by the sparkles and the money she "wears" to see that she is an emotional human being. Her dress is what hides all of her internal problems and external problems with her husband.
P.S. For all you musical theatre lovers... this kind of reminded me of "Chicago" when he sings "Razzle Dazzle." In that song Billy is saying to give them a "show" in the courtroom to distract them from the truth. I think Nora and the Helmer family try to decorate their house with money and put on a good "show" for society in order to conceal the truth.
Act 3
ReplyDelete14. What is symbolic about the key to the letter box?
The key to the letter box is Helmer's possession. It represents his possession of the power in the household, because he controls the letters that come into the household. By controlling these letters, he is controlling the effect outside forces have on his family. Nora tries to usurp his power by using a hairpin to break into the lock. This is representative of her rebellion under Helmer. Helmer is aware that she is not always under his control, because he sees the broken hairpin in the lock, like he noticed Nora's macaroons.
Nora fails to take Helmer's power until the very end of act 3, when she realizes she has to leave. When she does decide to leave, she gives Helmer her wedding ring and the keys to the house. Nora is relinquishing her power that she had in the house when she gains her own self-power. The keys used by Helmer and Nora are the keys to their new lives.
Act 3 #13
ReplyDeleteAs we discussed in class, Isben uses situational and dramatic irony in Helmer's heroic fantasy. When Helmer initially learns of Nora's secret, he does the complete opposite of what he claimed he would do if Nora was trapped in a troubled situation. Instead of "risking his life's blood, and everything," (71) for Nora, Helmer rampages around the room complaining about how his reputation will be ruined forever. Helmer is truly an egomaniac; deep down, he only cares about how other people view him. He desires a life that others are envious of and treats all that he has, even his wife, like a collection of trophies that highlight his "success" in life.
Act 3 #5
ReplyDeleteWhat does the fancy-dress ball symbolize?
I think this ball symbolizes a couple things. Firstly, the ball symbolizes Nora's fantasy world and dream that she lives in. A theme that plays a key role in the play, Nora seems to spend her life living in a fantasy world, pushing away reality and the truth that surrounds her. Symbolizing her dream, the ball allows Nora to escape from her problems and the world and live the way she desires, hence the reason for her wanting to stay longer. Secondly, I think the ball symbolizes and helps to emphasize the corruption of money that Ibsen brings up quite often in A Doll's House. The ball is very extravagant and shows how money can be and often is spent on the wrong things and is used merely for selfish purposes. That being said, the ball also symbolizes Ibsen's reoccurring theme of keeping up appearances. Torvald has this extravagant ball and has Nora dance the Tarantella in order to keep up this wealthy and falsely affluent reputation. Emphasizing these things, Ibsen uses this ball to properly place his views on social injustice on the forefront of his play.
11. What does doctor rank mean when he says he will be invisible at the next ball?
ReplyDeleteDoctor Rank is referring to his impending death. He asks about Nora and Helmer's attire and states he will be wearing an "invisible hat." he means that he won't be there for the next ball because he will be dead however he does not express this explicitly. Personally, I think it is sad and pathetic that doctor rank wants to hide away from his family and friends while he is dying. When I die, hopefully I will be surrounded b loved ones
Act three #33
DeleteWhy does Nora change her clothes before leaving?
Throughout the play, Ibsen uses Nora’s clothing as a symbol of her objectified role in the Helmer household. Nora says that she feels like Torvald’s “doll wife,” a metaphor exemplified by the fact that Torvald controls the clothes that Nora wears. He gives her money to buy clothes, he tells her what he’d like to see her in, and she even once asks him to take her hand and pick out clothing for her. Doll owners dress their figurines much in the way Torvald dresses his wife. However, there is one thing Torvald doesn’t realize about his bride’s attire. Though he tells Nora what he wants her to wear, and is always pleased by her appearance, Nora is never able to completely embody the perfection her husband desires. Because she is saving money to pay off her debt, Nora’s clothes are cheap and worn. She must sew them up in places, add more decoration here and there, and finally hope that Torvald pays more attention to her youthful figure than to the clothes that cover it. Nora is forced to put up a facade for her husband, hiding the true nature of her situation. Before she leaves Torvald, Nora put on plain, everyday clothes. In this scene, Nora is finally revealing her true thoughts and desires to Torvald. By stripping herself of the decorative mask of her party gown and exchanging it for street clothes, Ibsen further illustrates Nora’s decision to accept herself as a human being with desires, faults, and strengths all her own.
Act 3 #4
ReplyDeleteWhy does Mrs. Linde tell Krogstad to leave his letter in the mailbox for Helmer to read?
Mrs. Linde knows that Nora and Helmer are not a true marriage. Mrs. Linde herself was in a marriage was done out of the need of money and not based on love. Mrs. Linde wants Helmer to know the truth of Nora's powers past her sexuality , as well as Nora discovering those powers. Nora and Helmer's marriage is they type of marriage I hope to never let myself conform too.
Act 3 #31
ReplyDeleteWhat does Nora mean when she says she lost her love for her husband "when the wonderful thing did not happen."
Nora means that she realizes that their love is all a lie. Nora expected her husband to forgive her and understand that she did what she did out of love and respect for her husband and when he is not able to return the love she felt, she can not love him. I know that if I had a husband who I tried to hard to protect and please and forgive, who could not return the favor, I would lose the love I originally felt for him.
Act 3 #25
ReplyDeleteWhat is Helmer's reaction when Nora initiates a "serious conversation"?
Helmer is thrown off-guard by this request. In Helmer's mind, Nora is not capable of having a "serious conversation," but after Krogstad's letter, he just does not know what to expect anymore. He even admits to even being frightened of Nora, which is a completely change from his previous mentality. I don't believe that Helmer is afraid of Nora, because after all she is just a silly woman, I believe that he is afraid of the idea that his wife may be stronger than him or that she may end up doing something that could harm his precious image.
Act Three, #8
ReplyDeleteWhat are Helmer's intentions regarding Nora after the dance?
Okay, I thought this was one of the creepiest scenes in the play. Helmer wants to "take" Nora, because she is just a living play thing for him. He talks about having her as new, and this shows just how much Helmer thinks of Nora as a doll, not a person. His actions and intentions are nasty, and demeaning, but he doesn't think of that because he only thinks of Nora as a possession, not another person to be reasoned with.
Act III #16
ReplyDeleteNora seems to be kind of resigned at this point. Her sentences are short, because she knows what she must do already but doesn't care to elaborate on it. There also seems to be a sense of relief from Nora becuase she doesn't have to hide her secret anymore. She is much calmer than Helmer about everything as well.
Act II Q 23: what does nora imply at the end of the act?
ReplyDeleteAs we all know, Nora implies that she has 31 hours to live. The real intrigue behind this question, however, is what she truly means. A surface read of this statement would insinuate that she was planning on killing herself. I believe that she is instead implying that life as she knows it will end. The duality in this statement shows Nora's internal conflict, as well as her revelation that her crime has fundamentally changed her life and marriage.
Act 3 #25
ReplyDeleteWhat is Helmer's reaction when Nora initiates a "serious conversation"?
Helmer is surprised by Nora's serious demeener because he is accustomed to her being amusing, sweet and passive. I think Helmer views Nora as one of those ballerina figurines that repetitively spins around on a pedestool while pretty music plays. When the doll stops spinning and the music stops playing, there is no more use for it.