Using Marxist Theory in the Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

“Greed is the root of all evil.” A quote from the Bible that describes many plays and stories. The Marxist theory uses a similar outlook on that saying, but it does not convey the message that the quote does. Using the Marxist theory, good can still be done though it typically isn’t. “A Doll’s House” is the perfect example of this theory, and the quote. Its narrative is almost wholly centered on economic status and money. The characters like Nora, Ms. Linde, and Krogstad are primarily main characters because of the money issues they have got themselves stuck into. It leads their actions till the very end of the play up until some of the characters realized that money was controlling their thoughts and actions.
Nora Helmer, the one who used money to make both the right and wrong decisions. Her spend thrift demeanor helps the reader understand that she has a money spending problem that she can’t control even if the other character’s bring it up with her. Nora’s husband’s life was in danger and the only thing holding the couple back from helping him recoup was that their economic status wasn’t as fantastic as one would like. She decided that even if it means breaking the law that she will get the money. After forging her dying father’s signature she was capable of getting the necessary funds through a loan shark known as Krogstad. After the event is over and Torvald (her husband) is well and fine again they manage to secure a stable economic situation. Nora has used money as her key plot point throughout the play up until this point. All of her actions involving money have been a somewhat noble affair. Without an economic disruption like we see when Torvald’s life depends on money, we would not have 90% of the plot up unti...

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... he also pushed aside money, in the end it drove his plot even more than Nora’s.
The Marxist Theory is an interesting perspective to view the play “A Doll’s House” in. All of the main characters face an issue involving money, but in the end the all dispelled their false illusions about money and how it’s necessary to enjoy life or even have a decent one. Nora, Kristine, and Krogstad all had issues with money and they exploited the money issues that they had. The most interesting thing about the play is how they all managed to make the Marxist theory seem false but at the same time it added to the plot. Without money there would be no plot at all. The Marxist’s theory and the author’s writing to seem to clash revealing that lack of money, or greed, truly is the root of all evil’s but it certainly does not mean that the root cannot be pulled out of the ground.