Character Development of Nora from A Doll's House

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Character Development of Nora from A Doll's House

Ibsen's character development of Nora is represented by animal imagery. From the beginning of the play, we notice Ibsen's use of animals to describe Nora. In the opening lines, Torvald says, "Is that my little lark twittering out there?" (Wilke 1139). Webster's defines "lark" as a songbird and to play or frolic (Guralnik 340). The reader automatically gets an image of Nora as a carefree, happy person. In the following paragraphs, I will show how animal names are used to paint a portrait of the character of "Nora the Lark."

Ibsen has Torvald call his wife "his little lark" or "sulking squirrel" (Wilke 1139) among other animal names throughout the play. Most of the time, he uses bird imagery. The choice of animals that Ibsen uses relate to how Nora acts or how the audience or reader should portray her character.

Torvald's continual reference to Nora using bird names not only tells the reader his opinion of her, but also parallels Nora's image of herself. In the second act, Torvald calls Nora his "little featherbrain," and his "little scatterbrain" (1178). This presents an image of weak, unorganized birds and thereby defines Nora as weak, unorganized and stupid.

When Nora is asked, "Is that my little squirrel rummaging around?", Ibsen is presenting the image of a scrounge (1139). This could be a precursor to the fact that Nora is secretive and has something to hide. When Nora has to hide the macaroons and lie to Torvald about eating them, the reader must wonder what else she is not being honest about. Then, later in the play, it is revealed that Nora is hiding a deep secret about a debt.

Nora is a carefree woman that is always humming and flighty. She always ...

... middle of paper ...

...the last straw. As Ibsen uses animal imagery, once again, to define Nora as a dove caught in a hawk's claw, the reader realizes the irony. Nora is no longer trapped. Nora the lark is now able to spread her wings to fly. Ibsen's animal imagery proves to be a powerful means to show the character of Nora as the lark, squirrel, dove and finally, ironically, the hawk.

Works Cited

Guralnik, David, ed. Webster's New World Dictionary. New York: Simon and Shuster, 1987. 340.

Wilkie, Brian, and James Hurt. Literature of the Western World: Volume II. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1997. 1134-86.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Guralnik, David, ed. Webster's New World Dictionary. New York: Simon and Shuster, 1987. 340.

Wilkie, Brian, and James Hurt. Literature of the Western World: Volume II. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1997. 1134-86.

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