Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

A Dolls House

By Henrik Ibsen

Dramatic Critique

The P’s

Person: Nora, Torvald Helmer’s wife, and mother of Ivar, Bob, and Emmy.

Peculiar trait: On the surface Nora’s peculiar trait seems to be her obsession for money. Her internal peculiar trait is that she desires to become significant to her husband. She spends money on material objects to decorate their home and dress up the family. The impression of the home appears perfect, like a doll’s house.

Passion: Nora’s passion is to be a real human and not be unreal towards herself, her family, or her husband. She wants to be accepted and human like the rest of the world, and she tries to figure a way to make this possible. “When (Nora) lived with Papa, he used to tell me everything, so that I never had any opinions but his. And if I did have any of my own, I kept them quiet, because he wouldn’t have like them.” Since childhood Nora has not been able to express her own feelings. She has bottled everything up inside, and she has a passion to open up and show her true self.

Problem: Norma has been a “doll” all her life. She has taken on others problems and kept her thoughts and feelings all to herself. It is now time for Norma to explain herself and deal with the facts. Norma forged her father’s signature on an I.O.U for two hundred and fifty pounds. She tries to do anything she can so her husband will not find out. Her husband just received a job at the bank; therefore, he could easily find out about the fo...