How Is Torvald Selfish

479 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Link between society and self

Selfishness appears commonly in today's day and age. As William E. Gladstone, the Prime Minister of Great Britain says, “Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race.” In the play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, each character represents a role in society. The protagonist in the story, Nora Helmer is married to a man by the name of Torvald. Torvald shows positive traits such as his caring personality. As Torvald says, “Nora, do you know that I’ve often wished you were facing some terrible dangers that I could risk life and limb, risk everything for your sake?” (57) He also shows negative traits and flaws. Torvald is a self centered man that only cares about his role and position in the society. Torvalds mistreatment of Nora displays …show more content…

He specifically shows his selfishness in the way he treats Nora. First, he treats her more as child then an adult. At points, Torvald calls Nora names such as, “My little Nora” and “Little Miss Stubbornshoes” (35). Torvald’s relationship with Nora seems more like father and daughter, rather than husband and wife; and because of this Torvald doesn't treat Nora like a true husband should. Torvalds selfishness correlates with his love for Nora and the way he treats her. Torvald doesn't truly love Nora. Instead, he uses her as a decoration, making him feel good about himself and his appearance in society. In addition, his selfishness is shown when he receives Krogstad's letter regarding Nora's forgery. Torvalds self-centered personality can be shown as he accuses her of damaging his good name rather than being grateful for the loans. Instead of acting calm about the situation he insults Nora and screams at her. As Torvald expresses, “You’re speaking like a child. You don’t understand the society you live in” (64). He once again, refers to her as a child and attempts to remind Nora of the kind of society they live in, in efforts to not ruin his own reputation. In addition he says, “You that I carried with my two hands throughout our entire marriage. Do you understand what you’ve done to me?” (59) Ultimately he doesn't show love for Nora and instead selfishly blames her for jeopardizing

Show More
Related

  • Does Torvald Have Any Redeeming Qualities?

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Nora decided to leave her marriage behind this ended up being a turning point in Torvald’s attitude to Nora. While at first he was convinced that she would not really go calling her actions insane and childish, he is now taking what she says seriously and even offering to change for her. This shows that there is a part of Torvald that does perhaps truly love Nora. Although Torvald doesn’t want her to go, the fact that he agrees to give her his ring and not argue with her shows that he finally respects her wishes and ability to make decisions for herself.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Change In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    We see his a very controlling and almost derivative man. Nora is seen by him as an object, a possession like being that is just another piece of the puzzle that makes up his life. We realise that Nora is only in Torvalds’s life, not because he loves her, but because it was strict tradition to do so in this time. He rejects Nora and pushes her away from him with his sarcastic and derogatory comments such as pet

    Read More

  • Torvald and Nora in in Ibsen's A Doll's House

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    This shows that Torvald is more interested in Nora physically than emotionally.  He feels that it is one of Nora's main duties as his wife to physically pleasure him at his command.

    Read More

  • Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

    454 Words  | 1 Pages

    Nora had a secret that whole play that Torvald didn’t know about. Nora saved his life by taking him out on a long vacation away from everything so he could clear his mind at a very bad time. She told Torvald the money really came from her Papa. The money really came from a loan she took out from Kogstad that was forged. Krogstad was a former bank employee and long friend of Torvald’s. Torvald was very angry when he first found out of this because he was scared of his appearance, but when Krogstad met a old girl friend of his he didn’t worry about the loan.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Broken Relationship In A Doll's House

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    Very early on in this part of the text, the reader is able to identify signs that show Torvald may not fully love Nora at this point. Torvald announced, “It is to get about now that the new manager has changed his mind at his wife’s bidding” (Ibsen 45). He is trying to say he will not listen to Nora because of what others will think. Even if people might not agree, he should still listen to his wife if he truly loved her. At the same time, Nora as begins to show she might not feel the same way about Torvald as she did before. Nora noted, “My husband must never get to know anything about this. Because she is wanting to hide something from Torvald, the reader is shown she does not fully love Torvald enough to even trust him. While it is shown that they do not feel the same way about each other, Ibsen does indicate that both Nora and Torvald do still somewhat love each other. Nora explains, “Torvald loves me; he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for me” (Ibsen 50). This quote tells the reader directly that Torvald not only still loves Nora, but still loves her enough to give his life up for her. While their feelings towards each other have changed, they still care about one

    Read More

  • How Does Nora Change Throughout The Play

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play, an important cause of Nora’s change of thought was characterization. One example are the social roles of her time. How each character would like to be perceived and the image that society gives them, is one of the strongest forms of characterization. Torvald was the controlling husband and Nora was supposed to be the obedient wife. Nora did not enjoy these roles, which contributed to her change. In the play Torvald says “Of course, you will continue to live here. But the children cannot be left in your care. I dare not trust them to you” (Ibsen 40). Torvald was so obsessed with these social images, that he was willing to fake a relationship just so his image would not be ruined. This would anger Nora to the point of separation, as she did not want to put in the same amount of effort to please others and society.

    Read More

  • And A Doll House And A Doll's House

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the very start I had an adverse reaction to the way Torvald treated Nora. He was very controlling over her, and often spoke to her in a demeaning manner as if she was a child. I was compelled to read this play because I wanted to know what would happen if and when Torvald discovered Nora’s secret. He taunts her about the money she spends, and questions her about eating sweets that he doesn’t think she should. He refers to her as a “spendthrift” (Ibsen 1107), and speaks as though she is required to get permission to spend money. His reaction to learning the truth about what she had done was quite harsh. He was so angry that he did not give her any chance to explain herself. He was very unreasonable until the moment when he learned that her transgression would not become public, and his honor and reputation would remain in tact. All that mattered to him was “saving the bits and pieces, the appearance” (Ibsen 1148). He believed that his forgiveness was all she would need, but it was his understanding and protection that she was looking for. I applaud her decision to leave him so that she can gain her independence. What she needed most for her happiness was to be free from his

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Nora In A Doll's House

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nora is Torvald 's loving and childish wife, and unknowingly, a strong, independent woman. At the begging of the play Nora was playful and happy go lucky but at as the play continued she began to become a strong woman. Nora first impression on me was that she was obedient , childish wife who loved money. If Nora would buy something for the kids right after that she would ask Torvald for money. When her husband would ask her what she wanted for Christmas she say money. Torvald treated Nora like she was a little girl, or like she was an animal. "my little lark mustn 't droop her wings like that. What? Is my squirrel in the sulks?" (Ibesn842) . When he talks to his wife it seem like he is talking to a little girl. And he says that as he is giving her money which makes their interaction seem almost of a grown grandparent giving money to his precious, favorite young granddaughter. In their marriage Nora didn 't seem like a wife she just seemed like an objected.

    Read More

  • Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    The effects of the societal roles in men and women from the 19th century are displayed through the actions and morals of the characters in Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House. The play demonstrates through its main characters the demanding norms of society. When one does not abide the Victorian society norms they are shunned, pitied and left with almost nothing. Ibsen’s humanistic side is seen through this play as he creates realistic problems for fictional people to suffer through So, the effects of societal roles are seen in the character of Nora Helmer, who is the obedient, naïve wife that finds her true self and decides to rebel against societal prospects. It is also observed in Torvald Helmer, who displays the qualities of the stereotypical male of the Victorian era and this display of societal norms affects Nils Krogstad, who went from accepting the social order to rebelling against for the sake of his family. Each of these characters helps understand the concept of societal expectations and struggles to achieve them.

    Read More

  • How Does Nora Change

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    I don’t really feel sympathy for Torvald because he only truly cares about looking the part in society. He cares little about his relationship with his family as long as they seem perfect to others. He did not care that Nora’s intentions were good and came from devotion or that she only wanted to help her husband. He has always treated Nora as a child and shows no respect towards her. I do believe Nora should not have been keeping secrets from Torvald but I can understand it was her way of having a sort of independence. Plus, in the time they were living in, she did not want to make Torvald feel emasculated.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Feminism In A Doll House

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nora is devoted to her family; she stayed by Torvald’s side when he was sick and she borrowed money to save him without telling him, fearing that it would hurt his pride. Then, when it is Torvald’s turn to play the hero, he readily trades their eight years long marriage for his reputation. As he puts it, “there’s no [man] who gives up honor for love” (Ibsen 939). His immediate reaction to Krogstad’s letter is to “hush up [the threat] at any cost [and] go right on living in this house [in order to save] the bits and pieces, the appearance” (Ibsen 934). The only worry that ever crosses his mind is how other people will judge him; he is willing to showcase his “doll-house” home just to maintain an image. If an eight years long marriage is less important than a man’s reputation/pride, then why is it sufficient to suppress a woman’s

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    “I believe that first and foremost I am an individual, just as much as you are—or at least I’m going to try to be. I know most people agree with you, Torvald, and that’s also what it says in books. But I’m not content anymore,”(1017) bemoans Nora Helmer, the protagonist of the play, A Doll’s House, as she relinquishes social benchmarks by abandoning her husband. A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, examines the central theme of individual desires conflicting with social ideals. In the play, A Doll’s House, Ibsen applies effective characterization to strengthen the characters; Kristine Linde, Torvald Helmer and Nora, which enable him to develop the fundamental theme. Ibsen develops the static characters; Kristine and Torvald, to establish

    Read More

  • A Doll's House Critical Analysis

    1695 Words  | 4 Pages

    The right to act on one’s free will is the most basic of human necessities. To have that right disregarded is to take away a fundamental part of human individualism. “A Doll’s House”, Nora living in the constraints of a 19th century Victorian society has been refused the right to equality and free will. As expected of a woman she is not to have freedom to make her own decisions, she is expected to stay home, care for children and tend to her husbands needs, as well as to have no individual opinion (Mapaulita). Henrik Ibsen however has exploited literary devices throughout the play to accentuate how Nora’s role in society has changed and how her husband Torvald and Dr. Rank among other characters have

    Read More

  • A Dolls House

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nothing can stop him doing it…” (II.49.23-24). She is convinced that his love for her will withstand his reputation in society. Nora in order to save his reputation had thoughts of killing herself and sparing him the mock of society. Nora’s thoughts of making the ultimate sacrifice for him shows the values she had regarding love. She is a person who goes against what society says in order to think of others. Torvald unlike Nora follows the rules of society and only believes in what is right for himself.

    Read More

  • Nora's Sacrifice

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Torvald is not aware of this though, only Nora is. When her husband, Torvald, is deathly ill, the doctors only give Nora one option and that is to take him to Italy for one year. Due to how much Nora loves Torvald, she forges her father’s signature on a loan. To Nora, the power of love and happiness for her husband is much more important than her getting in trouble. She is secretly working small jobs and pulling money from her savings to pay off this huge debt, but little does Torvald know this. She gives up much of her happiness to become Torvald’s little doll and she finally comes to realize this. She tells Torvald that after all she has done for him she is sick of the way he treats her and wants to leave to find herself. “Torvald--it was then it dawned upon me that for eight years I had been living here with a strange man and had borne him three children. Oh, I can’t bear to think of it! I could tear myself into little bits!(Doll Act 3). Helmer Torvald is greatly impacted by this and wants to become a better person for Nora but she won’t give in. This results in Nora leaving him and her children behind for the sake of her own

    Read More

More about How Is Torvald Selfish

Open Document