Torvald Character Analysis

In the dramatic play, “A Doll House”, Torvald comes across as an over controllable and degrading husband towards his wife, Nora. He becomes more overbearing throughout the play, thus treating his wife more as a child than a woman. Interactions between Torvald and his wife are displayed more as a father talking to his child. In his head, Torvald believes that he is better than the rest and his mentality is easily displayed through his actions towards not only Nora, but others as well. Torvald is depicted as a moralistic being who has a mindset that a husband must hold the most power within a marriage.
In the beginning of act I, Torvald uses phrases that are seen as degrading towards his wife. “When did my squirrel get in?” (Ibsen, 1106) Torvald seems to be dehumanizing his wife with pet names. Although Nora keeps the conversation going as if it doesn’t bother her, Torvald believes that he has the most power in the relationship, thus talking to Nora in a childish manner. Throughout this same scene, Torvald shows signs that his work is more important than what his wife asks of him. After Nora asks Torvald to come see what she had bought, he replies that he “Can’t be disturbed” (Ibsen, 1106). Although Torvald then gets up to see what she has bought, it is clear that money is more important than Nora’s demands.
Later on in Act I, Torvald stereotypically describes women as frivolous money spenders. “Nora, Nora, how like a woman! […] you know what I think about that. No debts! Never borrow!” (Ibsen, 1107) In this scene, Torvald vaguely hints at how women in general love to spend the money in the relationship, whereas the men are the breadwinners.
Towards the end of Act I and opening of Act II, Nora tries to persuade her husband int...

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...8) Torvald sees himself as a husband who is trying to protect his wife from everything.
Ibsen’s play, “A Doll House” was highly influenced by the gender roles of the twentieth century, which was when he chose to write the play itself. Within his time period, woman were portrayed as inferior counterparts to men. “Women were denied participation in public life; their access to education was limited; their social lives were narrowly circumscribed; and they could not legally transact business, own property, or inherit.” (A Doll’s House) The way women were portrayed in the twentieth century reveals Ibsen’s reasoning for creating such a husband, Torvald. Nora seems to be inferior towards Torvald because of the gender roles set back in previous generations. Throughout the play, Torvald undoubtedly provides evidence that he depicts Nora more as a child than a wife to him.