Doll`s House Act I Essay, Research Paper

A Doll House sets the scene for a disturbing commentary on the woman?s place

in society at the time. Nora?s psychological makeup is one of an oppressive,

emotionally depriving and possibly abusive father and an absent, neglectful

mother. Her flighty actions are the ones of a child because as a child, that is

probably the only way she got attention, and she was never taught any other way.

Nora is suffering from a neurotic personality disorder. The Microsoft Encarta

Encyclopedia, (1996), defines neurosis as ?a slightly less impaired state than

that of the psychotic, wherein the individual has lost touch with reality.?

Because of her being mistreated by men for so many years, by her father and in

turn her husband, Nora has developed a strange sense of right and wrong, and

which is which. The first scene in which Nora brings in the presents already

exemplifies her strange reasoning. Although we know that she should be saving

every penny, and she even says later on to Mrs Linde that she tries to make some

money of her own by copying, and attempts to save by wearing ?the simplest,

cheapest outfits,? (p 643), here she contradicts herself by insisting to

Torvald that ?…we can squander a little now. Can?t we?? (p 638) This

strange, often moody temperament is a well known characteristic of a neurotic.

The way Torvald treats Nora in the very first scene also is tell-tale of

Nora?s mental problems. She lies to her husband about eating macaroons.

Although wives were perhaps more submissive to their husbands? desires 120

years ago, I certainly doubt that most of them would have accepted being treated

like a child with rules regarding whether they could snakc on a macaroon or not.

Her desire to please is also characteristic of a neurotic, as they cannot often

handle rejection. As one might suspect and as we learn throughout and at at the

end of the play, Nora and Torvald?s relationship really never went beyond

simple flirting, and they never really talked about anything. One who would

continue in a relationship in this manner obviously has a disconnection with

reality. During her conversation with Mrs. Linde, (pgs 640-644), Nora doesn?t

seem to be aware that the forgery of her father?s signature was illegal.

Although she has been sheltered her whole life, I find it nearly impossible to

accept that she has never heard that it is wrong to fake someone else?s

signature. This again is a reflection of her difficulty realizing what is right

and wrong ans the difference between the two. Nora?s mental state affects

every character in the play, as she interacts with everyone. There is more to

her than just her neurosis, but that is a pivotal part of her character. Were

she not to be portrayed as neurotic, this would be a very different, and

potentially more boring play.

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House. The Bedford Introduction to Drama, 3rd ed. Ed.

Lee A. Jacobus, University of Conneticut. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997.