SYMBOLISM IN A DOLL’S HOUSEBy: Robert Fagan, Stephen Reading, Ethan Stewart, Edgardo Vera

The Title Itself

The title “A Doll’s House” is a symbol within itself.

Nora is the doll, to be controlled by her husband and the ideas of society, hence “A Doll’s House.”

“But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was Papa’s doll-child; and in this house the children have been my dolls. I thought it was great fun when you played with me, and they thought it was great fun when I played with them. That is what our marriage has been Torvald.” (Ibsen 111)

Dr. Rank

Dr. Rank is a very important symbol in the play.

He symbolizes fate, in that he knew he was going to die, and he accepted this.

Dr. Rank stated: “Nothing that I haven’t been preparing for. But I didn’t expect it to happen so soon.” (Ibsen 66).

Also he said, “It’s all over. Nothing can be done.” (Ibsen 66).

Dr. Rank (cont.)

He also symbolizes, in some sense, family obligations, and the consequences of them if they are not met.

His father lived in excess, and failed to live of to his obligation of being a good father, therefore, his disease was passed down to Dr. Rank.

Dr. Rank said, “To have to suffer because of another man’s sin. There’s no justice. In every single family, in one way or another, there is some inexorable curse which brings retribution.” (Ibsen 67).

“My innocent spine has to suffer because my father, well, enjoyed himself when he was young.” (Ibsen 67).

The Macaroons

The macaroons Nora ate throughout the play symbolized the deceit in the marriage.

Stepping away from the negative side, the macaroons represent her desire to be independent from Torvald.

“Nora: (taking the macaroons from her pocket)…And I’ll have one too…just a teeny one. No more than two! Oh I’m so happy! There’s just one more thing I would love to do…Something I’ve been longing to say in front of Torvald,” (Ibsen 34).

Nora hides the macaroons from Torvald (hence the deceit in the marriage).

The macaroons are ‘a taste of freedom’.

The Christmas Tree

Just like Nora, the Christmas tree is used as a decoration that is meant to be admired

The Christmas tree breaks down and is plain and exposed, representing the collapse of Nora’s lies, and the ugly truth is revealed.

“The same setting as Act I. But the Christmas tree is now in the corner by the piano, stripped of its ornaments and with burned-down candles on its somewhat tattered branches…She [Nora] is pacing the room, visibly uncomfortable,” (Ibsen 53).

Tarantella

Nora’s inner passion that she is unable to express

Comes from Latin word for “spider”

Krogstad

Krogstad is used to symbolize “unreliability of appearances”.

At first he blackmails Nora, but as the play goes on the reader is presented with the tale of man in a situation very similar to Nora’s.

He ultimately changes his ways.

As said by Krogstad in Act III: “I’ll wait here until Torvald comes down. I’ll tell him he must give me my letter back− that it’s only about my dismissal− that he mustn’t read it,” (Ibsen 92).

Torvald

Like Krogstad, Torvald symbolizes the idea of appearance versus reality.

In the end, Torvald is the enemy of Nora. “One of the surprises of this play is that

Krogstad is not really the central antagonist. In the end, that prestige belongs to Torvald Helmer,” (About.com).

Torvald’s nicknames for Nora show that he feels superior to her, and uses this to control her.

Nora proves this by saying “I have been your doll-wife,” (Ibsen 111).

Motifs

The Sacrificial Role of Women.

Parental and filial Obligations.

The Unreliability of Appearances.

Nora’s definition of freedom.

Letters.

The whole play is focused in one room.

Discussion Questions

Is Nora a victim?

Some ideas about a work of literature can be described as over-analyzing the story. In your opinion, does this apply to A Doll’s House?

What does freedom mean to you?

How true is Ibsen’s representation of appearance versus reality when compared to real life?

What symbols are quite common in today’s society? What do they represent?

What obligations do you have to your parents, and what obligations do your parents have to you?

Works Cited/Biblograpghy

"A Doll's House Character Study - Nils Krogstad, Antagonist from Ibsen's A Doll's House." Plays / Drama. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. <http://plays.about.com/od/adollshouse/a/krogstad.htm>.

"A Doll's House Character Study - Dr. Rank." Plays / Drama. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. <http://plays.about.com/od/adollshouse/a/drrank.htm>.

"A Doll's House Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory." Shmoop: Homework Help, Teacher Resources, Test Prep. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. <http://www.shmoop.com/dolls-house/symbolism-imagery.html>.

Deception, Motivating Nora’s. "SparkNotes: A Dollâs House: Themes, Motifs & ��Symbols." SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/dollhouse/themes.html>.

"Symbolism in "A Doll's House" and "Pygmalion"" IB English Group Blog. Web. 05 Jan. 2012. <http://secretibenglish.blogspot.com/2007/04/symbolism-in-dolls-house-and-pygmalion.html>.

Ibsen, Henrik, and Nicholas Rudall. A Doll's House. Chicago: I. R. Dee, 1999. Print.