Torvald said those lines about forgetting happiness and saving appearances. Nora said the line about owing Torvald anything being painful and humiliating. Torvald says Nora's most sacred duties are to her husband and children. The threat of blackmail from Krogstad has damaged the Helmer household the most.

1. Society vs. Individuals
BILAL ATIE/ CLEMENTINE PIERROT

2. Outline
 I. Social context of the Victorian Society
a. Bourgeois Respectability
b. Position of Women in the society
c. Social Responsibility
 II. The Burden society puts on individuals
a. Appearances
b. Women are condemned
c. Mistakes
 III. Independence vs. Control / Manipulation
a. Independence seen through Nora’s escape
b. Control/ Manipulation seen through Torvald and Krogstad

3. INTRODUCTION

4. I. Social context of the Victorian Society
 The first stage production was in Copenhagen on
December 21st, 1879.
 The play caused an immediate sensation, sparked
debate and controversy, and brought Ibsen
international fame.
 Performing the play was considered a revolutionary
action, a daring defiance of cultural norms of
Victorian Europe (1837-1901).

5. a. Bourgeois Respectability
Ideals: Financial
Success, upward social
mobility, freedom from
financial debt and moral
guilt, and a stable, secure
family organized along
traditional patriarchal
lines.

6. b. Position of women in the society
 Patriarchal ideals were
supported and reinforced
by a social structure in
which women had little
overt political or
economic power.
 They were
economically, socially, an
d psychologically
dependent upon men and
also dependent upon the
institutions of marriage
and motherhood.

7. b. Position of women in the society
 Ideal Woman
Frugality Piety Patience
'... her ardent and unceasing flow of
spirits, extreme activity and
diligence, her
punctuality, uprightness and
remarkable frugality, combined with
a firm reliance on God ... carried her
through the severest times of
pressure, both with credit and
respectability ...' (The General
Baptist Repository and Missionary
Observer, 1840).

8. c. Social Responsibility
 Motherhood within
marriage was considered a
woman’s highest possible
achievement
 It was a social
responsibility, a duty to
the state and thus, a full-
time job.
 Mothering was no longer
something that came
naturally, but was
something that had to be
learned.

9. II. The Burden Society puts on individual
 What does this picture connote to you ?

10. a. Appearances
“Don’t laugh. I mean, of course, a time
will come when Torvald is not as devoted
to me, not quite so happy when I dance
for him, and dress for him, and play with
him.”
 Torvald defines his life by what society finds acceptable
and respectable. He is more concerned about the
attractive appearance of his wife and home than he is
about his wife's happiness
 When Nora tries to convince him to keep Krogstad in his
job, his main concern is what the bank employees will
think of him if they believe he has been influenced by his
wife.
From now on, forget happiness. Torvald’s reaction to Krogstad’s letter solidifies his
Now it’s just about saving the characterization as a shallow man concerned first and
remains, the wreckage, the foremost with appearances. Here, he states explicitly that the
appearance. appearance of happiness is far more important to him than
happiness itself.

11. b. Women are condemned
 Torvald symbolizes the male dominated society at
that time. And Nora stereotypes of women at that
time ( being crushed)  thug giving a universal
meaning
 . Torvald seems to stereotype all women as frivolous
spendthrifts
HELMER: "That is like a
NORA: "surely you can woman! […] you know
understand that being what I think about that.
with Torvald is a little No debt, no borrowing.”
like being with papa.
 Nora is dependent on a men and Linde begins to
conform to the society Someone to work for and
live for--a home to bring
comfort into."

12. c. Mistakes
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD5wxVwSbB8
 Another mistake that Nora did was to not tell her
husband about the loan.
 The Fact that she wasn’t able to handle this situation
instead of doing it behind her husband’s back is a
huge mistake.
 Unfortunately, society will make her pay this mistake
thought the whole play.

13. III. Independence vs. Control/ manipulation
 What does this picture connote to you ?

14. a. Nora’s escape
 In leaving Torvald and her children, she will outrage
society and stigmatize herself.
 This is a terrible price to have to pay for self-
fulfillment, but inevitable, given that society and the
individual are so much at cross-purposes.
 Self-fulfillmentpushing and breaking boundaries.
NORA: "What do you consider my most sacred
duties?" HELMER: "[…] your duties to your
This idea was completely husband and your children." NORA: "I have other
scandalous in Ibsen's duties just as sacred. […] Duties to myself."
time. The thought that a
woman might have value
other than homemaking
and being a mother was
outrageous.

15. b. Control/ Manipulation seen through
Torvald
 Helmer in A Doll's House is in
many ways just as trapped by
traditional gender roles as the
women. He must bear the
burden of supporting the entire
household and be the infallible
king of his house
 In order to adapt to the norms
of the society he has to control
and manipulate everything. By
the end of the play these
traditional ideas are truly put to
the test
HELMER: "It is already known at the The thought that a woman
Bank that I mean to dismiss Krogstad. might have power over him is
Is it to get about now that the new
manager has changed his mind at his
terrifying to Torvald.
wife's bidding-

16. b. Control/ Manipulation seen through Krogstad
 Society's moral standards affects Krogstad’s life
 He resorts to blackmail  in an attempt to keep his
job mark of respectability.
 The threat of blackmail gains its power from the
immense authority that individuals vested in
society's moral standards: if nobody cared much
what society thought, then Krogstad could tell all
and no one would be harmed

17. Quiz
 Who said, “From now on, forget happiness.
Now it’s just about saving the remains, the
wreckage, the appearance”?
 Who said, "How painful and humiliating it
would be for Torvald […] to know that he
owed me anything!"?
 What does Torvald say are Nora's most
sacred duties?
 What has damaged the Helmer household the
most?