Key Quotes: A Doll’s House
"Is that my little sky-lark twittering out there?" (Torvald)
This diminutive, reducing Nora's needs to "twittering", foreshadows an unequal
living situation that cannot continue.
"[takes her playfully by the ear]" (stage directions)
Is this something that can happen playfully? This stage direction suggests that
their marriage is openly violent, habitual to the point it becomes a joke. This alludes to
the normalisation of physical coercion in 19th century Europe. Also, it emphasises
Nora's placid, passive nature at this point.
"how nice it would be if I could be taken on a little trip abroad" (Nora)
The passive verb construction in Nora's speech externalises her learned
subservience to Torvald, who in contrast uses an active verb construction.
"What do I care about your silly old society?" (Nora)
This is not naivety, it is perceptive - why should she care about a society that
doesn't care about her? This foreshadows some of her later commentary on religion,
when she questions whether she should subscribe to a religion which is designed by
men for men.
"please, let me - I like doing it" (Nora)
One of the few things she seems to find fulfilment in is caring for her children.
However, as a middle-class woman she is expected to leave such tasks to the
nursemaid - she lives a comfortable yet purposeless and prosaic life.
"I'm slowly sinking", "I shall probably be lying rotting up there in the churchyard" (Dr.
Rank)
Death seems godless and empty, which contrasts the vision of the afterlife
presented by 19th century Christianity, wherein the grave was seen as a welcome return
, to God. Rank's moribund tone and open discussion of death introduces Ibsen's
challenge of taboo subjects.
"[putting her hands on his shoulders]" (stage directions)
Nora never initiates physical touch with Torvald, however, she does with Rank.
He becomes an 'ersatz' surrogate husband to Nora, providing her with the emotional
support she lacks in her own marriage.
"flesh-coloured" (Nora)
This corporeal imagery would have sexual implications for a 19th century
audience. Nora's flirtations present a different rendering of women in theatre and
literature, as she does not fall into the binary of being either virtuous or 'fallen'. Here,
Ibsen is deliberately playing with social conventions as Nora openly disobeys the idea of
sanctity of marriage, and mocks 19th century squeamishness around corporeal
matters.
"there are those people you love and those people you'd almost rather be with" (Nora)
Nora's understanding of love is confused with dependency. She does not enjoy
the company of her husband but is financially and socially dependent on him - this is
how 'love' has been defined for her.
"Down in the cold, black water? Then being washed up in the spring, bloated, hairless,
unrecognisable..." (Krogstad)
This is not the romanticisation of suicide or the tragic woman trope we often
seen in literature and theatre, such as the character of Ophelia from Hamlet, but rather
is graphic with focus on corporeal and grotesque imagery. This is not a reverent display,
suggesting the sanctity of holy life - it is shocking and biological.
"Your husband keeps the key?" "Always." (Mrs. Linde, Nora)
Nora's clipped turn length is unquestioning of Torvalds power, which contrasts to
her subversive tone at the end of the play as her bildungsroman reaches completion.
Torvald as the keeper of the keys may be of religious significance as well - in the bible
Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and in 19th century Christianity,
"Is that my little sky-lark twittering out there?" (Torvald)
This diminutive, reducing Nora's needs to "twittering", foreshadows an unequal
living situation that cannot continue.
"[takes her playfully by the ear]" (stage directions)
Is this something that can happen playfully? This stage direction suggests that
their marriage is openly violent, habitual to the point it becomes a joke. This alludes to
the normalisation of physical coercion in 19th century Europe. Also, it emphasises
Nora's placid, passive nature at this point.
"how nice it would be if I could be taken on a little trip abroad" (Nora)
The passive verb construction in Nora's speech externalises her learned
subservience to Torvald, who in contrast uses an active verb construction.
"What do I care about your silly old society?" (Nora)
This is not naivety, it is perceptive - why should she care about a society that
doesn't care about her? This foreshadows some of her later commentary on religion,
when she questions whether she should subscribe to a religion which is designed by
men for men.
"please, let me - I like doing it" (Nora)
One of the few things she seems to find fulfilment in is caring for her children.
However, as a middle-class woman she is expected to leave such tasks to the
nursemaid - she lives a comfortable yet purposeless and prosaic life.
"I'm slowly sinking", "I shall probably be lying rotting up there in the churchyard" (Dr.
Rank)
Death seems godless and empty, which contrasts the vision of the afterlife
presented by 19th century Christianity, wherein the grave was seen as a welcome return
, to God. Rank's moribund tone and open discussion of death introduces Ibsen's
challenge of taboo subjects.
"[putting her hands on his shoulders]" (stage directions)
Nora never initiates physical touch with Torvald, however, she does with Rank.
He becomes an 'ersatz' surrogate husband to Nora, providing her with the emotional
support she lacks in her own marriage.
"flesh-coloured" (Nora)
This corporeal imagery would have sexual implications for a 19th century
audience. Nora's flirtations present a different rendering of women in theatre and
literature, as she does not fall into the binary of being either virtuous or 'fallen'. Here,
Ibsen is deliberately playing with social conventions as Nora openly disobeys the idea of
sanctity of marriage, and mocks 19th century squeamishness around corporeal
matters.
"there are those people you love and those people you'd almost rather be with" (Nora)
Nora's understanding of love is confused with dependency. She does not enjoy
the company of her husband but is financially and socially dependent on him - this is
how 'love' has been defined for her.
"Down in the cold, black water? Then being washed up in the spring, bloated, hairless,
unrecognisable..." (Krogstad)
This is not the romanticisation of suicide or the tragic woman trope we often
seen in literature and theatre, such as the character of Ophelia from Hamlet, but rather
is graphic with focus on corporeal and grotesque imagery. This is not a reverent display,
suggesting the sanctity of holy life - it is shocking and biological.
"Your husband keeps the key?" "Always." (Mrs. Linde, Nora)
Nora's clipped turn length is unquestioning of Torvalds power, which contrasts to
her subversive tone at the end of the play as her bildungsroman reaches completion.
Torvald as the keeper of the keys may be of religious significance as well - in the bible
Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and in 19th century Christianity,
