How the Social Pressures and Norms Dictate Nora’s Lifestyle in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

The Suppression of Freedom

A Doll’s House, a play by Henrik Ibsen, places main characters Nora Helmer and Torvald Helmer in a Norwegian city during the winter of 1879. Nora and Torvald along with their three kids live in an upper-middle-class home where Torvald predominantly holds all power over their household. Back then a woman’s role was to remain in the house and do housework compared to now where society is learning to become more equal to both men and women. In the play, Ibsen gives the reader a clear picture that Nora’s life and freedom are being held back by not only the men in the play but also by societal norms which were different in the 1800s than they are now.

Like most of the people in the real world, everyone in the play has a different meaning to freedom. Money plays a big role in this play for Torvald Helmer, being very safe with his money and not overspending. Ibsen implies that Torvald’s meaning of absolute freedom is economic security. In multiple occasions where Nora asks Torvald to borrow money or even spend more than usual, Torvald replies to her with how unnecessary it is to spend more money than they need to.

“NORA: Oh, but Torvald, this year we really should let ourselves go a bit. It’s the first Christmas we haven’t had to economize.

HELMER: But you know we can’t go squandering.

 NORA: Oh yes, Torvald, we can squander a little now. Can’t we? Just a tiny, wee bit. Now that you’ve got a big salary and are going to make piles and piles of money.” (Ibsen 2)

 No matter how much money Torvald makes he wants to make sure that he is financially secure. Being financially stable means he can not only keep up with Nora’s spending habits but he can also secure his future and not have to work again, for many Americans in today’s society freedom means exactly that, not having to work and retiring with some money to their name. Torvald fears being in debt or having to owe someone money enough so that when Nora asks him to borrow money he says:

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“TORVALD: Nora, Nora, how like a woman! No, but seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debts! Never borrow! Something of freedom’s lost – and something of beauty, too – from a home that’s founded on borrowing and debt. We’ve made a brave stand up to now, the two of us; and we’ll go right on like that the little while we have to.” (2)

Ibsen’s interpretation of Nora’s freedom is a working idea because she had no self-identity at the beginning of the play; Torvald controlled Nora’s life for most of the time they spent together. Her thought of freedom at the beginning of the play was having a family, a husband and having money but that later changed when Ibsen introduced Mrs. Linde when showed up to their home. Mrs. Linde admitted that her marriage was a waste of time due to her husband leaving her out of the will and having no children with him. This is when Nora realizes that she’s being suffocated by Torvald and changes her stance on what freedom: being independent and finding her own path to success.

“HELMER: May I write you?

NORA: No—never. You’re not to do that.” (75)

In this dialogue with Torvald she begins to realize that he’s not as important as she once thought and that he has held her back, she will no longer deal with his overpowering behavior. By Nora leaving she indicates that she has gained her freedom and will not twist or turn on her decision.

Torvald having absolute power financially holds most of the power in his home. He controls everything that happens in his home that includes his wife Nora. Torvald has controlled every aspect of Nora’s life.

“DR. RANK: See here, macaroons! I thought they were contraband here.

NORA: Yes, but these are some that Kristine gave me.” (17)

Torvald has forbidden certain food for Nora. This is just one example of the many things that he has restricted for Nora. Another example is Nora’s lack of freedom when it comes to speaking:

“NORA: Now there’s just one last thing in the world that I have an enormous desire to do.

DR. RANK: Well! And what’s that?

NORA: It’s something I have such a consuming desire to say to Torvald could hear.

DR. RANK: And why can’t you say it?

NORA: I don’t dare. It’s quite shocking.

MRS. LINDE: Shocking?

DR. RANK: Well, then it isn’t advisable. But in front of us, you certainly can. What do you have such a desire to say so Torvald could hear?

NORA: I have such a huge desire to say – to hell and be damned!” (18).

Nora has been so brainwashed by Torvald’s control that even she begins to realize that it’s quite unreasonable how he treats her.

Societal pressures and norms play a very big role in the world we live in, things people viewed as different in the 1870s could be seen a lot more normal now. Women have gotten a more prominent role in society now than before. There were many societal rules that barred women from having the same equal opportunities as men and that created a conflict in Nora’s case when she borrowed money from Krogstad:

“NORA: But for heaven’s sake, Mr. Krogstad, it’s simply not in my power to help you.

KROGSTAD: That’s because you haven’t the will to—but I have the means to make you.

NORA: You certainly won’t tell my husband that I owe you money?”

 Since women were not allowed to borrow money without their husband’s permission, Krogstad used this to threaten Nora and expose her to Torvald about the money. As aforementioned Torvald despises the thought of having to borrow money so this was a big smack in the face to Torvald and what he believes in. Women helping men would be a huge sign of weakness especially in times where men were seen as superior to women. Borrowing that money to help Torvald in times of very bad health was seen as a sign of weakness for Torvald. Even Nora acknowledges the fact that she knows that society would view Torvald as a weaker man for his wife saving his life:

“NORA: For heaven’s sake, no! Are you serious? He’s so strict on that subject. Besides -Torvald, with all his masculine pride – how painfully humiliating for him if he ever found out he was in debt to me. That would just ruin our relationship. Our beautiful, happy home would never be the same.” (13).

Nora did not want to conform to regular societal norms and remain with her husband and this was viewed very badly by people such as Mrs. Linde who think that’s how women should be living their life: married, mothers, caretakers. Societal pressure had a big influence on lifestyles back then and still plays a big part now in how people live in society.

 Realizing that one needs freedom takes growth, and that is what Ibsen had Nora do, grow, since the beginning of the play she became more independent and a free individual. Nora rises from her shell to become an individual and it is shown throughout the play, Nora is presented with multiple situations where she has to make difficult decisions such as declining to be with Dr. Rank romantically, refusing to help Krogstad get his job back and hiding her secret from Torvald. After making these difficult decisions she begins to realize that she is more than mature enough and capable of making her own decisions and be independent of Torvald. Her growth is not shown by age but by her mentality. Nora leaving signifies that she is ready for the next chapter of her life proving to herself that she can survive without Torvald.

 In A Doll’s House Ibsen gives the reader a clear picture that Nora’s life and freedom are being held back by not only the men in the play but also by societal norms which were different back then than they are now. The meaning of freedom is different from person to person and that was clearly shown with the differences between Nora and Torvald, Torvald holds a dominant position in their relationship and it shows by how suppressive he is towards Nora’s freedom as well as how societal norms have influenced Nora’s lifestyle and behavior finally the growth of Nora’s character throughout the play, flourishing as an independent individual and gaining individual freedom. The audience realizes that Nora was deserving of freedom and that leaving was the correct choice for her.

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House, translated by Rolf Fjelde.  The Norton
      Introduction to Literature, edited by Jerome Beatty, et al, 8th Edition, Norton
      & Company, 2002, New York.