A Doll's House: Dialogue between Nora and Kristina Linde
Summary:
Explores the play A Doll's House. Analyzes the characters Nora and Kristina. Examines the first discussion between the two characters. Provides a brief plot summary.
The story begins in the living room of the Helmer's, it is described as "furnished inexpensively, but with taste." Other items and their places in the room are described to give one a rather detailed picture of the room. The story is set in the late 19th century and it is probably in Norway. Compared to today, women then had very few rights so they were comparatively the property of their husbands; they received allowances and they could not borrow money without the consent of their husbands'.
The book's central characters are Nora and Torvald Helmer; they live with their three children, a nurse and a housemaid. Their home is like that of a rather typical 19th century middle class home; where the nurse spends a lot of time with the children, the wife does the cooking and shopping, and the man works and is in charge of the whole house. Indeed Torvald fits the typical 19th century husband very well; he is very much in charge and feels superior to everyone else. Torvald does not regard his wife as an equal and he repeatedly calls her pet names like "little skylark", "little squirrel", and "little scatterbrain." Torvald is very careful with his money and he believes in saving money rather than squandering it when you have it. Torvald has just been promoted to Manager of the Savings Bank which means he would have a higher salary. Torvald hopes to save some for the future.
Nora is Torvald's wife, apart from being female; she is Torvald's opposite in many other ways. Torvald believes in saving and spending money wisely but Nora squanders money when she has it. Nora is very flirtatious and manipulative as she tries to get money out of her husband. Nora is also very secretive, and in the opening scenes when asked by Torvald if she had been to the confectioners, she denies readily, unknown to him she had hidden some macaroons in her pocket. Nora respects her husband and she knows her place in the hierarchy; and she sometimes refers to herself in Torvald's terms "Ah, if you only knew what expenses we skylarks and squirrels have, Torvald." Nora's primary interest is money, and in the opening scene she makes several references to it (counting money) "Ten - twenty - thirty - forty! Oh. Thank you, Torvald, thank you! This'll keep me going for a long time!" Nora also knows that she is a spendthrift, and Torvald supposes she inherited it from her father. Torvald then proceeds into lecturing Nora on the need to save. As Nora and Torvald flirt and converse, the doorbell rings and in comes Nora's old friend. At first Nora does not recognize her as they haven't met in nearly ten years, Nora then remembers her as Mrs. Kristina Linde. Mrs. Linde's husband passed on three years earlier and left nothing for her, Mrs. Linde also did not have any children. Nora sympathizes with Kristina, and wants to hear more about her, but Kristina gives Nora the opportunity to speak about herself; this opportunity Nora grabs with fervor. Disregarding the fact that Mrs. Linde has no children, Nora touches the subject and remarks "I have three lovely children." Nora pities Mrs. Linde's plight but her comments provoke Mrs. Linde to pity herself.
Nora then proceeds to tell Mrs. Linde about her husband's new job as Manager of the Savings Bank, another sensitive subject as Mrs. Linde has no husband and her husband also died without leaving anything. Nora comments on his old job as a barrister on how he was selective about his choice of case. Nora stresses the fact that Torvald's new job would pay a lot; commenting after Mrs. Linde talks about how pleasant it must be to have everything you need; Nora says "Oh, not just what we need! Heaps and heaps of money!" Mrs. Linde reminds Nora of her (Nora) tendency to squander money, Nora admits this but she does not seem bothered, she then imitates Torvald lecturing her on saving money. Nora continues talking about her fortunes, with her husband's new job and his health.
Considering Mrs. Linde's circumstances, Nora talks about very sensitive topics, "husbands, new job and health", these are topics that a person who has just lost everything would feel uncomfortable hearing. I think Nora is a very talkative person and does not purposefully talk about her husband to incite jealousy or to be inconsiderate, but her subjects surely do infringe on Mrs. Linde's comfort and emotions. Nora seems to forget about who she's talking to and therefore her message might not get across how she intends it to, and this can cause a lot of difficulties in communication and relationships.
This is the complete article, containing 790 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
