Characterisation of Nora

Nora is the wife of Torvald Helmer, a well respected and successful banker. Nora is portrayed at the start of the play as being a devoted wife to Torvald and a loving mother to Ivar, Emmy and Bob, her children. She never seems to buy things for herself, it always seems to be for her children or Torvald. We first see this all change when Nora hides a bag of macaroons from Torvald, this indicates a change from her first impression. This action indicates that she is sneaky and loves money. We then find out Nora has committed fraud by forging her fathers signature on a loan. She then finds it difficult to pay off the loan and soon the law starts to catch up with her.

This development of Nora's character and her actions, allows Ibsen to evolve Nora from this naive, loving, maternal character of Nora, to a sly character who is dealing with their own demons.

-Amy Daveney

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Quotations in the text used to demonstrate Nora's characterisation and growth.

-'Neither of you ever loved me. You just thought it was amusing to be in love with me' P182

Shows how Nora feels like she never been seen as a proper person, and more of an object.

-'He told me all his opinions, and then I had the same opinions: and if I had others, I hid them; because he wouldn't have liked it' P182

Demonstrates that women at the time, specifically Nora, was not allowed to express their own thoughts, and if they did she feared the repercussions.

-'I've been your doll-wife Nora here, just as at home I was Daddy's doll-child. And the children, they have in turn been my dolls.' P183

Demonstrates the societal 'norms' and ranks of power.

-'I'm the one who wrote Daddy's name'

Admission to identity fraud.

-'Takes a bag of macaroons from her pocket and takes a couple; then she goes cautiously over to listen at her husband's door' P110

Has no economic freedom

Is controlled in what she does

Scared of her husband?

-'I don't have any daddy who can present me with travel money, Nora' P119

Spoken by Mrs Linde, demonstrates how the class systems worked.

Women controlled by men (fathers and husbands)

Nora comes from a wealthy family.