In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen explores the theme of love and marriage. In particular, he is searching for the answers to whether there is love in marriage and how a successful marriage should be. In addition, he reflects upon the role of social standards and expectations in relation to marriage, comparing and contrasting two couples – Nora and Torvald Helmers and Kristine Linde and Nils Krogstad. In the beginning, Nora and Torvald are represented as a loving couple who have a happy marriage. While Nora talks joyfully about their relationships, Torvald uses “lark,” “squirrel,” and other affectionate names to refer to her (Ibsen). While society determines the roles of husbands and wives, Nora and Torvald enjoy playing them. In particular, Nora likes to be guided by her husband, while Torvald uses his marriage to an obedient woman to benefit his career.
At the same time, in her attempts to save her husband in the past, Nora borrowed money that was regarded as a violation of social norms. When Krogstad threatens her that he will reveal her secret, Nora is not afraid of being condemned – in turn, she worries about her husband’s reputation as she truly loves him (Ibsen). However, when Torvald finally discovers the truth, he blames Nora for being a bad wife instead of supporting her. Thus, Nora realizes that Torvald has never loved her – for him, she was expected to play a role approved by society.
In contrast, Kristine and Nils, who were lovers before Kristine’s marriage to a rich man, reunite again. While Kristine values the role of a woman in society, she wants to earn money, have a job, and live independently. At the same time, she cannot stay lie, secrets, and pretense – that is why she contributes to the revealing of Nora’s secret. Her desire to be with Krogstad is based on mutual love and respect. In this way, the author demonstrates that successful marriage is based on the union of equal people, while power imbalance will lead to failure.
Work Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. 1879. The Project Gutenberg.