Summary “The Dollhouse” by Ibsen
The drama takes place in Norway, in the modernity of Ibsen. Inexpensive furnished but cozy apartment in which the lawyer Torvald Helmer and his wife Nora live. Christmas Eve. Nora enters the house from the street, carrying many boxes containing gifts for Torvald and the children she will put under the tree. The husband makes a fuss, jokes and lovingly accuses his wife of dishonesty, calls her at the same time a butterfly, a bird, a lark, a doll. Nora protests that Christmas can be tolerated and a little bit of humbug, especially since Helmer will take over from the new year as director of the bank, and they will no longer know the need, they will forget how to save at every step-as in past years.
Even having given birth to three children, Nora remains a dazzling beauty. Pouhazhivav a little behind her, Helmer goes into the office, into the living room is Frou Linde, an old friend of Nora, who just got off the steamer. Almost eight years did not see his girlfriend, over the years,
And what – Fru Linde again to settle in this city? What does he intend to do? Perhaps Helmer will be able to arrange it for a place in the bank: now he is in charge of staffing and in his office he talks with Krogstad, an attorney, intending to sack him. Thus, the place will be vacant. How? Does Fru Linde know him a little? Of course,
Helmer really fired Krogstad – the tarnished reputation of the latter is not to Torvald’s liking. Krogstad once committed forgery (they studied with Helmer), forged a signature on the monetary document, but he managed to avoid the trial. But this is even worse! The vice turned out to be unpunished, and he necessarily sowed the seeds of further decomposition. Krogstad should be forbidden to have children, otherwise with his upbringing they will necessarily grow up criminals.
However, Nora committed a forgery. It was Krogstad who lent her money for a trip to Italy, and on a loan letter she forged the signature of her father’s signature, which she could not turn to, because it was then that he was lying at death. The document was dated the day when Norah’s father had already died. Krogstad, expelled from work, asks Norah to intercede for him before her husband, put in a word: he has proven himself at work in the bank, but with the new director all his future plans will go to waste.
Helmer has one more reason to fire Krogstad – the new director does not like that, according to old memory, he several times turned to him for “you.” Nora asks not to fire Krogstad, but Helmer does not take her words seriously and refuses. Then Krogstad begins to blackmail the Nora, threatens to expose her husband, tell what money they went to Italy, and also about the forgery she made. And this time he does not manage to get anything from Nora, and Krogstad starts blackmailing them both in the open: Helmer sends a letter with a direct threat to publicize the story with Nora’s forgery, and then Helmer will not be able to stay in the chair of the bank’s director. Nora in throwing, trying to find a way out. She flirted with Dr. Rank, a longtime friend of seven, long and secretly in love with Nora, but having hereditary syphilis and therefore doomed to an imminent death. Rank would have given for Nora everything he has, but now Krogstad does not need money at all. Dr. Rank ends tragically – he sends Helmers by mail a postcard, which shows a black cross – which means that the doctor no longer accepts anyone, will be locked up in his home, not to frighten his loved ones, until his death, which will come quite soon.
Nore is threatened with exposure, shame, which unbearably frighten a woman – it’s better to commit suicide than endure all this! Krogstad is relentless, he warns that suicide will not help, because he still disgraced his memory.
And then comes to the aid of Fru Linde, committed unexpectedly. It is explained with Krogstad at the most crucial moment. When they loved each other, but Linde preferred to marry another: she had an old mother on her hands, as well as two younger brothers, Krogstad was in a very fragile financial situation. Now she is a widow, her mother has died, she has grown up and got to her feet – that’s why she can marry Krogstad if he is still interested in it. Krogstad is happy, life seems to be improving, he will finally have a loyal person, love, and he ceases to blackmail Helmer. But Helmer’s mailbox already contains a letter sent by Krogstad, and the key is only from Torvald himself. Well, Krogstad thinks, let Nora become aware of what all the hypocritical moralizing of her husband is worth!
And really: after reading the letter, Helmer literally falls into a fit of anger from anger. How so! His own wife – a bird, doll, lark – was a criminal? And now, the well-being of the whole family, because of it, will go to the spray! They will never get rid of the demands of Krogstad! Helmer can not let Nora spoil their children! From now on, they will only be handled by a nanny! Helmer will allow his wife to remain in the house to observe at least external appearances, but their lives will go separately.
Here the messenger brings a new letter from Krogstad, in which he completely refuses all the previous requirements, and encloses Nora’s loan letter as proof. Helmer’s mood changes sharply: they are saved! Now everything will be even better than before! But then his obedient toy Nora suddenly revolts. She always leaves home! Once a father, and now a husband, treat her like a doll that they like to caress from time to time. She used to see this too, but because of her love for Helmer, that attitude was forgiven. But she hoped that, as should a loving husband, Helmer would take the wife’s blame on herself. After the incident, she no longer loves her husband, as before he himself did not like her – he just took pleasure in his feelings of love for her. But they are strangers to each other.
Helmer is stunned by the decision of his wife. He understands that Nora’s words, like her feelings, are absolutely serious. But is there really no hope for the future of their reunion? He is ready to do anything to destroy the gulf between them. Nora answers that this could be a miracle of miracles, but, as she now knows from her own experience, miracles do not happen, and her decision is final.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)