Essay About the Relationship of Torvald and Nora

In the play, a doll's house, Nora Helmer conforms to the role of a wife and mother while questioning her happiness in this role. When an individual does not conform inwardly, tension is created which affects the outward conformity. The personal journey Nora embarks on leads to tension between her husband and her. It causes internal tension, as she struggles to escape her role due to his constant belittling of her as a person.

Initially, Nora behaves complacently in relation to her husband's passive abuse while internally questioning her nature. She endures the demeaning nicknames, ‘Featherbrain and Spendthrift', to fit the narrative that she is incompetent and dependent. She appeases Torvald by agreeing with him when he demeans her, thereby reinforcing the hierarchy of their family. “That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt..” with Nora responding, “As you please, Torvald.” This exemplifies how Nora resigns herself to a subservient role due to societal expectations. The passive insults serve to show Nora's place in the family dynamic. However, at the beginning of the play, Nora already hides her true nature; the first instance of this is when she lies about eating sweets. When her friend Christine mentions her duties as a mother ending now that her children have grown up, Nora expects Christine to feel relief. However, Christine reacts with sadness. The juxtaposition of Nora and Christine emphasises Nora's nature. She does not see motherhood and wifehood as her only duty. By hiding her true nature, she causes internal conflict. She ignores the fact that she needs fulfilment beyond what society tells her.

Finally, at the end of the play, Nora takes full control over her life by leaving her family to be an individual without the expectations of society. This brings the theme of women not having power over their own lives full circle as Nora finally breaks the norms and lives for herself. She defies the set expectations of society to ensure her fulfilment in life without conformity. Torvald, shocked by her actions, tries to convince Nora that he can provide her with everything she wants as long as she remains with him. She refutes this by saying that because he had power, he could not teach her or the children anything. “Alas, Torvald, you are not the man to educate me into being a proper wife for you.” She also uses Torvald's comments to solidify her conviction about leaving. Nora agrees she is not fit to raise her children and to become fit,“... As I am now, I can be of no use to them.” She must learn about herself. The tension created by the final conversation conveys the extent of control Torvald has had over Nora. She rejects expectations by ignoring Torvald's pleas, reversing roles and finally leaving.

Nora's journey in the play illustrates the effect of internal tension on external tension. When struggling against conformity, an individual will question inwardly to find fulfilment. This leads to rejecting societal expectations in order to achieve a sense of self. Nora and Torvald's relationship illustrates how when one person adheres to the beliefs of another, they will eventually reject it for their own beliefs.