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What does Nora’s tree decorating and chattering at the end of act i reveal about her character?

Coursework Instructions:

Act I
1. From the beginning of Act I, Torvald calls Nora several pet names. What do these names suggest about Torvaldʼs perception of his wife and his marriage?
2. Compare Noraʼs and Kristineʼs lives since marriage. Who is better off? Explain.
3. What might be the link between Noraʼs “contraband” macaroons and her “huge desire to say – to hell and be damned?”
4. What crime has Nora committed?
5. Do Noraʼs motives for committing the crime excuse her in some way?
6. What does Noraʼs tree decorating and chattering at the end of Act I reveal about her character?
Act II
1. When Nora sees the box of masquerade clothes, she wants to “rip them in a million pieces!” What does Ibsen symbolize with this characterization?
2. Discuss the foreshadowing in Noraʼs conversation with Anne-Marie.
3. Why does Torvald make such a decisive show of mailing the letter firing Krogstad against Noraʼs pleas?
4. After Dr. Rank professes his love, Nora demands the lamp be brought in. Why? Is this light real or artificial? What might Ibsen be suggesting about truth and light in the Helmerʼs household?
5. Some histories of the tarantella dance explain that it is used to fight off the venomous effects of a spider bite. Other interpretations suggest it represents a womanʼs frustration in oppression. Which of these explanations best fits Noraʼs violent practice at the end of Act II? Might both apply? Explain.
Act III
1. Why is Kristine willing to “risk everything” for Krogstad?
2. Why does Kristine encourage Krogstad to let Torvald read the letter revealing Noraʼs deception?
adapted from: A TEACHERʼS Guide TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF HENRIK IBSENʼs A DOLLʼs HOUSE
3. Dr. Rank suggests Nora should go to the next masquerade dressed as “Charmed Life,” and that she should dress “just as she looks every day.” What is the implication about Noraʼs daily life? Is it charmed? Or is the charm a masquerade? Explain.
4. Discuss the irony in Torvaldʼs accusation that Nora has played with him “like a puppet.”
5. Helmerʼs pronouncement that “before all else, (Nora is) a wife and mother” is contradicted by Noraʼs “before all else, Iʼm a human being.” Is this issue significant today, or is it only a sign of Ibsenʼs time? Explain.
6. Discuss Noraʼs decision to leave her family. Is it truly the only way she can reclaim her identity and humanity?
7. The last sound the audience hears is the door slamming shut after Noraʼs departure. Examine the theatrical, literary, and historical significance of this stage device.

Coursework Sample Content Preview:

A Doll House Reading Guide
Name
Institution
Act I1. From the beginning of Act I, Torvald calls Nora several pet names. What do these names suggest about Torvaldʼs perception of his wife and his marriage?
Nora Helmer is married to Torvalds, and Torvald calls her careless and childlike due to the several pet names she has. It also makes him believe that he is in total control of the marriage and that he controls Nora.2. Compare Noraʼs and Kristineʼs lives since marriage. Who is better off? Explain.
Nora is better off since she is in her marriage out of love as opposed to Kristine who is in it for the money. She therefore enjoys what she does more than Kristine, whose major drive is money.4. What crime has Nora committed?
Nora committed the crime of illegally acquiring money from a bank. She illegally got the money so that she could travel to Italy for her husband to recuperate after the serious illness.5. Do Noraʼs motives for committing the crime excuse her in some way?
Her motives for committing the crime cannot be excused because she could have recovered from their country they dint have to travel to Italy.6. What does Noraʼs tree decorating and chattering at the end of Act I reveal about her character?
Nora decoration of the Christmas tree and chattering reveals that she was disturbed and no longer happy.
Act II1. When Nora sees the box of masquerade clothes, she wants to “rip them in a million pieces!” What does Ibsen symbolize with this characterization?
Ibsen is trying to symbolize how Nora would break or tear her marriage. It is her marriage that she wants to tear into pieces.2. Discuss the foreshadowing in Noraʼs conversation with Anne-Marie.
There is an element of foreshadow,as Ann tells Nora of her experiences. Nora tells An that if her children would ever lack a mother,then An would be their mother. This is a foreshadow as later on,Nora would abandon her children and family.It is exactly what she does later.3. Why does Torvald make such a decisive show of mailing the letter firing Krogstad against Noraʼs pleas?
He is just trying to maintain his superirority over his wife. By firing his employee,he is indirectly trying to show the public that he is not susceptible in any way,to the voice of his wife. He is simply manifesting male chauvinism.4. After Dr. Rank professes his love, Nora demands the lamp be brought in. Why? Is this light real or artificial? What might Ibsen be suggesting about truth and light in the Helmerʼs household?
The light is a representation of how she has been enlightened,as a result,once Rank proffeses his lo...
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