Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House is one of the works that is most often chosen in IB English A Lit course works. And this posting will focus on the work's Core Scenes that require in depth analysis when it comes to writing IB English A Literature essay.
In fact, in IB English A paper 2 exam, you may get the essay prompts that require you to properly understand and analyse the function and effect of various symbols. First, let's check various symbols that are worthy of studying in Ibsen's work.
Core Scenes in A Doll's House
A. Letter scene
Represents a solid shift in Nora’s character
Triggered by Torvald reading Krogstad’s letter that exposes Nora’s crime
Nora initially ignorantly believes that Torvald will try to save her — screams that he “shan’t save her” and is fully prepared to commit suicide in “icy, black water”.
Yet Torvald condemns her as a “miserably creature”, scornfully branding her as a “liar”, “hypocrite” and “criminal”.
“Unutterably ugliness” — Torvald is obsessed with perfection and cannot stand anything unsightly
Lashes out at Nora for having “no religion, no morality, no sense of duty”
It is from this scene that Nora is pushed to forsake her doll-like nature and pursue a more authentic human experience
B. Nora's Final departure scene
End of character shift of Nora and she pursues own authenticity to self
Realises she has been but a doll to male figures in her life. She states she has been “greatly wronged”, first by her father then by Torvald. She has never had a chance to express her opinions and have them valued, from her youth as a “doll-child” till adulthood as a “doll-wife”
Challenges Torvald’s claim that she her most “sacred duties” are to her husband and children, but rather duties to herself as a “reasonable human being”
Realises the extent of oppression and suffering women undergo. When Torvald says “no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves”, Nora responds with “hundreds of thousands of women have”
Theme of disease and recovery
Fears that she herself has made her children to be her dolls, that their home “has been nothing but a playroom”
Needs to “educate” herself and cannot rely on Torvald
C. Mrs Linde’s arrival scene
Christine has suffered through hardships of being a widow from a loveless marriage, dying mother and supporting 2 young brothers
“(_in a dejected and timid voice_)”
Nora fails to recognise her childhood friend – suggests Christine has aged immensely over 8 years
“The last three years have seemed like one long working-day, with no rest”
She is self-sufficient and independent, working multiple jobs at a small shop and school over the years to support herself.
Nora is quite bluntly insensitive and is unabashed in flashing her higher social status and comfortable lifestyle.
“The last eight years have been a happy time for me”
“What a thoughtless creature I am, chattering away like this”
“You are quite alone (…) I have three lovely children”
Boasts about Torvald being made manager of the bank – “he will have a big salary and lots of commissions”
“It will be splendid to have heaps of money”
D. Conversation between Mrs Linde and Nora
Provides exposition and reveals Nora’s character in greater depth
Christine treats Nora in accordance with her childish and immature behaviour
Christine “smiles sadly and strokes her hair”
“You know so little of the burdens and troubles of life”
“You are a child, Nora”
This incites righteous indignation in Nora, who feels insulted by what she sees as contempt. Nora confides in Christine of her secret, which she is immensely “proud and glad of”. Similar to christine, she takes pride in having provided for her family.
E. Nora's encounter with Krogstad
Reveals Nora’s naïveté. She describes herself as a wife who has “head for business” and “the wit to be a little bit clever”, completely overlooking the dangers of committing a crime
Reveals the self-sacrificial nature of Nora’s spousal love for Torvald. Her fear that the knowledge of her taking a loan being “painful and humiliating” for Torvald pushes her to do it in secret.
Provides more characterisation on the patriarchal nature of marriages. Nora states that Torvald knowing he owed her anything would “upset (their) mutual relations” and “beautiful happy home” due to his “manly independence”. Shows audience from the beginning that Nora does conceal a great deal from her husband. Nora also suggests revealing the secret to Torvald many years down the line when she is “no longer as nice-looking” and her “dancing and dressing-up and reciting” have lost their touch. She describes the eventuality of Torvald being “no longer as devoted” to her as the inevitable, showcasing the superficiality of their relationship
Comments