Contrasting Themes and Characters in a Doll’s House

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Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is filled with many different characters and themes which are able to be compared with one another, from its versatile cast of characters to the controversial themes that it covers. The main characters in the play share many similarities with each other, especially in the beginning of the play, which likely stems from the fact they were all subjected to the same social and cultural influences. This becomes apparent when contrasting people like Mr. Helmer and Mr. Krogstad, both of whom show great concern for the way they are portrayed socially. Nora and Kristina Linde also have quite a few contrasts between them, such as their different life experiences, and the way that Nora loses her husband just as Ms. Linde reunites with Krogstad during the conclusion. The themes presented, such as legality versus morality and male and female gender roles, also allow critics to create comparisons that provide an analysis of the play and the impact it has on an audience. Overall, A Doll’s House has many contrasts that can be observed between the many different aspects of the play, from its characters to its many themes. One of the most important contrasts that can be seen in this play is the difference between appearance and reality, as for most of the play the main characters are living under the assumption that they are a happily married couple. However, the reality is vastly different from this, even if they didn’t know better, as Torvald and Nora actually have quite a dysfunctional relationship. Toril Moi details this dysfunctional relationship between the two of them by writing “Helmer’s idealism and Nora’s unthinking echoing of it make them theatricalize both themselves and each other…” (2). Neither of them is completely alone in receiving the blame for the creation of this type of marriage, as while Torvald is completely absorbed in his own
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