A Real Doll House

876 Words4 Pages
Composition II 1020 28 September 2012 A Real Doll House As we look upon such a controversial play by Henrik Ibsen, we see it as a “little doll house” with many different puppet masters. Every character has a role that is played, and at first we are enthralled as the roles unfold. Although the title of A Doll House is merely a title, it tells us so much more about the Helmer’s and how their life, at times mirrors a real doll house, with treatments of the characters by others and how the reader is looking into their world, even to how the play progresses to a dramatic unexpected finale. The Helmers’s happy little world is what most people see on the outside, and some may be very envious of it and often will strive to obtain it. This perfect little home, which we are looking into, has the right size rooms and tasteful furnishings, and even a festive Christmas tree Nora has brought home. The characters we encounter seem to fit nicely in the wholesome family structure, with a mother, father, many children, and even household servants. The scenes are set up to make us look into their world and with that, it is as if we are looking into a “doll house,” a perfect little fantasy world. As the play progresses we see that, although the outside appearance seems happy, something is just not right. Nora’s husband Torvald is for the most part a husband most would be proud of, a hard worker; he cares for his family and provides a wonderful home and finer things. As we begin to see the relationship he has with Nora and she has been his “doll” in their marriage and she allows him treat her this way, Egan states, “ the fact that Helmer helped to make Nora a doll, Nora helped make Helmer a prig” (117-118). The treatment and reactions of these two are symbolic and he seems to be master over her. He makes her his “doll” but she as well, has a part in playing right along with him and

More about A Real Doll House

Open Document