Defend Nora's Exit in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll House"

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Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House ends on either a very negative note, or a very positive note depending upon how one views such situations. At the end of the story, Nora Helmer leaves her oppressive, belittling husband, and children - who are hardly her children - behind to rediscover and educate herself. Ibsen states, “The wife in the play ends by having no idea of what is right or wrong; natural feeling on one hand and belief in authority on the other have altogether bewildered her.” (Ibsen. 409) Nora’s situation was a very unique one with many tunnels and slides to be trekked. Her exit was a fully rational, completely acceptable action. First, one might say, “Well, she didn’t just have a husband; she had children as well! What child should be without a mother?” The children were already without her as a mother. She hardly spent time with them. They were cared for by a nurse named Anne-Marie; the same nurse who cared for Nora when she was a child. Nora was simply there to be called “Moma,” almost as if that were her name to the children. The only time in the play that we see interaction with Nora and her children is a moment when Anne-Marie has just gotten back from taking them to play in the snow. Nora decides to “play” with the children. She begins by wanting to hold her youngest child. She tells Anne-Marie, “. . . Oh, let me hold her a bit, Anne Marie. My sweet little doll baby! . . .” (Ibsen. I. 387) First, the fact that Nora almost had to ask permission to hold her own child shows that she doesn’t quite view herself suitable to be a mother. Second, she refers to her child as her “little doll baby.” This makes the children seem almost like toys or props to Nora; they aren’t real, they’re just play-things. To reiterate this notion of toys, she also says, “. . . No, don’t bother, Anne-Marie – I’ll undress them myself. Oh yes, let me. It’s such fun! . . .” (Ibsen. I.
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