The Lie in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay - 1837 Words

The Lie in Ibsens A Dolls House An action or statement that may be considered a lie to some may, in fact, not be considered, a lie to others: it might simply be considered, omitted information. The lie might seem to have an evil intent when first heard, but the true intention behind it may have been for helpful purposes or for protection. In Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, a lie was created to help and protect a loved one - yet it resulted in a catastrophic act. The character Nora lives her life, in one sense, as a complete lie. She never thought for herself or had her own opinions. Noras father would tell her what he thought about everything leaving her no opinion but his (Ibsen 428). If she did have an opinion†¦show more content†¦Nora is also involved in so-called lies that affect Torvald. She plays ...larks and squirrels for the benefit of her insufferable husband (Hurt 436). She pretends as though she enjoys being called these degrading names by her husband, all to please him. By not taking the issue upon herself to tell him the names make her feel like a doll, she may be considered a liar. Torvald, in a sense, lies or omits the truth from Nora in the same way. He does not know if Nora likes these names. He could be referring to her by these words because he believes she likes the attention. They may believe they are making each other happy, like Shakespeare says in Sonnet 138, O, loves best habit is in seeming trust,... /Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,/And in our faults by lies we flatterd be (Shakespeare 343). If someone sees the name calling as a harmful game, then Nora and Torvald would both be omitting the truth. Both of them would be lying through the eyes of someone who viewed the name-calling as a sense of happiness for one another. By referring to Nora as these names, it seems as though he never really gave her credit for doing anything important. She was just another doll in his doll house. The names that Torvald used were poking fun at Nora in a nice way. Torvald thought Nora really did not get the meanings behind the names, which again made her feel as though she was not important. With Nora feelingShow MoreRelatedSymbolism and Sexism in Ibsen’s â€Å"a Doll’s House† Essays949 Words   |  4 Pages Symbolism and Sexism in Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† Henrik Ibsen, the author of the controversial play â€Å"A Doll’s House† said, â€Å"There are two kinds of moral laws, two kinds of conscience, one for men and one, quite different, for women. They don’t understand each other; but in practical life, woman is judged by masculine law, as though she weren’t a woman but a man†¦A woman cannot be herself in modern society.† Isben created the plot of â€Å"A Doll’s House† from those ideas. 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