Nora (wife). Yes, it is so, Torvald. While I was at home with father he used to tell me all his opinions and I held the same opinions. If I had others I concealed them, because he would not have liked it. He used to call me his doll child, and play with me as I played with my dolls. Then I came to live in your house-- . . . I mean I passed from father's hands into yours. You settled everything according to your taste; and I got the same tastes as you; or I pretended to--I don't know which--both ways perhaps. When I look back on it now, I seem to have been living here like a beggar, from hand to mouth. I lived by performing tricks for you, Torvald. But you would have it so. You and father have done me a great wrong. It's your fault that my life has been wasted. . . .
Torvald (husband). It's exasperating! Can you forsake your
holiest duties in this way?
Nora. What do you call my holiest duties?
Torvald. Do you ask me that? Your duties to your
husband and children.
Nora. I have other duties equally sacred.
Torvald. Impossible! What duties do you mean?
Nora. My duties toward myself.
Torvald. Before all else you are a wife and a
mother.
Nora. That I no longer believe. I think that
before all else I am a human being, just as much as you are--or, at least, I
will try to become one. I know that most people agree with you, Torvald, and
that they say so in books. But henceforth I can't be satisfied with what most
people say, and what is in books. I must think things out for myself and try to
get clear about them. . . . I had been living here these eight years with a
strange man, and had borne him three children--Oh! I can't bear to think of
it--I could tear myself to pieces!. . . . I can't spend the night in a strange
man's house.
-
Climax
scene from A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen
Before
Ibsen, my thought of an English playwright was always limited to a very
Shakespearean image. It was after Ibsen (and then Shaw & my favourite
Wilde) that I discovered other playwrights as well than the Bard; and it was
Ibsen’s then controversial & today ground-breaking “A Doll’s House” that
simply blew me away with its unpredictable & shocking end, considering the
drama is set in 1860 Europe (possibly Norway).
When I
picked up my copy of A Doll’s House, I never imagined it to be so ahead of its
times. I had no background on the play at that time & was reading the play
out of curious interest of a novice reader. By the end of the play I was blown
over at the strong representation of the play’s heroine Nora & at the path
breaking climax which was a rarity in Literature around the globe at that time.
To give you
a short summary of the play (and if you are a woman & reading this, you
will find it very relevant today too):
A Doll’s
House’ “Doll” is the protagonist Nora Helmer, happily married to a loving
husband, Torvald Helmer and with three lovely children. Torvald & her kids
are Nora’s world, and she centres all her energy towards them. She has an ideal
husband & life a woman would wish for. Except something, that is lurking in
the dark of Nora’s mind. A year prior, Torvald was diagnosed with tuberculosis,
a near fatal disease at that time. Hard times fell on the family with their
sole breadwinner being indisposed & on the verge of death. At that time,
Nora illegally forged her signatures on some documents & borrowed some
money illegally for Torvald’s medication. Only one person, Nils Krogstad, knows
this, as the forgery happened in his full knowledge.
Gradually
Torvald is nursed back to full recovery, & Nora works very hard on the sly
to repay the sum she borrowed, to the extent of buying cheaper gifts for family
on Christmas & saving much money from what was given to her by Torvald to
replenish the sum she had illegally borrowed. Torvald has absolutely no idea of
this, and he dotes on his “squirrel” (his term for Nora) & pampers her as
before. Until one day, when the truth is exposed, with most shocking after
effects for Nora.
Title of the play – A Doll’s House:
What is a
Doll’s House? What does it signify for all of us? We all have either owned or
seen a Doll House while growing up. A Doll’s House generally has a beautifully
well-furnished house with dressers & china & upholstery all in the
proper place. There is Papa Doll, reading newspaper & sipping tea; there
are Kids Dolls playing in the backyard & possibly one infant doll in a
bassinet with a Nanny doll & there is a Mother Doll in the kitchen, right?
Even when we
played “House” or “Home” in childhood, these were the relegated, jacketed
roles…the Papa Doll was always sitting & doing finances or reading paper
& the Mumma Doll was always in the kitchen with an apron, baking pies. THIS
IS IT.
Growing up,
very few of us questioned this straightjacketed notion & went on with it.
This is the reality of a Doll’s House. It is actually a cage or a stage where
your role is pre-written just waiting for you to enact as per the script &
with decided guidelines. It looks all perfect & beautiful from outside, but
from inside it is as lifeless as the dolls residing within.
Nora’s home
& her life, and the lives of many other women even today are just that – A
Doll’s House; where our roles are pre-decided by family & society, and we
are expected to follow them & be happy in it without asking questions. So a
woman is expected to know cooking, cleaning, stitching and make her husband
& kids her life’s purpose. Boost her kids to eat, study & sleep on time
& boost her husband’s ego by playing dumb, providing good food &
satisfying him physically when he requires; A man, in turn, is expected to take
care of finances, be strict, provide for the family, etc.; a Woman or Man who
have come of age are expected to “marry & settle down”, as if there is no
other way of settling down; a couple if married are expected to have two Kiddy Dolls,
as the Doll’s House would not be “complete” without kids. Ah, & of
course…The Papa Doll & Mumma Doll are supposed to be of opposite sex, no
“other” alliances are possible in a Doll’s House. In short a straightjacketed,
stereotypical notion of a “Happy Family”.
Nora’s life
was just that & is so for many women even today. She came from her father’s
home as Daddy’s girl to her husband’s home as Hubby’s doted upon “squirrel”.
Her role remained the same & she was never required to give an opinion
which was hers alone. She loved her family & trusted that they, especially
her husband, will also go to any lengths for her, like she is willing to do for
him.
That is,
until Torvald discovers her dishonesty and is livid with anger & fear. Anger at Nora, for what she brought upon
HIM; Fear for what would happen to
HIS position if this matter was exposed in Public. Nora features nowhere in his
thoughts, as his first priority is him.
This is the
awakening point for our heroine, when she suddenly sees that her life so far
was a Doll’s House – a make believe world. She was supposed to “toe the line”
and do what was relegated to her position; despite the fact that her family is
the apex of her existence, when it comes to saving her, her family will first
think of themselves & not her.
This awakens
Nora to take a bold step & start living for her alone, by breaking the
shackle of societal norms that bind her.
At that time
(1860), the play generated immense controversy for its bold theme. Many reputed
stage actresses refused to act this part, with one very popular actress walking
out of the role at the last minute, telling Ibsen that she would never do what
Nora did, and calling the play’s heroine selfish. The controversy &
negative feedback even pressurised Ibsen to change the end while staging the
play in Germany, much to his chagrin. However Ibsen stuck to his story by &
large, & today the play is considered as a milestone in feminist literature
& a classic.
The play
always ran to packed houses even then & its copies were instant
bestsellers, due to its controversial end. Today, A Doll’s House, is one of the
most adapted stories for films, TV movies etc.
Read it, if
relationships complexities and Feminism enthral you. Read it, if inspiring
& strong plays are the things you look out for.
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