A Doll's House Symbolism

Words: 486
Pages: 2

Symbolism as the dictionary defines it is an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. In Henrik Ibsen's play “A Doll’s House,” symbolism plays a big role. Throughout the play there are little things that are symbolic to the time period the play was written and how society functioned. These symbols, if understood, give the reader a more in depth understanding of the play. A couple examples of symbolism in “A Doll’s House” are the christmas tree and the tarantella dance. Both of these symbols are giving us an inside look on the main character of the play, Nora, and how she is treated by her husband due to the society and time period they lived in.

One example of symbolism in “A Doll’s House” is the christmas tree. The christmas tree is a representation of Nora. Both Nora and the tree are considered objects that are only enjoyable to look at. Nora is seen as something that brings beauty into their home, but nothing more than that. In the play, Nora
…show more content…
The tarantella is an italian folk dance that people used to do after getting bitten by a spider to rid their body of the poison. I believe this is also symbolic of Nora. The play states, “Nora dances more and more wildly...her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders; she pays no attention to it, but goes on dancing” (47). This in my opinion is suggesting that Nora is dancing aggressively and freely because she feels as though she wants to get rid of all the toxins in her life. The toxins in her life are not only her feeling trapped inside her marriage but also the weight Krogstad is holding over her head. She is feeling trapped and the tarantella dance is symbolism for how desperate Nora is to shake all the negativity from her life. As you can see, the tarantella dance is symbolic of Nora and her desire to be free of her toxic