Gender Roles In Torvald's A Doll

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Torvald in “A Dolls house” represents the strict rules of gender roles. He responds to Nora's collisions by putting her down and reminding her of her inferiority by calling her multiple pet names and also treating her like an object. Torvald shows an example of this multiple times throughout the play. “It is delightful to be at hone by ourselves again, to be all alone with you- you fascinating, charming little darling”(p57). This quote reinforces his position as a man in the victorian society. he uses the pet name“charming little darling” as a tool to reinforce his position. Nora then responds by saying“Don't look at me like that Torvald.”p(57) Clearly showing how uncomfortable she is.Even though Nora feels uncomfortable her husband, Torvald asserts his dominance and instead of feeling sympathetic and backing down, he goes back to using the gender stereotype of men having more power. “Why shouldn't I look at my dearest treasure?- at all the beauty that is mine, all my very own?”p(57) In this quote Torvald claims Nora as an object that is his “that is mine”, and the …show more content…
Near the end of the play we see how Torvald reacted to the cultural collision of his reputation being almost ruined by his wife. After Torvald discovers the letter and he says “Now you have destroyed all my happiness” p(62) talking about his career putting himself first. Note that Nora was not apart of this “happiness” to him his happiness was controlling his wife, being viewed as a “normal” man in societies eyes and keeping his reputation secure. Since Torvald was so high in power any threat to that made him set off. He reacts to Nora's letter by calling her insulting her saying “She who was my joy and pride a hypocrite, a liar- worse, worse -a criminal!” p(62) He then goes back to himself saying to her “You have ruined all my future.”p(62). In this moment he collides with Nora and the

A Doll House Essay

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