Nora's Failure as a mother in "A Doll's House"
...ld’s who treated her in the same way: “our home has been nothing but a playpen. I’ve been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa’s doll child” (Ibsen, 955). Nora has always been treated like a doll both by her father and her husband, the two major influences in her life. As a result of these influences, Nora knows no other way and therefore is unable to be a mother to her children for she is still a child herself. In order for Nora to become a mother, she needs to become an adult. Nora needs to gain experience and allow herself time to become more sophisticated to gain intelligence necessary to compete (2002). Mrs. Linde influences Nora through her independence and acts as an example of an independent woman succeeding in life. During conversations with Mrs. Linde, Nora’s desire to be accepted and to be seen as capable and independent like Mrs. Linde is shown: “you all think I am incapable of anything serious” (Ibsen, 912), “I’ve also got something to be proud and happy for” (Ibsen, 912). Nora views Mrs. Linde as an independent woman and therefore feels she can confide her own desires and acts of independence to Mrs. Linde. Nora sees Mrs. Linde’s situation as freedom: “How free you must feel”, when she explains to Nora she has no husband and no mother or brothers to take care of. Mrs. Linde is completely on her own and independent. Nora is the opposite, a child, dependent on her husband. Nora does not want to be seen as a child in Mrs. Linde’s eyes, but accepts these views from her husband. When Mrs. Linde refers to Nora as a child, Nora’s reaction is offensive as she tosses her head, paces the floor and responds “You don’t have to act so superior” (Ibsen, 912). Nora wants to be seen by Mrs. Linde as an equal and not a child. The opposite is true throughout the interactions between Nora and her husband. Nora is in acceptance as her husband refers to her as “my squirrel” (Ibsen, 906), “my sweet, little lark” (Ibsen, 908). In Torvald’s eyes, Nora remains the doll-child, the dependent wife for this is the role she has been trained to play. Nora’s true desires and her need for independence are shown by her interaction with Mrs. Linde, her confidant. The daily role that Nora plays as a doll with her husband is also the role she plays with her children. She treats her children as dolls as well: “the children have been my dolls” (Ibsen, 955). It is this struggle for independence shown through her interactions with Mrs. Linde that result in her failure as a mother for Nora realizes that as she is, a dependent doll-child, she is not equipped to raise children: “how am I equipped to bring up children” (Ibsen, 955). Nora’s need for personal growth and independence is so strong that she feels it is necessary to take drastic measures in order to achieve this. Nora decides that she must leave her family behind, disowning them and her role as a mother in order to personally succeed: “I have to try and educate myself…I’ve got to do it alone” (Ibsen, 955), “I only know how essential this is” (Ibsen, 956). In leaving her family, Nora will be able to engage in individual experiences and grow into an adult. Nora’s realization of the fact that she is still a child herself and her need for independence result in the demise of her family unit and her ultimate failure as a mother. Nora blames her father and her husband for her lack of growth “ Nora possesses a desire for independence. As a result of the pressures of society at this time for women to assume the role of mother and wife, Nora was never given the chance to express or act on these desires in an acceptable manner and was forced to take drastic measures in order to experience this desired independence. During the time of the play, women were unable to borrow money without signatures from their husbands or fathers. Nora felt that it was necessary to borrow money in order to save her husband’s life without him having any knowledge that his life was at risk or that she borrowed the money...