Dawson Bartlett
Mrs. Rutan
AP Literature and Composition
20 January 2017
Mrs. Rutan
AP Literature and Composition
20 January 2017
Maturity vs Marriage
The metamorphosis of maturity does more than alter your body—it develops your educational outlook on life. After maturity it is obvious that a once adolescent, scattered brain transforms into a clinical and well rounded decision maker. But what happens when you meet “the one” and you are not ready? In A Doll’s House, author Henrik Ibsen argues that without maturity a marriage is held back like a free flowing ship anchored to the bottom of the sea. It is when maturity is expressed that a couple can pull up their anchor until death dues them part. Ibsen displays through the unraveling of three acts that Nora has not truly found herself and she has become a self-reliant young woman which will overall lead to the early depart of husband and wife.
ACT I
In Act 1 of A Doll’s House the two main characters, Nora and Torvald, have a relationship that’s understood to be both playful and sturdy. Comments towards Nora like “little song bird” (Ibsen, 1094), “lark” (Ibsen 1141), and “Squirrel” (Ibsen, 1094) from Torvald seem nothing out of ordinary; perhaps the pet names are even reassuring of their connection—sadly this isn’t the truth. As we dig deeper into their relationship, Nora's childishness and Torvald’s command become hard to swallow. Attention is brought towards Torvald’s new high authority job of becoming the “... manager at the Mutual Bank” (Ibsen, 1098) but that is not where the stem of power ends. The pet names become understood as dehumanizing, stripping Nora of her titled power. Torvald is mimicking that of a father forcing Nora to presume a daughter's immature role under his manipulation. |
ACT II
In Act II Nora's secret of forging a signature continues to develop into a much larger problem; she comes to realize the true essence and backlash from her once innocent mistake. In these moments, it becomes evident to the audience that Nora’s acts were impulsive… but maybe it wasn’t all her fault. Blinded by her immaturity, Nora never had the capability of thinking things through. Torvald, being too amused with her emotional and social dependence on him, subconsciously suppressed Nora from breaking out of an adolescent cocoon. He constantly manipulated her similar to a toy doll creating a overwhelming parallel to the title, “ A Doll’s House.” It isn’t until Act III that she transforms into her desired butterfly; but not by the hands of Torvald. |
"Maturity is not measured by age.
It's an attitude built by experience."
-unkown
It's an attitude built by experience."
-unkown
ACT III
Understanding she’s been caught, Nora is forced to face the wrath of Torvald. Livid from the recent discovery of her forgery, he ruthlessly showers piercing insults down onto her - calling her a “wretch” (Ibsen, 1145) and even questioning her ability to be a wife and mother. With a quick tone shift, Nora's whole character is altered; she undergoes her metamorphosis of child to adult. Her lines become shorter as she becomes more aware of her husband's limitations placed upon her realizing that this is the “...first time...we have had a serious talk.” (Ibsen 1148) in over eight years. Soon after, Nora leaves the Helmer household for good. She can no longer be chained to the sea floor now that she knows a relationship can only stay afloat with a structure built off maturity.
Understanding she’s been caught, Nora is forced to face the wrath of Torvald. Livid from the recent discovery of her forgery, he ruthlessly showers piercing insults down onto her - calling her a “wretch” (Ibsen, 1145) and even questioning her ability to be a wife and mother. With a quick tone shift, Nora's whole character is altered; she undergoes her metamorphosis of child to adult. Her lines become shorter as she becomes more aware of her husband's limitations placed upon her realizing that this is the “...first time...we have had a serious talk.” (Ibsen 1148) in over eight years. Soon after, Nora leaves the Helmer household for good. She can no longer be chained to the sea floor now that she knows a relationship can only stay afloat with a structure built off maturity.