Character Analysis (OCR A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes
Character analysis
Introduction
In A Doll's House, Ibsen uses characters as symbols to represent different ideas and values in 19th-century society. Understanding each character individually is important, but it's equally valuable to explore how they compare and contrast with one another, as these differences reflect the social debates of the time.
When analysing characters in the play, consider:
- What societal groups or themes they represent: Characters often embody particular social positions or ideas
- How they are established: Pay attention to their introduction in the play
- Actions and motives: What characters do and why they do it
- Dialogue and thoughts: What they say and think
- Interactions: How they relate to other characters
- Others' perspectives: What other characters say about them
- Physical descriptions: How they are described in appearance
- Stereotypes: Whether they conform to or challenge expected roles
- Relationships: The dynamics between characters
These analytical considerations apply to all literary character analysis, but are particularly relevant in A Doll's House where characters function as vehicles for social commentary and critique of 19th-century values.
Main characters
Nora Helmer
Nora is the main character of the play. She represents a typical middle-class woman in 19th-century Norway. At the start, she appears content with her domestic role, managing household affairs and taking pride in her position as wife, mother and mistress of the house.
Initial presentation
Nora is married to Torvald Helmer, a lawyer. When we first meet her, she seems happy and comfortable in her secure lifestyle. Her behaviour is childish and flirtatious, and she appears to enjoy being a pretty, cheerful object of her husband's affection.
Animal imagery
Throughout the play, Torvald uses animal imagery when addressing Nora. He regularly calls her "my skylark" or "my little squirrel". This language suggests her vulnerability and implies she has a wild, impulsive nature that needs controlling.
Significance of Animal Imagery
The consistent use of animal metaphors reveals the power dynamics in Nora and Torvald's marriage. By referring to Nora as small, vulnerable creatures, Torvald positions himself as her protector and controller, reinforcing the patriarchal structure of their relationship.
Hidden independence
However, as the play develops, we discover that Nora is more independent than she first appears. This suggests she deliberately adopts a false persona around her husband. Ibsen uses Nora's character to challenge patriarchal attitudes that discouraged women from working. She proves herself to be resourceful and capable in several ways:
- She reveals to her friend that she secretly paid for an expensive trip abroad without Torvald's knowledge
- She works at night to earn money and budgets carefully, contradicting Torvald's view of her as a spendthrift
- She comments that earning money made her feel "like being a man"
Character flaws
Nora's naïve and self-absorbed attitudes are exposed as the action rises. However, although she can seem callous and hypocritical, Ibsen presents her sympathetically:
- She shows remorse when she realises she has been insensitive to her friend Kristine
- She takes pride in knowing what the word "instalments" means, showing her limited education
- Her motives were noble – she wanted to save her husband's life
- She had very few options available to her
Sheltered existence
Nora's ignorance stems from her limited experience and lack of agency. She has been sheltered from the real world and genuinely believes her crime is not wrong. This highlights how women were kept ignorant of legal and financial matters.
The Consequences of Sheltering Women
Nora's lack of legal and financial knowledge is not a personal failing but a deliberate consequence of societal structures that excluded women from education and decision-making. Her confusion about the legality of her actions demonstrates how such ignorance could lead to serious consequences, making this a key criticism of 19th-century attitudes toward women.
Marriage conflicts
Nora's character reveals the conflicts and power imbalances within marriage, particularly under laws like the Napoleonic code (which gave husbands control over wives' property and legal affairs). Her secrecy is a direct consequence of traditional attitudes:
- She knows Torvald would be embarrassed if he discovered she had acted on his behalf
- Her extreme responses to Krogstad's blackmail show how vulnerable she is to her husband's potential reactions
Mental decline
Ibsen builds tension through Nora's mental deterioration after Torvald suggests that dishonest mothers corrupt their children. The audience watches her confused state unravel:
- Initially, she is desperately nervous about her husband discovering her secret
- She hints that suicide is her only escape from the situation
Transformation
By the resolution, Nora has completely changed. She becomes calm and clear about her intentions. The influence of her friend Kristine Linde is evident, as Nora decides to stay with her. Nora's attitude shifts entirely as she chooses to find independence outside of her husband's control.
Nora's Revolutionary Decision
Nora's choice to leave her husband and children was shocking and controversial for 19th-century audiences. This decision represents a radical rejection of the Victorian ideal of womanhood and challenges the notion that a woman's primary duty is to her family rather than to her own development and autonomy.
Torvald Helmer
Torvald is Nora's husband, a lawyer who has recently been promoted to bank manager. His character embodies traditional Victorian values and attitudes towards marriage.
Traditional attitudes
Torvald's conservative views are demonstrated through his demeaning comments to his wife. Although he seems to intend these remarks as intimate and loving, and Nora dismisses them lightly, his routine humiliation of Nora creates an uncomfortable portrait of marriage in a male-dominated society.
Moral superiority
Ibsen presents Torvald as unsympathetic, particularly through his sense of moral superiority. His characterisation specifically criticises hypocritical morality:
- He is shown as cold-hearted and selfish
- His long-standing friendship with the terminally ill Dr Rank is revealed to be superficial
- Once the threat to his reputation is removed, he contradicts his earlier principled stance on crime
Torvald's Hypocrisy
Torvald's quick reversal of his moral stance once his reputation is safe reveals that his proclaimed principles are actually about social appearance rather than genuine ethics. This hypocrisy is central to Ibsen's critique of middle-class Victorian morality, showing how social respectability often masks selfishness and moral emptiness.
As a father
Ibsen's portrayal of Torvald as a traditionally conservative father is particularly critical:
- He avoids spending time with his children, making a point of retreating to his study when they arrive
- He remarks that children make the house "unbearable to anyone but mothers"
Pride and appearances
Torvald's pride proves destructive to the marriage. The many secrets Nora keeps from him reveal barriers in their communication and a significant power imbalance. His priorities towards appearances and respectability cause damage:
- He wishes to dismiss his old friend Krogstad mainly because Krogstad does not show the appropriate formal respect
- He becomes distressed when his reputation is compromised, showing the pressure he feels to conform to social expectations
Final scene
Ibsen's decision to show Torvald alone on stage in the final scene is significant. He appears remorseful and distressed, yet unable to resolve his problems. His weak, emotional state challenges gender stereotypes by showing the supposedly strong man breaking down.
The Significance of Torvald's Final Moment
The ending suggests Torvald is punished for being blind to his own flaws. His final question, "Miracle of miracles?", confirms his lack of understanding about what went wrong in his marriage. This leaves the audience with an image of a man who has lost everything but still cannot comprehend why, emphasising the tragedy of his inability to change or grow.
Kristine Linde
Kristine Linde represents a typical single woman in 19th-century Europe. Her circumstances result from the loss of her husband, leaving her to work for survival.
Catalyst for change
Kristine's arrival at the Helmers' house triggers Nora's transformation. She plays a crucial role by:
- Encouraging Nora to look beyond her own comfortable life
- Persuading Nora to be honest with her husband
- Convincing Krogstad not to withdraw the incriminating letter, insisting that difficult truths must emerge
Independent woman
Kristine's role as an independent working woman is not presented positively, which challenges assumptions about female independence. Dr Rank's ignorant comments about her circumstances highlight contemporary attitudes towards women and work. Her hard and tiring life results from losing her husband, and she highlights the misery of unhappy marriages based purely on financial security.
The Paradox of Female Independence
Kristine's character reveals a complex truth about women's independence in the 19th century: while independence was necessary for survival, it came at a cost. Her bitter, weary demeanor contrasts sharply with Nora's initial cheerfulness, showing that independence without genuine opportunity or social support could be a burden rather than a liberation.
Foil to Nora
Kristine acts as a foil to Nora – she is childless, bitter and perceptive. In contrast to Nora's sheltered, naive outlook, Kristine is portrayed as weary and cynical. She admits that independence can make someone bitter, and her comments to Nora suggest envy towards Nora's family life.
Religious symbolism
Kristine's traditional views may allude to Christian religious values:
- Her name resembles the word and setting "Christmas"
- Her principled views on honesty and the role she plays in Nora's "awakening" give her an omnipotent quality
- She appears throughout much of the play, arriving at moments of crisis to guide and help Nora, which makes her seem almost ethereal (otherworldly)
Resolution
Kristine's proposal to Krogstad shows her as a nurturing, modern woman. She is rewarded with love and security in the play's resolution, suggesting Ibsen approves of her honest, direct approach.
Nils Krogstad
Nils Krogstad is an old friend of Torvald's, an employee at Torvald's bank and a former moneylender. He serves as the antagonist of the play, applying pressure to the main character and exposing the Helmers' hypocrisies.
Negative introduction
Krogstad is introduced by Dr Rank, which suggests he is the subject of gossip. Both Dr Rank and Torvald dismiss him as a wicked and corrupt man.
Victim of circumstance
However, his interactions with Nora and Kristine reveal Krogstad as a victim of circumstances. His character represents someone forced into morally questionable actions by a rigid and superficial social code:
- His actions mirror Nora's own loan and forgery, highlighting their parallel situations
- He was fired for forging a signature, then had to support his sons and turned to money-lending
- In this way, his character reflects the limited choices available to those who make mistakes
Krogstad and Nora: Parallel Situations
The parallel between Krogstad and Nora is crucial to understanding Ibsen's critique of social hypocrisy. Both committed the same crime (forgery) for noble reasons, yet society treats them differently. This reveals how social status, gender, and circumstances can determine whether a person is judged as criminal or sympathetic, exposing the arbitrary nature of moral judgments in society.
Transformation
Krogstad's challenges to Nora are initially sinister and disruptive. However, Ibsen effectively reveals the gap between appearance and reality. Krogstad's empathetic and noble nature gradually emerges:
- His loss of Kristine's love due to his financial situation is presented sympathetically
- He receives his reward in the resolution when Kristine proposes to him
- He cares deeply for his sons and desperately wants to regain respect in the town
Mercy and redemption
Krogstad's character explores the concept of mercy. He treats Nora without mercy because no mercy has been shown to him in life. However, after he and Kristine Linde decide to marry, he withdraws his threats to the Helmers, showing regret and remorse for his actions.
The Transformative Power of Love
Krogstad's redemption through Kristine's love suggests that social rehabilitation is possible when people are given second chances and emotional support. His transformation from antagonist to sympathetic character reinforces the play's message about the importance of mercy and the destructive nature of rigid social judgment.
Other characters
Dr Rank
Dr Rank is a close family friend and doctor who visits the Helmers regularly. He suffers from spinal tuberculosis, a condition he believes resulted from his father's extravagant and excessive lifestyle.
Ignorance and irony
Dr Rank's ignorance about others' circumstances, particularly the female characters, is ironic. The audience knows his own advice led Nora to take out a secret loan. When Nora tells Kristine that Dr Rank advised her to take Torvald abroad when he was ill, it reveals the irony of his position. His callous remarks to Kristine suggest he has little understanding or empathy for the financial hardships faced by a widow.
Relationship with Nora
Dr Rank's relationship with Nora initially has a positive influence on her. He speaks to her as an equal, and she can be herself with him. However, Nora sees the wealthy single man as an easy escape from her financial burden. Once he reveals his love for her and suggests she has given him mixed messages over the years, she withdraws from the relationship.
Cynicism confirmed
Dr Rank is cynical about life and love, and events in the resolution prove him correct. His pessimistic and morbid conversation about his terminal illness bores Torvald, who begins to see him as an annoyance. Significantly, Torvald shows no sign of grief when he learns about his friend's imminent death, revealing the superficiality of their friendship.
Dr Rank as a Truth-Teller
Dr Rank's cynical worldview is validated by the events of the play. His terminal illness serves as a metaphor for the moral corruption he sees in society, and his frank acknowledgment of this corruption contrasts with the other characters' denial and pretense. His honest, if pessimistic, perspective provides an important counterpoint to the Helmers' carefully maintained façade.
The nursemaid
Anne Marie is Nora's former nanny, a mother figure who now looks after Nora's children. Her intimate and familiar relationship with Nora provides comfort:
- Nora seeks Anne Marie's advice
- She says she would be happy for Anne Marie to raise her children if she were to leave
Like Nora and Kristine Linde, Anne Marie's character illustrates the necessity of women making sacrifices for financial security. The audience learns that Anne Marie had a child outside marriage, whom she was forced to give up in order to support herself. This reveals the harsh choices facing women in this society.
The Cycle of Female Sacrifice
Anne Marie's story represents the most extreme example of the sacrifices women were forced to make for survival. Her abandonment of her own child to work as a nursemaid for others powerfully illustrates how economic necessity could force women into heartbreaking choices. This parallel to Nora's potential departure from her own children adds depth to the play's exploration of motherhood and duty.
Exam tips
Key Strategies for Character Analysis
- Always link character analysis to the themes and context of the play
- Consider how characters are used symbolically to represent ideas
- Compare and contrast characters to show deeper understanding
- Use short, relevant quotations to support your points
- Analyse how Ibsen challenges or reinforces contemporary attitudes through characterisation
- Remember that characters can be complex and contradictory – avoid oversimplifying them
Remember!
Essential Character Points
- Characters in A Doll's House are symbolic, representing different ideas and social positions in 19th-century society
- Nora transforms from an apparently childish wife to an independent woman who leaves her marriage, challenging patriarchal expectations
- Torvald embodies traditional Victorian values but is revealed as hypocritical and superficial, ultimately alone at the end
- Kristine Linde acts as both catalyst and foil to Nora, representing the harsh reality of female independence
- Krogstad serves as antagonist but is revealed as sympathetic, mirroring Nora's situation and experiencing redemption through love
- Supporting characters like Dr Rank and Anne Marie reinforce the play's themes about society, relationships and sacrifice