Nora+and+Torvald+(pg+177-180)

Nora and Torvald Dialogue Page 177 (Nora: "That horrible man! It's all nonsense...") to page 180 (Helmer: "...My darling little songbird!")

**Topics** To show Nora's change in character, from one that was more effervescent and buoyant to one that is uneasy and anxious. To create suspense in the scene, leading into the next act. To Further the themes of deception and irony in the play.

**Synopsis**  In this dialogue between Nora and Torvald, Nora deceives Torvald by wearing a mask of child-like innocence, causing Torvald to mistakenly perceive his household lifestyle as ordinary. As a result, Torvald passively provides Nora with his opinion of Krogstad's forgeries. Torvald's expression of disapproval towards Krogstad's actions causes Nora to feel anxious and fearful, as she has committed the same crime.

**Characterization**  **Nora** "I'll do all the things you like, Torvald" (177) Her need to please Torvald is like a child desperately trying to gain approval from a parent. "Yes, Torvald, I can't do anything without you to help me." (178) Demonstrates Nora's dependency upon her husband to make any decision or to take any action. //^above two quotes also contribute to Nora's attempt at **deception**: using a mask of submissiveness to appear innocent and hide her disapproving acts. //

In this section of Act One, Nora is characterized as uneasy and fearful. Such characterization is portrayed through her abnormal behavior; Nora becomes less talkative and instead asks more short questions instead of raving about the positive aspects of Christmas and reminiscing about past Christmases (which she had done in the previous sections of Act One).

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> **Torvald** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Torvald can be characterized as passive, because despite the overtly abnormal behavior Nora shows, he is unaware of any abnormalities and continues to treat her as his "little song bird."

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Plot Development** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">This section of Act One is essentially the beginning of the problem Nora will have with her family, as here, she discovers the rate of her husband's likely disapproval towards her forgeries. Torvald's opinion of Krogstad's forgeries foreshadows his likely opinion of Nora's forgeries and, along with his current lack of knowledge of Nora's crime, creates an overall mood of suspense in the play.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Motifs and Themes** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Nora belittles herself and praises Torvald in an attempt to keep her forgery a secret. Nora also acts submissive and child-like to give off the impression that she is obedient and would never do anything to corrupt her family like Krogstad would. Nora's innocent and child-like character allows Torvald to lack suspicion of any wrongdoings, passively conveying his opinion on Krogstad's crime and answering Nora's nervous questions.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Deception **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Torvald disparages Krogstad for "wriggl[ing] out of [his crime] with tricks and subterfuges] instead of "tak[ing] his punishment" (179) as well as "poison[ing] the whole life of a home" (179) and corrupting the children. However, he is unaware that as he criticizes Krogstad, he is simultaneously criticizing his wife and admitting that his own children are corrupted as well.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Irony **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">**Stage Directions and Speech Patterns** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">**Nora** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">[//busily decorating the tree//] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">After Krogstad's departure, Nora begins to decorate the Christmas tree to allow the situation to appear ordinary so that when Torvald might not suspect that she had spoken to Krogstad while he was out.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Nora's volume of speech is reduced significantly, from large sections of dialogue about herself and her anticipation for Christmas to short, uneasy questions about Krogstad's wrongdoings (her uneasiness is suggested by the "..." that follows some questions). Once in a while, Nora adds a comment about her positive opinion on Christmas, but now it is only to prevent Torvald from suspecting that something is out of the ordinary.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">**Torvald** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[//Shaking a finger at her//] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">This action indicates that Torvald sees Nora as someone who needs guidance and directions, someone who needs to be told what to do.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[//Putting his arm around her//] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Subsequent to his conveyance of disappointment towards Nora, Torvald immediately puts his arm around her, which shows that like a child, Nora can be easily forgiven. Torvald's quick forgiveness also supports the theme of deception--Nora's child-like character has, so far, successfully deceived Torvald into lacking any suspicion of Nora's wrongdoings.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Torvald now talks more and often does not notice Nora's questions. Even as Nora asks questions, Torvald continues his train of thought and does not directly address Nora's inquiries (Nora's short questions are often coupled with Torvalds larger sections of dialogue).

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Props** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Acts as a way for Nora to hide herself and to avoid looking at Torvald while seeming perfectly innocent. Nora often turns to decorating the Christmas tree when she feels nervous or wishes to ask a question that Torvald may find suspicious, such as "Was it really so bad, what [Krogstad] did?" (178) Additionally, when she decorates the tree, before asking questions that hint at her own crimes, Nora begins with a positive statement about the upcoming Christmas celebrations, further supporting the role of the Christmas tree as a means of hiding her crimes and appearing innocent.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">The Christmas tree **

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Torvald's stack of papers emphasizes his perception of his current household life as ordinary, as his focus on his work is a trait that has been exemplified throughout the entire Act. This prop also serves to contrast Nora's feelings with Torvalds; while Nora is uneasily fiddling with Christmas decorations, Torvald calmly sorts through his papers.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Stack of Papers **