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CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF TORVALD HELMER
The 19th century Norwegian culture brought about a strong romantic nationalistic
movement which was very much visible in its art, literature, culture and music.
“A Doll House”, by Norway’s Henrik Ibsen is a three-act play which deals with the
societal norms of the 19th century existing in a Norwegian town and how the characters
distinctively justifies their activities in juxtaposition of the popular beliefs and practices of
that time (Sturman, 2017). Hence, this essay will primarily focus on the character sketch of
Torvald Helmer who is one of the prime characters in the plot and will critically analyse its
gradual psychological development in context with the existing societal values and norms.
Torvald Helmer is very much a character of flesh and blood etched with such enough
details to appear as a conceivable type of a man, exceptionally meant to depict the
contemporary heads-of-the-family. In the very beginning of the play, the audience find him
being promoted as the manager of the bank, the only bread earner of the family who has built
his own fortunes. Torvald is portrayed as a guardian for both his wife and children who is
primarily responsible for the financial welfare of his family. He is no doubt a very well
conceptualised and a product specimen of a social product exclusively meant to stand out as a
perfect example of middle-class husbands of the 19th century (Dwivedi). The author
specifically intends to portray Torvald Helmer as a symbol for all those individuals who in
reality are deadly against all social ills and end up being the victim with a very narrow view
of the society around them. Ibsen’s “A Doll House” is indeed a product of a real life instance
which altogether helps the author in bringing the characters to life (Rahman, & Gul, 2014).
Torvald inspires consideration and empathy rather than rebuke. Throughout the plot
he is often seen to mistake appearances for values bringing in more misery, one cannot help
but consider him as a product of his social environment. This is the very reason that one can
not directly claim Torvald a villain in the whole plot but sympathies on his unending

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CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF TORVALD HELMER

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