Character Analysis of Key Characters in Ibsen's A Doll's House

This assignment presents a character analysis of Henrik Ibsen's play, 'A Doll's House'. It examines the key characters including Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Kristine Linde, and Nils Krogstad, detailing their initial impressions and motivations within the context of the play. The analysis delves into the characters' behaviors, actions, and dialogues to support the interpretations. It also references relevant sources to provide a comprehensive understanding of the characters' roles and significance in the play. The analysis also discusses each character's role in the play and their relationships with one another and their impact on the overall narrative and themes of the play.

Running head: CHARACTER ANALYSIS
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Name of the student:
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Author Note:

1CHARACTER ANALYSIS
What are your
initial
impressions of :
Your thoughts WHY do you feel this way?
Kristine Linde She is a direct comparison with Nora Helmer.
She has never denied her rights for love and self-
determination like Nora. She has She does not
spend much time to listen to issues of Nora but
contradicts every time. She seems to be selfish
many times and raises questions about Nora’s
philosophies. Despite the fact that this particular
character of Kristine Linde can be the most
honest character in the entire play but she often
misunderstands her own childhood friend Nora.
Kristine Linde is a lonely widow and
accuses Nora to be passive in the
suffering. She seeks job and focuses
more upon the financial stability than
keeping household. Her language are
rude and rational and reveals that
emotion does not guide like that of
Nora.
Nora Helmer Nora is the most interesting character and symbol
of doll. She seems happy initially but with the
exposition of the play, he pain and suffering of
the housewife Nora is explained. She is termed as
a silly girl in the opening of the play but towards
the end the readers find she has an important role
to play for her husband’s business and life. She
steps outside the boundary set by the husband and
Her debt’s reveals her determination
ambition and desperate behaviour
towards life. She is often willing to
break the law for her husband’s health.
She has strong hearth and will to be free
from all the bondage therefore cannot
expose the blackmail but tells lies to her

2CHARACTER ANALYSIS
takes loan for preserving her husband’s health
issues.
husband.
Torvald Helmer He is a tormenting husband and tries to keep his
wife under domination. The character of Torvald
Helmer tries his best to pose as an ideal husband
therefore pretends to protect his wife to be a
responsibility (Gardner 2019). He executes his
power of being the man in the household but
cannot face the reality. He is just opposite of
Nora, his wife who keeps in providing shelter to
her husband despite of hundreds of injury.
Torvald Helmer is pride to have financial stability
that shatters towards the end and saved by Nora
but cannot digest it.
He is extremely proud person and loves
to show off his wife. He treats Nora as a
property and keeps on manipulating her
by imposing his choices upon her. He
cannot accept anything ugly but needs
protection from the ugly reality every
time (Ibsen 2008).
Nils Krogstad He is the antagonist of the play and a
blackmailer. He uses villain’s techniques to curb
power of Nora. He is a man who can go further to
save himself (Gardner 2019). He is the most
complicated character in this play that opens up
reality and contradicts Helmer.
He believes in forgery and many other
techniques to get back to the job in bank.
He continues to blackmail Nora for
position and continuing is money
lending business. He lacks the power of
forgiveness. However, Nils Krogstad is
a gentleman from outside and pretty

3CHARACTER ANALYSIS
courteous to the beautiful heroin of the
play.

4CHARACTER ANALYSIS
References:
Gardner, C., 2019. Gender matters: A Doll’s House (1973), The Romantic Englishwoman (1975)
and Steaming (1985). In Joseph Losey. Manchester University Press.
Ibsen, H., 2008. A doll's house. A&C Black.