Character Analysis of Torvald Helmer in Ibsen's A Doll's House: Essay

This essay offers a detailed character analysis of Torvald Helmer from Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House', focusing on his psychological development and role within the societal norms of 19th-century Norway. It explores how Torvald, initially presented as a successful and responsible family man, is shaped by his environment, societal expectations, and the prevailing views on gender roles. The analysis delves into Torvald's treatment of his wife, Nora, and how his actions reflect the broader social context of the time. The essay also considers critical perspectives on the play, including debates about the portrayal of men and women, and the play's significance in examining societal norms. The essay emphasizes Torvald's internal conflicts, his motivations, and the impact of his actions, ultimately positioning him as a complex character whose behavior is influenced by his environment. It highlights the play's relevance in understanding human psychology and the complexities of social structures.

Running head: CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF TORVALD HELMER
Character analysis of Torvald Helmer
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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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miseries. The societal setting, the social stigmas and believes attached with the 19th century
Norwegian society plays a very crucial role in the plot for defining certain behaviour,
justifying certain activities and altogether weaving the narrative. There is a constant
psychological conflict inside Torvald which makes him protect Nora like a father where as on
the other hand makes him consider Nora a mere ornamented sex object the doll which he uses
for his amusement, dresses like a Capri Fisher girl and encourages to dance in order to satiate
his desires.
However there are varied critical reviews on the question on the depiction of the
traditional roles of men and women in “A Doll House”. While many scholars raised their
voice, as to the 19th century Europeans, this was scandalous (Yeasmin, 2018). They believed
that very act of marriage was considered holy and Ibsen’s portrayal of the same seemed to be
quite demeaning and controversial. On the other side Irish playwright George Bernad Shaw
emphasised on the bigger picture and appreciated Ibsen’s keenness to examine the norms and
beliefs of the society without prejudiced exhilarating. The image of Nora sufficing to be a
mere “doll wife” is again a depiction of an exclusively men dominated societal thought
process and is no doubt a product of the existing environment of that time. Nora leaving her
home, her husband is indeed her inner journey to realise her self-worth, which is again the
issue shared by many women of that time. The American travel writer and author Michael
Mayer regarded that the play’s theme is not mere fighting for women’s right rather the bigger
picture suggests, “the need of every individual to find out the kind of person he or she really
is and to strive to become that person." (Psellos, 2017). It is a journey of self discovery and
no doubt the story of every second household of the 19th century Norwegian Society.
Therefore “A Doll House” is a perfect example of a complex narrative which delves
into the deeper psychological understanding of humans and how often the characters of
narrative become primarily a reflection of every second individual, bringing instances from

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their daily life and turning it into literature. This is the very reason that Gao Xingian the
Chinese playwright and critic rightfully regarded, “It is in literature that true life can be
found. It is under the mask of fiction that you can tell the truth” (Admussen, 2017).

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CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF TORVALD HELMER
References:
Admussen, N. (2017). Forms of World Literature and the Taipei Poetry
Festival. Journal of Modern Literature in Chinese 現現現現現現現現, 14(2), 10.
Dwivedi, P. A CRITICAL STUDY OF HENRIK IBSEN'S A DOLL'S HOUSE.
Psellos, M. (2017). Michael Psellos on literature and art: a Byzantine perspective on
aesthetics. University of Notre Dame Pess.
Rahman, R., & Gul, H. (2014). Conversation Analysis: Speech Acts in Ibsen's A
Doll's House. The Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 22(1), 67.
Sturman, M. (2017). CliffsNotes on Ibsen's Plays I: A Doll's House & Hedda Gabler.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Yeasmin, F. (2018). ‘A Doll’s House’is the Backlash of Feminism. International
Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 3(3), 334-338.