Analyzing Helmer's Character and Money in A Doll's House

This essay provides an insightful analysis of Helmer's character in Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House'. The essay explores the connection between Helmer and money, highlighting his cautious approach to spending and his efforts to provide for his family. It discusses Helmer's patience and understanding, particularly his ability to balance financial constraints with the needs of his wife and guests. The analysis emphasizes Helmer's role as a responsible and practical individual who prioritizes financial stability and family security. Furthermore, the essay reflects on the play's relevance and its enduring themes of family dynamics and financial concerns, making it a timeless exploration of human relationships. The student draws parallels between their own values and Helmer's character traits, underscoring the play's relatable themes.

Assignment:
The Character that I relate to the most in the Play ‘A Doll’s House’ is Helmer. The object that I
would best relate that Character to would be money. Helmer can be seen to be a person who is very
cautious with money and tries to reason with Nora on not spending it too much. He is a reasonable
person and likes to plan ahead. Saving money can be identified as the goal of Helmer as bad times
have been seen in the past which have given a lot of lessons for life when it comes to money.
Story for the Video:
I have chosen the object of money as that is precisely what Helmer’s character is all about. He is
struggling and working hard to ensure that the family has sufficient amount of money to take care of
the day to day expenses. He has become a tight-fisted person over time due to the money crunches
that have been identified by him and his family over time. He is a down to earth person who is
reasonable and understands that his wife wants to spend a little extra on the Christmas this season
since she has seen bad times. But he is also patient as he tries to explain to her about the
consequences of not being able to handle money carefully and reminds her of the need to do the
same. Nora is a strong character in the play but she really needs to work towards appreciating the
need for spending more focus on the source for money that she spends sometimes without thinking.
Helmer is a man of honour as well. Even if he himself might not be doing really well, he takes out
time to cater to the needs of his wife and the favours that she asks for the sake of her friends as well.
Helmer’s character also reveals a lot about people who want to save everything that they can by
doing things themselves to the maximum extent possible. Helmer’s association with money was done
due to this particular purpose only. His thought process and actions reveal that he takes extra effort in
ensuring the stability and security of the family to the maximum extent possible. Relating to Helmer
was easier for me as I am very similar to Helmer and understand his state of mind as well.
To my further observation I realized that Helmer was also a good host and kept patience with his
guests. Although he had limited resources and was trying this best to cover the expenses as large as
possible, he also made suitable arrangements for his guests. It is thus important to relate Helmer to
money as that is the best thing that reflects his character and his generosity in being patient with the
family and his wife to the maximum extent possible. Overall, the play was very engaging and gives a
reflection on the normal Christmas week for a family and the subject can never go out of freshness in
its plot.