A doll’s House has alot of qualities about it which most plays often don’t have. The sub-text within the play is really intense because characters say one thing yet mean another. This mainly happens with Nora’s character as she has alot going on that she doesn’t want her husband to know about. Mainly where alot of sub-text is used is at the beginning of act two with Anne-Marie and Nora where they start talking about the fancy dress party and about Nora’s dress “I wish I’d torn it to pieces.
” What Nora could mean here is not that she’d torn the dress to pieces but that she wishes she could tear her life to pieces to start a whole new one without mistakes. The whole conversation between Anne-Marie and Nora consists of sub-text like when Anne-Marie starts talking about her own daughter. “No, No. She wrote to me, when she was confirmed, and when she got married. ” The audience can see from that sentence alone that Anne-Marie feels lonely because her only child has getting in contact with her twice to tell Anne-Marie of her confirmation and marriage yet, she hasn’t let her know if Anne-Marie is a grandma or nanna.
Anne-Marie could be thinking I gave her up I can’t expect anymore from her but it would be nice to hear from her now and again just so I know how she is doing. Yet Anne-Marie’s thoughts are portrayed through other written words. Like when Nora asks “Are the children alright? ” Nora could be thinking why am I asking Anne-Marie they are my children not hers I should know how they are. A Doll’s House is a very emotional drama classic and many audiences are touched by the words and speeches of the characters.
The imagery within the play all reverts to nature Torvald calls Nora after nature, i. e. a squirrel which is quite ironic, the way Nora is treat is like a father lion protecting his cub. The imagery gives the play its own reality and meaning it also backs up the way each character behaves. The only person whose rhythm of speech changes is Nora’s and that is because she speaks in quite a childish playful way towards Torvald whereas to every-one else she is quite formal and grown-up as long as Torvald isn’t around. Both Torvald and Nora use natural and unnatural speech patterns.
This is because when both Nora and Torvald are speaking to each other, Nora is quite immature and childish and Torvald simplifies his words because he thinks Nora can’t understand proper language. Whereas when they aren’t near each other Nora’s language is actually formal and sophisticated with excellent vocabulary i. e. impertinent instead of rude and, Torvalds language is formal and business like. Dr. Rank also uses an unnatural speech pattern at one point within the flirtatious scene between him and Nora. Both Dr. Rank and Nora use short sentences and shorten their words “What other delights am I to see?
“Fiddlededee you don’t. ” In their scene together they both act like a couple of smitten teenagers but, Dr. Rank sees Nora as more than a friend where as Nora has other ideas. All she wants is to lend money so she acts in this way to see if it’ll get her what she needs but it backfires when Dr. Ranks confesses how he truly feels about her. There is alot of metaphors and symbolisms within this play because most of the time up until the end Torvald compares Nora to a little squirrel/skylark/songbird. These are all pet names of Torvalds for Nora that emphasize that he doesn’t see Nora as an equal.
Torvald believes Nora’s role is to amuse and delight him. But ironically squirrels, songbirds and skylarks are all wild animals that don’t belong in a cage. In Act three Dr. Rank has two different conversations by saying certain things it’s like a code. It is because Dr. Rank is trying to protect Torvald from the awful truths he bears. Dr. Rank says he will attend the next fancy dress party but he will be invisible. This is a way of saying that he will be dead. Even though this is like a metaphor it can also be classed as dramatic irony as the audience knows more than a character in this case Torvald.
The main symbols of this play are Nora being compared to birds you can see a bird flying free yet you see Nora trapped. You can also see the temperament between Krogstad and Nora as they are both trying to protect themselves. At the start of the play all the sentence lengths are similar but by the end they vary into short monologues and conclusions of the character. At the beginning of the play we meet Nora a puppet needing a puppet master. Nora is a fully grown married woman but, throughout the play acts as a child. Nora’s rhythm of speech is very childish in front of her husband Torvald.
“Oh Torvald, songbirds, squirrels, you how we spend and spend. ” However, in front of Dr. Rank it changes to a very grown-up tone one which a woman would use. “Scientific work, Dr Rank? Investigation? ” Nora’s tone changes because of her relationships with different people within the play, she acts as a child in front of Torvald because their relationship is built on lust and physical attraction rather than love however, Nora doesn’t realise it till the end of the play where, she eventually finds the courage to leave. When Nora is around Anne-Marie her tone yet again changes to a very kindly humble grown-up tone.
This is because Nora has been brought up by Anne-Marie she is like her second mother. “Dear old Anne-Marie. You were such a good mother to me when I was little. ” I realised that Nora respects Anne-Marie alot through the practical work that I did in class. Also that there is alot of thought tracking when Nora speaks as what she says isn’t what she always means. “Never mind that… Are the children alright? ” this is when Nora is speaking to Anne-Marie at the start of act two, and even though she is asking if her children are alright. She could be thinking why am I asking her they aren’t her children they are mine.
I should know but, I don’t why don’t I know? What Nora says and what she means to say are two completely different things. Mrs Linde is Nora’s friend and has known her since their school years together. Mrs Linde and Nora both speak kindly towards each other in a very friendly manner, but Nora lets her childish boastful self take over in the beginning. “Completely alone. That must be awful. I’ve got three beautiful children. They aren’t here now; they’re out with the nanny. But tell me everything. Nora’s language grows through the play and she begins to become more selfless every time Mrs Linde is introduced.
When Nora talks to Krogstad though, her use of language becomes very professional and mature. “If you’re impertinent about my husband, you can leave my house. ” I think that the reason she talks to him in this manner is because mainly she is afraid of the damage he will cause if Torvald finds out but, also because she genuinely knows that her childish self won’t get her anywhere in this situation. We learn that throughout the play Nora grows to become an individual and stand on her own, without needing a puppet master to support her.
By the end of the play Nora’s use of language has completely changed because in the beginning Nora is dependent on Torvald her husband, and thinks that she needs to be told what to do and obey what he wants her to do. This is why her sentences are so short and sweet. “Please, Torvald, please. I’ll wrap them up in pretty paper and hang them on the tree. They’ll be so pretty. ” However by the end of the play Nora is more self confident, independent, more sophisticated and she has realised her mistakes, she has grown-up to become the woman she always thought she could never be.
“Torvald listen to me. When a wife deserts her husband, as I am deserting you, the law frees him of all obligations towards her. And in any case. I set you free. You’re not bound in any way. You’re free. We’re both free on both sides: freedom. Take back your ring. Give me mine. ” As you can tell from the start of the play to the very end, Nora’s sentence length and use of words have varied alot, because she has exchanged herself from being a puppet to being the puppet master of her own life.
