Paper 2 - A Doll's House

Techniques

"skylark," "squirrel," "spendthrift"

Animalistic Imagery / Pet Names

Torvald uses these names to infantilize and control Nora, demonstrating her status as a decorative, dependent "pet" in their marriage, stripped of true adult identity.

"Nora, I would never have left you."

Dramatic Irony

Helmer makes this declaration before Nora knows the truth of the letter, highlighting his belief in his own noble heroism, which is immediately undercut by his selfish reaction later.

Idea: The macaroons hidden from Torvald.

Symbolism

The secret eating of macaroons symbolizes Nora's small acts of rebellion and her secret life (the loan), establishing her deceit and defiance early on.

"It was like being shut up in a tomb."

Metaphor

Mrs. Linde's description of her previous marriage (following her duty) contrasts with Nora's "free" marriage, foreshadowing Nora's eventual realization that her own home is a "tomb."

"The law does not concern itself with motives."

Antithesis

Krogstad's statement contrasts the cold, impersonal nature of the legal system with Nora's "good motive" (saving her husband), highlighting the play's criticism of 19th-century law.

"It was I who saved Torvald's life."

Reversal of Roles / Crisis

This key moment reveals Nora's secret strength and independence, inverting the power dynamic in the marriage where Torvald is supposed to be the protector.

Idea: The forgery was done with a father's signature.

Allusion

The crime connects Nora's deceit to her relationship with her deceased father, suggesting a long history of being treated as property under male authority.

"The miracle of miracles."

Euphemism / Hope

Nora's term for Torvald heroically taking the blame. When it fails to happen, it is the final proof that their marriage is a fantasy and leads to her departure.

“First by Papa, and then by you."

Anaphora

The repeated structure links the two men in Nora's life as figures of patriarchal oppression, marking her definitive break from both societal and familial authority.

"I have been your doll wife, just as I was Papa’s doll child."

Controlling Metaphor

This is the climax of the play's central metaphor, where Nora explicitly names the nature of her existence and rejects her role as an object of entertainment for men.

Idea: Nora takes off her costume and changes into ordinary clothes.

Symbolism

The literal removal of the fancy dress (the "Tarantella" costume) symbolizes her shedding the theatrical performance of her "doll" self and embracing her authentic, adult identity.

Idea: The sound of the door slamming at the end.

Climactic Sound Effect

One of the most famous stage directions in drama, it is a sound of finality and independence, signifying the revolutionary breaking of societal and marital bonds.