Paper 2: A Doll's House: quotes and language techniques

Nora to Dr.Rank dramatic irony

“I’ll dance and you can imagine that I'm dancing just for you.” (Said by Nora to Dr. Rank)

Nora says this playfully, unaware of how much Dr. Rank truly loves her. The audience, however, understands his hidden feelings, creating dramatic irony. This moment also foreshadows her eventual realization that men around her treat her as an object of entertainment rather than as an individual.

Dr.Rank’s rhetorical question and emphatic language

“Do you imagine that Torvald Helmer is the only man who would die for you? I can assure you most vehemently he is not.”

The rhetorical question forces Nora to reconsider her assumptions about Torvald’s devotion. Dr. Rank’s emphatic tone (“most vehemently”) conveys his frustration and suppressed emotions, hinting at his own love for her.

Dr.Rank’s imperative sentence

“Let your wife dress as she is.” (To Torvald)

Dr. Rank subtly challenges Torvald’s need to control Nora’s appearance, revealing the theme of male dominance. The imperative structure shows that he is attempting, however briefly, to push back against societal norms.

Dr.Rank’s metaphor

“Thank you for the cigar, and the light.”

The “light” represents Nora’s presence in Dr. Rank’s life, as she brings him joy before his impending death. This metaphor subtly highlights her role as a source of life and energy for the men around her, even though they fail to see her as an independent person.

Torvald’s hyperbole and romanticized chivalry

“I wish some terrible danger might threaten you so that I could offer my life and my blood.”

Torvald exaggerates his willingness to sacrifice himself, reinforcing his self-image as a heroic protector. However, when the moment of crisis actually arrives, he fails to act, exposing the hollowness of his words.

Ms.Linde describing Torvald and Nora’s relationship using a metaphor

“She is now not only his wife but also his child.” (Mrs. Linde describing Torvald and Nora’s relationship)

The metaphor of Nora as both a wife and a child reveals how Torvald infantilizes her, treating her as someone who needs guidance rather than as an equal partner. This reinforces the play’s critique of patriarchal marriage.

Torvald’s patronizing tone and dramatic irony

“Satisfying to know that a husband has forgiven his wife.”

Torvald assumes superiority in his marriage, believing that Nora should be grateful for his “forgiveness.” The dramatic irony lies in the fact that Nora no longer desires his approval, making his statement meaningless by the play’s conclusion.

Nora’s rhetorical question and irony

“How on earth could you imagine that I have any influence over my husband?”

Nora downplays her influence in an attempt to conceal her secret. However, the irony is that she has, in fact, been manipulating Torvald throughout the play—just not in a way that grants her real power.

Nora’s foreshadowing and submissive language

“You know I could never act against your wishes.”

Nora’s statement reflects her internalized submission to Torvald. However, this moment foreshadows her later rebellion when she finally decides to leave him.

Nora’s/ the play’s extended metaphor

“Our home has been nothing but a playroom, and I have been your doll wife.”

The metaphor of the “playroom” and “doll wife” captures Nora’s realization that she has been treated as an object rather than a person. This moment marks her awakening and leads to her ultimate decision to leave.

Nora’s direct address and accusatory tone

“You and Papa have done me a great wrong. It’s because of you I have made nothing of my life.”

Nora directly confronts both her father and Torvald for shaping her into a passive, dependent woman. The accusatory tone highlights her newfound awareness of her lack of agency and sets the stage for her final act of self-liberation.

Kristine linde’s monosyllabic language and contrast

“All I've done in the past three years is work.”

Kristine’s simple, direct language contrasts with Nora’s comfortable and sheltered life. Her lack of embellishment emphasizes the hardship she has endured, reinforcing the play’s theme of gender roles and survival.

Kristine linde’s imperative sentence and social expectation

“You have to tell him; he is your husband.”

Kristine urges Nora to be honest with Torvald, reflecting the 19th-century expectation that a wife should communicate openly with her husband. However, this moment also foreshadows Nora’s realization that their marriage is built on deception. But this is also quite ironic because Kristine is supposed to be very forward thinking and modern as a character

Krogstad’s metaphor and threatening tone

“If I am thrown into the gutter for the second time, then I will bring you down there with me.”

The “gutter” symbolizes Krogstad’s social and financial ruin. His aggressive tone underscores his desperation, making him a compelling antagonist driven by necessity rather than pure malice.

theme of money and debt: judgemental language

Nora’s spending is “entirely unnecessary.”

This phrase reflects Torvald’s patronizing attitude toward Nora. He sees her financial habits as frivolous, reinforcing the gendered power imbalance in their marriage.

theme of money and debt: simile

“Once you’ve got it (money), it runs like dust.”

Comparing money to dust emphasizes its fleeting nature. This reflects the instability of wealth, a central concern in the play, especially for Krogstad and Kristine.

theme of money and debt: financial diction

“There’s something in the business world called quarterly interest.”

This line highlights the pragmatic, transactional nature of the world outside Nora’s domestic sphere. The reference to "quarterly interest" contrasts with the emotional stakes of the play, underscoring how financial pressure drives the characters’ actions.

theme of death: metaphor and self effacement

I’ll leave nothing but an empty space.” (Dr. Rank)

Dr. Rank reduces his existence to “an empty space,” emphasizing his sense of insignificance. This reflects the existential theme of mortality and foreshadows his quiet, unceremonious exit from life.

theme of death: metaphor and social critique

“Our entire society is turning into something of a hospital.” (Dr. Rank)

By comparing society to a hospital, Dr. Rank suggests that it is diseased, filled with corruption and moral decay. This aligns with the play’s broader critique of the rigid, oppressive structures of 19th-century society.

theme of death: rhetorical question and practical tone

“How would it help me if you were dead?” (Krogstad)

Krogstad’s blunt question reveals his pragmatic, unsentimental view of life. Unlike Torvald, who romanticizes sacrifice, Krogstad sees no benefit in Nora’s possible death, reinforcing the play’s realistic portrayal of financial struggles.

theme of death: grotesque imagery

“Float up in the springtime all bloated and ugly.” (Krogstad)

Krogstad uses vivid, unsettling imagery to describe a drowned body. This stark contrast to the usual associations of spring with renewal reinforces the play’s dark undercurrents and foreshadows the consequences of Nora’s entrapment.

theme of death: negative structure and emotive language

“Not even grief or a sense of loss to nurture.”

This line highlights the emotional void left behind by a meaningless life. The phrase “not even grief” suggests that some deaths—like Dr. Rank’s—leave no lasting impact, reinforcing the play’s themes of loneliness and existential despair.

foreshadowing

“Have to get used to not having me around quite so often.” (Dr. Rank)

Dr. Rank subtly hints at his impending death without explicitly stating it. The understatement makes the moment even more poignant, as neither Nora nor Torvald initially grasp the full significance of his words. This line also mirrors Nora’s eventual departure, reinforcing the theme of inevitable separation.

subtext/ indirect speech

“No way I could possibly tell that from here.”

This vague response implies that something is being deliberately left unsaid. Depending on the scene’s context, it could reflect a character avoiding confrontation, keeping a secret, or subtly criticizing another’s assumptions. The lack of directness forces the audience to read between the lines.

subtext: euphemism and flirtatious subtext

“You’re being too naughty.” (Nora to Dr. Rank)

Nora uses “naughty” as a playful euphemism to downplay Dr. Rank’s flirtation. While her words seem lighthearted, the subtext reveals an underlying tension—Dr. Rank’s attraction to her and Nora’s awareness of it. This moment highlights the blurred boundaries between innocence and attraction, reinforcing the play’s theme of hidden desires.