Blog #2: Question 5

Question #5: Critic D.C.R.A. Goonetilleke suggests the following: “It is against conventional middle-class values that Nora rebels. Of course, she has been made to believe that she was happy, that she was an ideal wife, and that her husband loves her, and she was living with the belief that an ideal husband like hers would, if the necessity arose, sacrifice his life to save her reputation. It is these illusions that are shattered at the end.” If this is so, to which values does the author refer? Against which elements of middle-class society might Nora rebel?

The author is referring to the middle-class values of a women taking care of her children, taking care of the daily chores, and taking care of her husband who will always be there for her. The value that the men is always the one that brings home the money and holds the respect and the women is to be there to support her man and take care of his children and the house they share together. Nora's beliefs were shattered at the end of the play when Torvald reads the letter from Krogstad, explaining how Nora borrowed money to help Torvald when he was ill. Torvald was so angry that she would go against his wishes to borrow money, he unleashed harsh words that he would never be able to take back. Not only did Nora borrow money she also worked old demeaning jobs so that she could pay back the loan she borrowed. Based on Torvald's reactions I would say that he was embarrassed that his wife would put him in the position of losing face with work employees and in his social standing with his friends and family. He is a man of some wealth and he was betrayed by his wife when she went behind his back to barrow money, even if it was to save his life. How she could not follow what it was he hold her was truly a slap in his face. Nora rebels at the end in the fact that she doesn't want to say in a marriage that has no true meaning. What she thought she had was all one big lie and she found out that her husband didn't love her he just treated her like one of the children. Why would a women want to live in a situation where they have no real respect, appreciation, or true happiness. She rebels because she is willing to leave her live to find something better.