Freedom motif

• The first instance where the audience sees an example of freedom or more importantly the lack of one is in the beginning of Act 1 when Nora wants to spend a lot of money on Christmas because now they can afford it due to Torvald’s promotion. Immediately Torvald shuts her off and scolds her for spending too much.
• It seems as if in Nora’s eyes, money represents freedom and as soon as she hears that she has money to spend she is incredibly happy as she thinks she has more freedom. The idea that money represents freedom can be seen, when Nora is tormented by the money she owes Krogstad. In this case she owes money and whenever she has to deal with Krogstad she is incredibly uneasy.
• Economic freedom makes Nora extremely happy. It can tell us about her idea of freedom and how superficial it is. Its almost as if Nora does not know the meaning of “true” freedom and thus finds her happiness through a more superficial type of freedom.
• We can also notice that Nora finds it extremely funny that Torvald has control over everyone in the bank. This could be interpreted in two different ways: Primarily it can be seen as Nora being naïve because she thinks that Torvald’s employees have no freedom whilst she thinks she does. Another interpretation could be that she can empathize with the lack of freedom that they are feeling, because she herself if suffering from a lack of freedom.
• It seems that when Nora finds out that she has no freedom, she panics, this can be seen when Krogstad blackmails her. She also panics when she finds out that the letter informing Torvald of her misdemeanor has been sent.
• Throughout the play, Nora seems to change the freedom she desires. In the beginning of the play she is happy with the superficial freedom, the one of money. As the play progresses she realizes how she is in an unhappy marriage and seeks true freedom by leaving Torvald.

By: Nicholas Balmas