Torvald Character Study

Torvald is Nora's husband, they have been married for eight years and have three children together. He is the new managing director for the bank, but he struggled for many years to reach this position of power and stability. (Was very ill once, and his family moved to Italy to help him recover).

Characteristics:

-Authoritative, dominant "Say no more about it!" --> speaking to Nora

-Condescending "Just like a woman" (pg. 11)

"Child should have its way" --> speaking to Nora

-Prideful, proud "But no man would sacrifice his honor for the woman he loves" (pg. 85)

-Possessive "...was I going to let her stay after that?...Of course I wasn't. I took my little Capri fishergirl." (pg. 69) After the costume party

"Can't I look at my most prized possession" --> inferring that Nora is just something he owns, almost as if she is a material good

-Selfish

Torvald is a very convincing stereotypical man. He is the authoritative figure in the household, and he wants to be the "man" of the house, doesn't want to appear weak in society. "You mean if my little terrier got her way? I'd be a laughing stock." (pg. 47) He cares very much about what society thinks, and his status in society. So when he finds out that Nora borrowed money from Krogstad, he doesn't view it as an act of love, but he immediately sees it as threatening his image, and making him seem weak. He gets mad at Nora, telling her that she was careless, and that his status in society could be ruined because people would think he had something to do with it. He views his rank, more important than anything else, even his wife. And for the first time Torvald and Nora seem to have switched roles because Torvald is the provider, but in this case Nora provided the money necessary to help make Torvald better, and this is an embarrassment to Torvald. He needs Nora to sustain his ego, she usually makes herself seem like the desperate wife who needs her husband, for example for the Tarantella dance, she pleads to Torvald to help her, calling her "Little Miss helpless" (pg. 60). This helps him feel as if he is needed, and that Nora can't do anything without him.

However, in the end the readers see that it is Torvald who can't do without Nora, that he is dependent on her. Even asking if they could live like "Brother and sister?" (pg. 86)

Other quotes:

-"You've killed my happiness. You've destroyed my future. I'm trapped, in his claws. No mercy...A silly, empty-headed woman-and now I'm dead." (pg. 77)

-"the woman I loved, still...no. It's gone" -->before reading the 2nd letter from Krogstad

-"Everything you did, you did because you loved me" -->after reading the 2nd letter from Krogstad