Torvald Helmer- Villain or Victim?
Leave a commentSeptember 20, 2015 by amat
This was written as a part of my IB HL English Language and Literature assignments. We are currently working on the play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. This is an analysis of Torvald Helmer, a character that portrays the husband of Nora, the protagonist.
Society in the nineteenth century had a specific framework for men, as husbands and fathers, to abide by. Torvald Helmer is one such man who was brought up in that era. It is evident that some of his being was a result of that society’s deep conditioning and tempering. However, he also possesses traits such as chauvinism, male pride and owner syndrome that are still relevant and present in some of the modern world’s males.
Helmer viewed himself as something close to his wife, Nora’s, ‘owner’ and ‘protector’. He’d assert this with calling her objectifying names such ‘little squirrel’, ‘little spendthrift’, ‘featherhead’ and ‘my charming little Capri maiden’. Toward the end of the play, he expresses how he finds joy in fantasizing risking himself to ‘save’ his wife from a potential threat. He also had quite a high regard for himself. He would consider himself more intelligent and less naive than Nora, and would often impose on her, generalised anecdotes such as ‘That is like a woman!’, and ‘Almost everyone who has gone to the bad early in life has had a deceitful mother.’ He did not have a legitimate reason for wanting to fire Krogstad, other than the fact that he felt that his newly gained superiority as a bank manager was threatened by the man’s over friendly and less-than-formal approach. He was also unwilling to change his bias against the man’s nature and would often refer to him as ‘morally ill’.
The issue with Helmer, as a person, is that he wasn’t as wise and mature as he was brought up to believe he was. Even his friend, Dr Rank, knew that Helmer wouldn’t be able to bear seeing him wasting away in his diseased state and gave his last goodbyes while he still had some of his health left. Nora was able to successfully cover for herself and manipulate her husband so that she could maintain that cover, without him ever realising until he is blatantly told of her actions by Krogstad.
Overall, I agree that Helmer is a misogynistic antagonist here. His misguiding in life has made him the villain in his wife’s life. He is a victim of circumstance, much like Nora, and much like almost everyone else forced to be a pawn in society’s cruel games.
Oreos And Water. 