The Doll's House

[hayati]

What's the significance of the title in Ibsen's play? is the key word 'doll' or 'house'?

[Jean-Baptiste]

The title of the play, it seems to me, refers to Nora's maturity and the crisis that comes of her suddenly required initiative. Perhaps you could say that the key word is "Doll's," but "house" cannot be left out. I think it's a very precise title, in context.

[penelopea]

As with all toys,its waiting to be despoiled.

[miss tenderness]

I think it's the Doll. Nora was treated as a doll by her husband. he takes the decisions and decides her life.She was like a doll or a doll like.

[Nefertari]

In my opinion, 'Doll' & 'House' are both key words since the title suggests the context of Nora's life from the time she was living with her father to the time she went to live with her husband. Both men treated her as a Doll; her husband, as a trophee-wife, someone he can spoil as he wishes, someone who should just sit pretilly and not even be allowed to think. in both cases she was living as a doll in a doll house: everything was provided for her. First by her father then by her husband. As Mrs Lindse points it out in some part of the play, Nora appears to be but a child, since she she seems anaware of how it is to work hard to fend for her life. However, Nora, contrary to every person's belief, has something to be proud of: She is not just a stupid, care-free girl; she had saved the life of her husband by putting her reputation at risk. At the end, she revolts because, it is the only way she can prove that she is an able woman, capable or willing to affront life to show that she is not a doll and is fed up with living in a perfect home just like a perfect doll in its perfect house.

[Nefertari]

This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel. --Horace walpole (1717-1797)

[celestialfrog]

Both the 'Doll' and 'House' parts of the title are important. As others have already said, Nora has been a doll for not only her father but her husband. The 'house' is as important because it relates to Nora's societal role as mother and caretaker of the house. Her duty as a woman, wife, mother, etc. is to rule the domestic world, as Torvald and everyone else tells her she should not be worrying about money, not taking on any more 'masculine' roles and instead should learn her dance moves and care for the children. Essentially take care of the house and look pretty, Norwegian Barbie in the 1890s.

[forever21]

I think the word "doll" signifies the various childish acts shown in several characters throughout the play. First Nora acts like a child in hiding the macaroons for her husband, then frocklicking around with her children , all the while being extremely upset with the state of her marriage and hiding a gigantic secret from Torvald. When Torvald finally reads the letter from Krogstad descriving Nora's past actions, he acts like a child. Torvald speaks without thinking, practically disowns Nora and refuses to let her raise her own children. Torvald is so concerned with his appearance toward society that he completely neglects his foremost duty to love and cherish his wife. This scene also holds the most famous line of the play with the front door slamming shut. Little kids tend to slam doors in anger and this same symbol is represented here too. Krogstad acts like a child in his tantrums over getting over his past and especially with being laid off from the bank. Rather than handling the situation, he attempts blackmail instead.
The word "house" symbolizes the plethora of events occuring within Torvald and Nora's home. Nora is lying to her husband, Torvald is ignorant of his wife. Dr. Rank is a constant intruder into their home, Kristine pops up unexpectedly attempting to regain the life she once had, and Krogstad tries to blackmail Nora into keeping his job at the bank.

[vsriniv7]

Throughout the play Nora develops intellectual, as she starts to understand more things about her life through personal experinces. In the beginning, she was very childish and seemed to by attracted by her husband's pampering. Throughout the play, we find her being untruthful about many small things as well as one big thing--putting her into an awkward situation. Soon after this gets settles, her Husband, Torvald, is immediatly relieved of his anger and he forgives her completely. Nora, though, isn't so forgiving about it; she takes this to be a reason to leave the house [her children/ husband] and live on her own to come to better realizations about her self. She wants a religion, a voice, a Life! This behaivior is something odd that was seen during that time period and Torvald's reaction to this event brings to be very "socially" wrong. By ending the play with the stage direction: "slamming the door," Nra's voice coming to development shows.

How do you feel about this? Was it correct of her to go against Torvald's words and slam the door to her "doll house"?

[Amaryllis]

Both are key words. Nora is the doll in Torvald's house. He has made her the very object in his game of child's play! The title is perfect