character of krogstad

(Pages; 169-176, 197-200, 207-211)
a) what role does Krogstad serve in the play?
b) In what ways does Ibsen develop the character, i.e. how does he change and what are the reasons?
c) What themes does Krogstad assist in conveying to the audience'



a) what role does Krogstad serve in the play?
Krogstad is Ibsen's Villain within A Doll's House. In scene one and two we can see Krogstad as a aggressive, ignorant, rude man who is determined to get what is best for him even if it involves black mail. After hearing rumors that Helmer is going to fire him from the bank. " I know now whom I shall have to thank for getting me dismissed."
This example of Krogstad shows he will go to the length of blackmail to get what will be best for him, by intimidating Nora he believes he can scare her into keeping his job.

b) Ibsen developed the character of Krogstad as we see his actions of blackmail, are for the security of money to look after his children. We also see that Krogstad is human in Scene 3 as he shows the emotions of any other human, the reason for this is the love between him and Mrs Linde and that he can be kind and loving and is not always the villain.

c) Krogstad portrays the theme that love can change all. Krogstad is changed from being portrayed as a villain through the love of Mrs Linde. He assists the portrayal of this theme in all the pages of text and finally where he and Mrs Linde declare there love for one another changing Krogstad into a man who will change things just for her " I shall ask for my letter back" shows Krogstad will change everything for Mrs Linde - even lose his job for her.

journey of mrs Linde rough bullet points

- Mrs Linde enters Helmer house hold
- Discussion about the last ten years - widowed
- Immediately Mrs LInde is changing the stereotype of Nora bringing more of her true self out
- Mrs Linde brings in the real hardships of life which take us away from the dolls house fasade
- Mrs LInde tells her life of hardship
-talks about why she married whom she did, for a purpose - mother bedridden
- puts what we first see of noras life in context to other person of different background
- brings out the truth in Nora which no one else knows
- brings ethics into conversations, try get Nora to realise the consequences of actions
- first learn of Krogstad knowing Mrs Linde in past
- working tirelessly to support herself which is bad for health
- Mrs Linde used as a scape goat for macaroons
- Mrs Linde enquires over job at bank
- mrs linde is practical - fixes noras dress
- mrs linde is inquisitive
- is upfront on matters like nora and rank
- mrs linde is observant as she notices changes in Nora when talking about situations
knows when to be scarce
- does not try to cover emotions - reacts fully to situations although tries to help
- mrs linde is a problem solver
- mrs linde finally announces love for krogstad

relationship of Mrs Linde and Nora and other characters in text - Noras journey through story

English: Presentation speech
In the play “A Doll's House” by Henrik Ibsen we can follow the journey and changes of the character Nora. We can look at the actions of this Housewife and mother and see that she is not as idiotic and immature as she is first portrayed to the reader.

We can first get a look into Nora through the title of the play A Doll's House which can be interpreted as a metaphor of how the family appears to be on the surface. It is referring to a child's fantasy doll family that is perfect in every way with nothing to be concerned about. This metaphor is extended throughout the whole of the play and is finally broken down over time as we look deeper into the characters lives.

In the first scene of “A Doll's House” we see Nora exhibiting qualities that are quite child like and immature. We see that Nora can be childish through one of the first actions in the play, where she gives an excessive amount of money to the porter as a large tip. We can see from this action that Nora does not value money. This is emphasized later on in the text when we find out that her family is struggling financially. We also see Nora as more of a child when she is around her husband.This is most likely due to the fact that she is always asking for favors which makes Torvald very in control of the situations that occur. In addition the way Torvald and Nora interact makes Torvald the dominant one in the relationship. This is reinforced by Nora being called names like “little one” “little song bird” or “squirrel”. These phrases diminish and dehumanize Nora as a person, making her subservient to her husband. Further more when Kristina says later on in the Act “ Nora, Nora! Haven't you learned sense yet? Even at school you were a terrible spendthrift”. This as well enforces the image of Nora being child like as we see her being the same as when she was younger.

However we learn that Nora also has underlying qualities like having the capacity to lie whole heartedly to her husbands face. In the passage Torvald says “Surely your sweet tooth didn't got the better of you in town today?” Nora replies “ No.... how could you think that”. This blatant lie shows that Nora is not as idiotic as we are first lead to believe. This is because as an audience we think that if she is able to get away away with lying this time there must be other things that Nora is lying about to Torvald.

Later on when we introduce new characters into the situation Nora's personality changes and she is less child like. This idea is shown vastly through the conversations with Kristina. We see Nora become herself and start to open up and share some of her darkest secrets. In the conversation with Kristina about how she got the funds for the trip for her and Torvald to Italy is a good example.

Nora states “I hinted that he could easily borrow the money. But then, Kristina, he nearly lost his temper. . . 'but your life must be saved somehow.' And then I thought of a way . . .” Ibsen used this conversation to change the readers perception on Nora. This is because with Kristina, Nora is able to talk about parts of her life that don't tie into the perfect “Doll's House” world as Kristina brings the real world into the situation because she is actually talking to someone who has experienced life unlike all of Nora's other friends who are also trapped in this facade.

Later on in the text we learn about how exactly Nora has been able to pay off the loan that is secretly owed. We can view Nora as leading a sort of double-life with her family and the majority of friends believing she is spending money thoughtlessly but she is really using this acquired money to pay back the loan she forged in her fathers name and what makes the situation worse is the fact that Torvald does not know about any of this. This adds to certain aspects of the character Nora. Firstly we the audience do not see Nora as a care-free and contained wife of a banker. This is because we now know Nora's true capability to take risks and also have a life that doesn't conform to our first impressions of the perfect “Doll's House” fasade.
In addition taking out the loan in her fathers name without assistants shows Nora can be independent in decisions and actions so does not need Torvald as much as we are first led to believe. Nora says “ I've found other ways of earning money too. Last winter I was lucky enough to get alot of copying to do,” This shows Nora was also proactive and this backs up that she does not rely on Torvald as it shows that she can be self reliant. As well as this the style of Ibsen writing is more sophisticated when Nora is conversing with Kristina than with any other character throughout the play.


As we progress we see Nora faced with desperation as she is being threatened and Blackmailed by Krogstad as he is threatening to ruin Torvald's name. Krogstad says it is against the law to sign someone else name, Nora responds “This I refuse to believe. A daughter hasn't a right to protect a dying father from anxiety and care? A wife hasn't the right to save her husband's life”. This shows Nora does not know what the real implications of what she has done are. Including ruining her husbands reputation as a banker. I believe slowly these implications begin to become real in Nora's eyes and she now realises she has to face the consequences of her actions.

“You've completely wrecked my happiness, you've ruined my whole future!” This affirms the consequences Nora is going to face, through Torvalds reaction. All these allegations lead to Nora drawing one conclusion on how to face what she has done - suicide. However, Torvald was able to prevent her before she actually committed to running into the icy lake – it appears to be far to easy for him to do this, so we can assume that she was actually more looking for attention and a saviour, than to actually end her life.

In conclusion Nora as a main character finally decides to leave her husband, her children and her home to find who she truly is outside of the Doll's House. Ibsen has portrayed the character of Nora very differently throughout the progress of the play. We see her change from being subservient and child like at the beginning to an independent women at the end. We see that she as a person is very different when she is placed outside of her “Doll's House” comfort zone and into real life situations. We see that we should not believe what is on the surface of the characters because as Ibsen takes us deeper we see a very different side to Nora in all aspects of her life.

Introduction to reflections of a gift of watermelon pickle recieved from a friend called Felicity.

Introduction to a close analysis of Reflections of a Gift of Watermelon Pickle received from a Friend called Felicity.

In the poem Reflections of a Gift of Watermelon Pickle received from a Friend called Felicity by John Tobias we see clearly the main theme of the experiences childhood. We can look at the intertwining of childhood and adulthood through each stanza of the poem by analysing key ideas we are shown. Some key images are the motif of the watermelon and and also the metaphor of unicorns. We see the nostalgic memories of summers past in the preservation of the watermelon.

A look at Helmer through the text

Quote " Nora, Nora! Just like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that sort of thing. No debts, no borrowing. There's something constrained, something ugly even, about a home that's founded on borrowing and debt. You and I have managed to keep clear up till now, and we shall still do for the little time that is left. ...... Now, now, my little song -bird mustn't be crestfallen."

From this text we see that Helmer is a man who's very independent and does not want to use others money to support himself. This is because he likes to be self reliant. In addition this text shows us that he likes to be in control of situations “My little song-bird” shows him over powering her wife by putting her down and reducing her confidence. We also see the clash of views between Helmer and Nora and the fact that Helmer is the controlling and dominate one. This is especially clear throughout the play through the idea of money.

Secondary sourcing - looking at what a critic analyses the play to be.

I have firstly looked at http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=per_k12&tabID=T001&searchId=R3&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=3&contentSet=GALE|H1420014978&&docId=GALE|H1420014978&docType=GALE&role=LitRC


The writer of this piece is attacking the play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen. He is firstly doing this by questioning the basics of the play like the common sense portrayed. The notion that is being called common sense in this case is the fact that if a relationship was strong and happy as it is portrayed to be then why would there be the need to lie about money or smaller things such as biscuits? Further more the character Nora is being portrayed as a woman who lies out of her teeth, has even got the capacity to forge documents and defy the law without her husband being able to even notice this is unbelievable. As well as this a women who has been able to throw her morals out of the window by leaving her husband which is against all she believes in is hardly believable.