Gender Roles In Nora's Doll

In Act 2, Nora uses her sexuality in order to get what she wants from Torvald and Dr. Rank. This reminds the audience that women’s only means of asserting control is to use their sexuality, hence reinforcing the gender roles of the Victorian era. Nora attempts to persuade Torvald to “let Krogstad keep his post in the bank” since Krogstad has been threatening to expose Nora to Torvald for taking a loan from him. In order to persuade Torvald, Nora suggests to him that “[she] would play the fairy and dance for [Torvald] in the moonlight” (Pg. 44). This may be interpreted as a sexual act which Nora is willing to perform in order to get what she desires. Furthermore, Nora also uses her sexual attractiveness to manipulate Dr. Rank into giving her money to pay off her loan. Nora tells Dr. Rank that “to-morrow [he] will see how beautifully [she] shall

Nora begs Torvald to help her practice the Tarantella dance for the ball to postpone his discovery of Krogstad’s blackmail letter. Therefore, she suggests that “[he] must give [him]self up to [her] entirely” which he responds to be “wholly and absolutely at [her] service” then calls her a “helpless little mortal” (pg. 59). Torvald’s referral to Nora as a “helpless little mortal” suggests that he sees himself as the more dominant gender and it shows he enjoys the act of Nora begging him. Nora uses this to her advantage and tells Torvald to “criticize” and “correct” her which she knows Torvald will do “with great pleasure” (pg. 59). As Nora starts to practice, Torvald criticizes her to go “slower” and “not so violently” but Nora responds with “this is the way” which hints at the fact that Nora will start to break free from Torvald’s control and further challenge the traditional female