The Character of Torvald Helmer and Nils Krogstad in A...

Torvald Helmer is the least likeable character in A Dolls House, a play by Henrik Ibsen. Torvald is sometimes portrayed as a sexist pig. Such a reading does an injustice to Torvald. There is more depth to his character if one follows the hints that he had actively covered up for Noras father. The first hint came when Nora told Kristina that Torvald had given up his government post because there was no prospect of advancement. It may be that there was no opportunity for getting ahead because promotion was slow in the bureau, but it may have been because his most intimate co-workers (those who would have used the familiar Du with him) were aware of what he had done. While the management did not prosecute him (just as Krogstad was not†¦show more content†¦. . . I may very well be suspected of having been involved in your crooked dealings. They may well think that I was behind it--that I put you up to it.1 Helmer did not want to confront his own dishonesty, and in his efforts to cover up his past, he put all the blame on Nora and her heredity. Once, long ago, his lust for Nora was stronger than his desire for social and economic status. That is no longer the case. She can no longer influence him, not even by promising to do all her little tricks. He even spends so much money on his own clothes that Nora has to work secretly to buy the children new clothing. Now Helmers long work and sacrifice are beginning to pay off: after eight years as a struggling lawyer, he has just been appointed manager of the savings bank--a post that would not be available to anyone with the slightest history of dishonesty. Torvald Helmer has never been able to have a serious conversation with Nora. Is it that he could not risk having the subject of Noras father come to the surface except as a rebuke for her childishness? He was only able to deal with Nora as a doll because if he dealt with her as a person, he would first have to come to terms with himself and his failure to live up to the moral codes of his society and his profession. As he said at the end of Act One: An atmosphere of lies like that infects and poisons the whole life of a home. He has made himself so blind to the truth that when he speaks of Krogstads crime andShow MoreRelatedA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1293 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1879 A Doll’s House by Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen was banned throughout Britain as it challenged ideologies specific to those of Europe during the late nineteenth century. The drama presents itself as a social commentary by provoking the conservative ideals of the role of women and marriage. In the twenty-first century the performance stands harmless. Contrariwise, women of the Victorian age were seen as childlike and subservient, which resulted in much controversy surrounding Ibsen’s modernRead MoreAn Analysis of a Dolls House1535 Words   |  7 PagesA Doll’s House 1. DRAMATIC STRUCTURE ‘A Doll’s House’ is widely considered by many to be Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s magnum opus. The play is tightly structured with 3 acts that take place over a short span of three days. Each act contains just one long scene. The scenes are primarily two person scenes that are interleaved with temporary entrances and quick exits by the other characters in the play. Furthermore, the play has a strong sense of unity of action, in the sense that events inRead MoreEssay on Foil Characters in A Dolls House891 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Foil Characters in A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen creates characters in A Doll’s House who change throughout the play. Ibsen’s use of foil characters helps the reader understand each individual character better. Some of the characters in the play are perceived as opposites but in fact share several similarities. Krogstad and Torvald, Christine and Nora, and Krogstad/Christine’s relationship and Torvald/Nora’s relationship are all foils to each other. Foil characters are mirror images of each other;Read MoreCompare how the theme of childhood is presented in the poems Half Past Two and Hide and Seek2212 Words   |  9 Pages 00004629150-489839008 0008 -1143000233616500-11430001650365Drama Response to A Doll’s House 0Drama Response to A Doll’s House -11430006793865Siham Shaddad Siham Shaddad A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen wrote the script of the play â€Å"A Doll’s House† in 1879 and was first performed shortly later that year in Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark. The three-act play depicts and criticizes the typical role of men and women nineteenth century marriage. The play was inspired by a real-life storyRead MoreHenrik Ibsens A Dolls House1529 Words   |  7 PagesIbsens A Dolls House questions the gender roles of women in society through its characters, namely Nora Helmer and Christina Linden, before and after marriage. What are gender roles exactly? Gender roles are the combination is specific gender stereotypes that consist of the perceptions of the society of what an ideal male/female should act like (Lindsey and Christy). This paper aims to question whether the gender roles of Nora Helmer and Christina Linden of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House are switchedRead More Essay on the Growth of Nora and Kristina Linde in Ibsens A Dolls House1025 Words   |  5 PagesNora and Kristina Linde in A Dolls House      Ã‚  Ã‚   A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that was written ahead of its time. In this play Ibsen tackles prevailing social norms by presenting two strong-willed women. Both Kristina and Nora chose the men they married by an intellectual rather than an emotional process: Kristina gave up the man she loved (Nils Krogstad) to provide economic security for her mother and her two younger brothers; Nora married Torvald Helmer at a time when he could haveRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen876 Words   |  4 PagesA Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House takes place in the home of Torvald and Nora Helmer. Through conversation with Nora’s good friend Kristine Linde it is revealed that Mr. Helmer was ill around the same time Nora’s father died. Luckily Nora’s father left her enough money that Torvald and Nora could go on a life saving trip to Italy. But the truth comes out when we find out Nora’s father did not leave her a penny. We find out that Nora got a hold of the money through a loan but she signedRead MoreA Dolls House -H.Ibsen ,Critical Analysis1554 Words   |  7 PagesGenre : Realistic Modern Drama Name of the Work / Play : A Doll’s House ( 1897 ) in three acts Characters : Major Characters / Minor Characters Nora Helmer ( wife of Torvald Helmer ,mother of three children ) Torvald Helmer( husband of Nora Helmer , a lawyer ,father of three children ) Dr. Rank ( doctor ,friend of Nora Torvald Helmer, confidant ,commentator ) Mrs. Kristine Linde ( old friend of Nora Helmer ) Nils Krogstad ( barrister , old lover of Kristine ,father of multiple childrenRead More A Dolls House: Nora Essay1401 Words   |  6 PagesIbsen’s play A Doll’s House, the personality of the protagonist Nora Helmer is developed and revealed through her interactions and conversations with the other characters in the play, including Mrs. Linde, Nils Krogstad, Dr. Rank and Ann-Marie. Ibsen also uses certain dramatic and literary techniques and styles, such as irony, juxtaposition and parallelism to further reveal interesting aspects of Nora’s personality. Mrs. Linde provides and interesting juxtaposition to Nora, while Krogstad initially providesRead MoreThe Moral Depravity Of Fathers Essay1471 Words   |  6 PagesThe Moral Depravity of Fathers in A Doll’s House Fatherhood is universally associated with themes of dependability, authority and reliability. Ibsen’s A Doll’s House has a fair amount of fathers, however, few of them exhibit any of these characteristics. Instead of ensuring security for their families, fathers in A Doll’s House are disinterested in their children. Some of the fathers are renown liars, some are spreaders of the diseases of their infidelity and some cannot provide enough money to support

Italian Baroque And The Protestant Baroque Styles - 988 Words

The Baroque era spans a period of 150 years. During this time, baroque art had four distinct styles. I plan to focus on the Italian Baroque and the Protestant Baroque styles. While these styles share some similarities, they are also very different. The Italian Baroque style is often ornate and focused on religion with an emphasis on the need for the church’s guidance. The Protestant Baroque style is plain with no obvious religious messages and less need for guidance from the church. Both styles contain many amazing pieces of artwork, but I plan to focus on Bernini’s Baldacchino and Vermeer’s Woman Holding a Balance. The Italian Baroque style of art was established by the Catholic Church to bring individuals focus back to the church. This is also known as Counter Reformation. The artwork was often very elaborate, large in scale, showed movement and contained religious objects that glorified the Catholic Church (Armstrong). Another trademark of this time was the ability of the artwork to evoke emotions (Hollander). It was their attempt to show people they must lean on the church to be successful. If there is one piece of art that displays all of these characteristics perfectly, it is the Baldacchino by Bernini. This is a magnificent piece that one could stare at for hours and probably not take in all of the details. The scale of the Baldacchino is enormous. The Baldacchino is located in St. Peter’s Basilica and made of bronze and stands ninety-three feet highShow MoreRelatedBaroque Art: Protestant vs. Catholic Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesBaroque: Protestant vs. Catholic Before the purity of Neoclassicism, even before the carefree artists of the Rococo era, there was the dramatic and emotive Baroque. The term baroque is said to have been derived from the Portuguese word for an irregular pearl, and is certainly an adequate description. In the wake of what has become known as the Protest Reformation, the Catholic Church held the infamous Council of Trent. This eighteen year deliberation addressed several aspects of CatholicismRead MoreThe Baroque Period Was A Time Of Conflicting Religions,1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe Baroque period was a time of conflicting religions, and is one of the major movements in art since the renaissance era. Beginning in 17th century Italy and later spreading into Northern Europe, the Baroque era was one that had a mission and an objective in mind: to restore faith back into the Catholic Church and to counter the growing conversion of protestants. Having already launched the counter-reformation in the 16th century, it did not fare well against Martin Luther’s Protestant ReformationRead MoreComparing Art And The Baroque Eras989 Words   |  4 PagesComparing Art of the Renaissance and the Baroque Eras The Renaissance and the Baroque eras created some of the most famous works of art produced in the world. The two eras expressed differences in style and theme, but they also have many characteristics in common. To better understand the similarities of the eras it will be described by the characteristics, styles and the influences of each; Renaissance and Baroque works of art. Famous artist from the Renaissance era were Leonard da Vinci and MichelangeloRead MoreThe Baroque Style Of The 19th Century753 Words   |  4 Pagesnot only with the many regulations that being extended by the Church but with the opportunity to learn from the past masters I art. Most of the 17th century was dominated by the baroque style, whose expressive power was well appropriate to the needs of the Counter-Reformation Church for affecting images. The baroque style develop around 1600 in Rome before spreading across Europe. It was encouraged and influenced and by the Catholic Church, which used it to propag anda religious themes, war imagesRead MoreThe Adoration Of Saints1633 Words   |  7 PagesThe Adoration of Saints Baroque is important in regards of European philosophical art history, generating identifiable and stylistic changes in: painting, sculpture and architecture throughout the periods of the late sixteenth century to the early eighteenth. Dominant particularly in the regions of southern Europe such as: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria and southern Germany. Baroque is a stylistic movement that often exaggerated motion to: illustrate drama, tension and grandeur features such asRead MoreBaroque Art : Baroque Renaissance1256 Words   |  6 PagesBaroque Art After the idealism of the Renaissance during the 1400-1530’s and the Mannerism of the 1530-1600’s Baroque art found itself as the dominant style of art during the decade of the 1600-1700’s. The term Baroque derives from the Portuguese ‘barocco’ term, or irregular peal or stone – It describes a fairly complex idiom which originated in Rome and became popular during the time period in which Baroque art was prominent which embraced painting, sculpture and architecture. The Baroque styleRead MoreEssay about Baroque Period (1600-1750) General Background890 Words   |  4 PagesBaroque Period (1600-1750) General Background The years between 1600 and 1750 were full of contradiction, change, and conflict in Europe. The future would be shaped by the far reaching consequences of war. These conflicts pitted mainly the northern countries (Belgium, Germany, England, Sweden) against the Catholic kingdoms of the south (France, Spain, Austria), and further accentuated the pre-existing cultural differences between Northern and Southern Europe. However, tremendous scientific, philosophicalRead MoreBaroque Style : Adopted And Used From Roughly 1600971 Words   |  4 PagesBaroque style was adopted and used from roughly 1600 - 1750. Baroque artist broke from traditional styles and techniques largely as a result of the Protestant Reformation and its effects, including that of the Council of Trent, which greatly influenced Western art. Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation in 1517 when he posted his 95 theses on the front door of Castle church. With the intent for an academic debate, Luther criticized the corruption and faults within the Catholic Church, includingRead MoreThe Conflict Between Catholic And Protestant Churches2383 Words   |  10 Pageschurches and Protestant churches threw Europe into a great turmoil (Buelow 9). Half of Europe was plagued by the seemingly endless wars of religion, and countries such as Italy and Germany broke into numerous political fragments (Buelow 9). After the Thirty Years’ War, there existed more than 300 principalities in Germany (Vaubel 280); Italy also split into many independent or semi-independent states (Buelow 9). During this religious upheaval in the 17th century, a new type of music, Baroque music, developedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Violin Concerto The Four Seasons811 Words   |  4 Pagesconcertos, most of which were written for violin. Born in Venice, Italy Vivaldi is considered one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era and obtained the title of â€Å"father of the concerto† for his numerous concerto pieces. His music was so impactful that even in this day and age, it is widely popular and considered a staple in the genre of classical music. The Baroque era lasted from 1600 to 1750 and is considered an era in which composers and artists alike â€Å"became increasingly interested in

Criteria of Abnormality free essay sample

Jihads (1958) criteria for ideal mental health an individual should be in touch with their own identity, resistant to stress, be focused on the true and have an accurate perception of reality. The legal definition of abnormality declares a person Insane when he Is not able to judge between right and wrong, but this cerebellum Is not used by psychologists The following criteria are used to determine whether a persons behavior is abnormal or not: Several conventional criteria * The standard criteria in psychology and psychiatry are that of mental illness or mental disorder.Determination of abnormality Is based upon medical diagnosis. This is often criticized for removing control from the patient, and being easily manipulated by political or social goals. Statistical Infrequency In this definition of abnormality behaviors which are seen as statistically rare are said to be abnormal. For instance, one may say that an individual of above or below average IQ is abnormal. This definition, however, fails to recognize the desirability of the particular Incidence.This deflation also Implies that the presence of abnormal behavior in people should be rare or statistically unusual, which is not the case. Instead, any specific abnormal behavior may be unusual, but it is not unusual for people to exhibit some form of prolonged abnormal behavior at some point in their ivies 1 * Deviation from Social Norms; It defines the departure or deviation of an individual, from societys unwritten rules (norms).For example if one was to witness a man jumping around, nude, on the streets, the man would be perceived as abnormal, as he has broken societys norms about wearing clothing, not to mention ones self dignity. There are also a number of criteria for one to examine before reaching a Judgment as to whether someone has deviated from societys norms. The first of these criterion being culture; what may be seen as normal in one culture, may be seen as abnormal in another.T he second retention being the situation context one Is placed In; for example, going to the toilet Is a normal human act, but going in the middle of a supermarket would be seen as highly abnormal, I. E. , defecating or urinating in public is illegal as a misdemeanors act of indecent public conduct. The third criterion is age; a child at the age of three I OFF twenty. The fourth criterion is gender: a male responding with behavior normally reacted to as female, and vice versa, is retaliated against, not Just corrected.The fifth criterion is historical context; standards of normal behavior change in some societies, sometimes very rapidly. A substantial deviation from social norms or expected standards of conduct. Every society has a set of commonly accepted rules and standards of behavior. Some of these are explicit and legally binding (e. G stealing/ murdering etc. ) and some are implicit but not legally binding (e. G. Queuing etc. ) behavior that deviates from that standard is considered to be abnormal behavior. But those standards can change with time and vary from one society to another. This basically means that behavior is considered ;normal if the majority considers the behavior acceptable. * IF: The Failure to Function Adequately Definition of abnormality defines whether or not a behavior is abnormal if it is counter-productive to the individual. The main problem with this definition however is that psychologists cannot agree on the boundaries that define what is functioning and what is adequately, as some behaviors that can cause failure to function are not seen as bad I. E. Firemen risking their lives to save people in a blazing fire.DIM: Deviation from Ideal Mental health It defines abnormality by determining if the behavior the individual is displaying is affecting their mental well-being. As with the Failure to Function definition, the mandarins that stipulate what ideal mental health is are not properly defined, and the bigger problem with the definition is that all individuals will at some point in their life deviate from ideal mental health, but it does n ot mean they are abnormal; I. E. , someone who has lost a relative will be distressed, but would not be defined as abnormal for showing that particular behavior.On the contrary, there are some indications that some people require assistance to grieve properly Maledictions of behavior This criteria is how the behavior affects the well-being of the individual and/or social roof. Behavior that is out of control or interfering with normal social or occupational functioning This definition suggests that failing to cope with everyday life (washing, getting out of bed, eating, generally taking care of ones self) is an indication of psychopathology.Society has a collective opinion on how others should lead their lives. Behavior that is dangerous to oneself or to others Examples are a man who attempts suicide, an alcoholic who drinks so heavily that he or she cannot keep a Job or a paranoid individual who tries to assassinate national leaders. Personal distress; This criterion considers abnormality in terms of the indivi duals subjective feelings, personal distress, rather than his behavior. Most people diagnosed as mentally ill feel miserable, anxious, depressed and may suffer from insomnia. In the type of abnormality called neurosis, personal distress may be the only symptom, because the individuals behavior seems normal. Unhappiness, anxiety, depression, etc. A common approach to defining abnormality is a Multi-criteria approach, where all definitions of abnormality are used to determine whether an individuals behavior is abnormal.