Dr. Rank
In Ibsen’s play, “A Doll’s House”, Mr. Helmer’s and Dr. Rank’s pseudo-science beliefs are a major factor in Nora’s choice to leave Helmer. The belief that a parent’s immoral actions can cause negative effects on their children is a belief both Mr. Helmer and Dr. Rank hold, and one which they both passed to Nora in the play.
This idea is first introduced by Helmer in reference to Krogstad when he says that “An atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil” (Ibsen 183). This line plants the idea in Nora’s head that a parent’s moral wrongs may negatively affect their children. This is later shown to have become a belief of Nora’s when, in reference to …show more content…
Dr. Rank, she states “His father was a horrible man who committed all sorts of excesses; and that is why his son was sickly from childhood” (Ibsen 186). As Nora is a mother of three, surely she would be thinking that her wrong act, namely forgery, could be poisoning her children, and that her lies covering it up are as well.
Dr.
Rank provides the perfect example for Nora to see how her actions might affect her children as Rank believes that he is suffering from his parent’s, specifically his father’s, actions. This is shown when Rank states “My poor innocent spine has to suffer for my father’s youthful amusements” (Ibsen 191). It is only reinforced when Rank says “Especially that they [the youthful amusements] should revenge themselves on the unlucky bones of those who have not had the satisfaction of enjoying them” (Ibsen 192). These quotes show that Rank firmly believes that his back problems have been caused by his father’s gluttony, and that this sin transferred to him, despite the fact he has not committed it. Because of Dr. Rank’s status of a man of science, his analysis of himself continues to strengthen Nora’s new belief that her sinfulness will poison her children. Her thoughts on this are still shown in her confrontation with Helmer when Nora says “how am I fitted to bring up the children” possibly referencing how she must clear her sins before being fit to raise her kids (Ibsen 214).
After seeing the example of Dr. Rank, and listening to her husband’s beliefs, it is understandable to believe that Nora would have thought it be best for her children if she were to leave. This is because if she were to leave, she would no longer be poisoning her household, and in addition no longer be poisoning her
children.
This idea is first introduced by Helmer in reference to Krogstad when he says that “An atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home. Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil” (Ibsen 183). This line plants the idea in Nora’s head that a parent’s moral wrongs may negatively affect their children. This is later shown to have become a belief of Nora’s when, in reference to …show more content…
Dr. Rank, she states “His father was a horrible man who committed all sorts of excesses; and that is why his son was sickly from childhood” (Ibsen 186). As Nora is a mother of three, surely she would be thinking that her wrong act, namely forgery, could be poisoning her children, and that her lies covering it up are as well.
Dr.
Rank provides the perfect example for Nora to see how her actions might affect her children as Rank believes that he is suffering from his parent’s, specifically his father’s, actions. This is shown when Rank states “My poor innocent spine has to suffer for my father’s youthful amusements” (Ibsen 191). It is only reinforced when Rank says “Especially that they [the youthful amusements] should revenge themselves on the unlucky bones of those who have not had the satisfaction of enjoying them” (Ibsen 192). These quotes show that Rank firmly believes that his back problems have been caused by his father’s gluttony, and that this sin transferred to him, despite the fact he has not committed it. Because of Dr. Rank’s status of a man of science, his analysis of himself continues to strengthen Nora’s new belief that her sinfulness will poison her children. Her thoughts on this are still shown in her confrontation with Helmer when Nora says “how am I fitted to bring up the children” possibly referencing how she must clear her sins before being fit to raise her kids (Ibsen 214).
After seeing the example of Dr. Rank, and listening to her husband’s beliefs, it is understandable to believe that Nora would have thought it be best for her children if she were to leave. This is because if she were to leave, she would no longer be poisoning her household, and in addition no longer be poisoning her
children.