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3.) In the novel A Dolls House the author Henrik Ibsen characterizes Nora Helmer as a woman that is strong and courageous. It's clearly seen throughout the book that she is a woman that can hold her own but because of the mentality and the norms of the 1800s, is restricted. Nora's thoughts, decisions, and behaviors would be seen today as something close to how women are independent and how they are too human beings that have a mind of their own. Nora's actions in the play seem to speak for how women today are strong and how they're willing to sacrifice no matter what the consequence. "HELMER: 'No man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves.' NORA:' It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done'." (3.345 3.346) Furthermore her actions lets us know that she isn't as ditzy as we think she is, Nora is clever and knows how to stay on Torvald's good side. "NORA: "Christine is […] is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect herself--" (1.282) However back then Nora's actions would've been controversial because in the 1800s women were seen as to having no power; they had no say in anything and were to been seen as lower and weaker then men. Women in the 1800s were depicted by society as just housewives and for the man to owe anything to his wife was seen as a bad thing. This led to Nora keeping the borrowed money a secret from her husband to not hurt his pride and also because of the actual norms back then. " NORA: "how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!" (1.197) Another thing that was controversial was when Nora decided to leave her husband, back then divorce was frowned upon and to have one was extremely rare, also the fact that when saying this Nora has also seem to put thought into everything so far. "Nora...." I am learning, too,that the law is quite another thing from what I supposed; but I find it impossible to convince myself that the law is right. According to it a woman has no right to spare her old dying father, or to save her husband's life. I can't believe that. (Ibsen,74)

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