History YMMV / ADollsHouse

** An only moderately altered interpretation of Nora has the side effect of altering the entire play. In the conventional reading, Nora is a naive innocent who gets a harsh lesson in the world and grows up to move out. A wholly different interpretation is that we're actually seeing a plot involving several conspirators, organized by Nora, to break her tyrannical husband's hold. The Doctor being "ill" is a setup—he's fine and the card with the X through it is a signal he's ready for Nora to take off with him as they've obviously had a thing going on. Nils Krogstad's reasons for going along with the setup are obvious (knowing he's on the chopping block at work because of Torvald, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain revenge-wise) and Nora is also, more kindly, masterminding the reunion of Krogstad with his old girlfriend and her old friend, Christine, who's been the victim of a similar domestic tyranny. Nora is in fact a DiabolicalMastermind[=/=]MagnificentBitch orchestrating her husband's downfall.

** A less elaborate example: Nora is often portrayed as a naïve victim of a domineering Torvald, but she can also be interpreted as the HypercompetentSidekick of a ManChild who is totally oblivious to how much work his wife puts into maintaining the façade of security and respectability that lets him see himself as a self-made success.

* WriterRevolt: The "happy" ending written to appease the MoralGuardians only comes about because Torvald guilt-trips Nora into staying by way of "ThinkOfTheChildren"; and Nora considers this a FateWorseThanDeath.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: An only moderately altered interpretation of Nora has the side effect of altering the entire play. In the conventional reading, Nora is a naive innocent who gets a harsh lesson in the world and grows up to move out. A wholly different interpretation is that we're actually seeing a plot involving several conspirators, organized by Nora, to break her tyrannical husband's hold. The Doctor being "ill" is a setup—he's fine and the card with the X through it is a signal he's ready for Nora to take off with him as they've obviously had a thing going on. Nils Krogstad's reasons for going along with the setup are obvious (knowing he's on the chopping block at work because of Torvald, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain revenge-wise) and Nora is also, more kindly, masterminding the reunion of Krogstad with his old girlfriend and her old friend, Christine, who's been the victim of a similar domestic tyranny. Nora is in fact a DiabolicalMastermind[=/=]MagnificentBitch orchestrating her husband's downfall.

* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeThemBack: ZigZagged. Torvald berates Nora viciously, then just as abruptly decides to forgive her because she is like a child and knows no better. She allows him to hug her and tell her how much he loves her, leaves to get changed - and walks back in with a suitcase to announce that she's leaving him.

* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: Averted. Torvald berates Nora viciously, then just as abruptly decides to forgive her because she is like a child and knows no better. She allows him to hug her and tell her how much he loves her, leaves to get changed - and walks back in with a suitcase to announce that she's leaving him.

* WriterRevolt: The "happy" ending written to appease the MoralGuardians only comes about because Torvald guilt-trips her into staying by way of "ThinkOfTheChildren"; and Nora considers this a FateWorseThanDeath.

* WriterRevolt: The "happy" ending written to appease the MoralGuardians only comes about because Nora's husband guilt-trips her inty staying by way of "ThinkOfTheChildren"; and Nora considers this a FateWorseThanDeath.

* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: Averted. Torvald berates Nora viciously, then just as abruptly decides to forgive her because she is like a child and knows no better. She allows him to hug her and tell her how much he loves her, leaves to get changed - and walks back in with a suitcase to announce that she's leaving him.

* MisaimedFandom: No, this is '''not''' a play about how evil men are and how terrible marriage is. It was intended to show that '''''every''''' human person has pros and contras, ''no matter what their gender/social standing/etc. is''. (i.e., Torvald and Nora's relationship goes down the toilet because their views of each other's were terribly distorted and Nora realized how harmful this was for her so she decided to live her life and not play along anymore... but Krogstad and Kristine managed to strike a deal and went the opposite way, deciding to see if a prospect relationship will work well this time.)

** A less elaborate example: Nora is often portrayed as a naïve victim of a domineering Torvald, but she can also be interpreted as the HypercompetentSidekick of a ManChild who is totally oblivious to how much work his wife puts into maintaining the façade of security and respectability that he credits entirely to his own hard work and moral purity.

** A less elaborate example: Nora is often portrayed as a naïve victim of a domineering Torvald, but she can also be interpreted as the HypercompetentSidekick of a ManChild who is totally oblivious to how much work his wife puts into maintaining the façade of security and respectability that he credits entirely to his own hard work and moral purity.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: An only moderately altered interpretation of Nora has the side effect of altering the entire play. In the conventional reading, Nora is a naive innocent who gets a harsh lesson in the world and grows up to move out. A wholly different interpretation is that we're actually seeing a plot involving several conspirators, organized by Nora, to break her tyrannical husband's hold. The Doctor being "ill" is a setup—he's fine and the card with the X through it is a signal he's ready for Nora to take off with him as they've obviously had a thing going on. Nils Krogstad's reasons for going along with the setup are obvious (knowing he's on the chopping block at work because of Torvald he has nothing to lose and everything to gain revenge-wise) and Nora is also, more kindly, masterminding the reunion of Krogstad with his old girlfriend and her old friend, Christine, who's been the victim of a similar domestic tyranny. Nora is in fact a DiabolicalMastermind orchestrating her husband's downfall.

* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: Averted. Torvald berates Nora viciously, then just as abruptly decides to forgive her because she is like a child and knows no better. She allows him to hug her and tell her how much she loves her, leaves to get changed - and walks back in with a suitcase to announce that she's leaving him.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: An only moderately altered interpretation of Nora has the side effect of altering the entire play. In the conventional reading, Nora is a naive innocent who gets a harsh lesson in the world and grows up to move out. A wholly different interpretation is that we're actually seeing a plot involving several conspirators, organized by Nora, to break her tyrannical husband's hold. The Doctor being "ill" is a setup—he's fine and the card with the X through it is a signal he's ready for Nora to take off with him as they've obviously had a thing going on. Nils Krogstad's reasons for going along with the setup are obvious (knowing he's on the chopping block at work because of Torvald he has nothing to lose and everything to gain revenge-wise) and Nora is also, more kindly, masterminding the reunion of Krogstad with his old girlfriend and her old friend, Christine, who's been the victim of a similar domestic tyranny. Nora is in fact a DiabolicalMastermind orchestrating her husband's downfall.
* {{Anvilicious}}: After the truth comes out about how Torvald doesn't really love Nora for Nora, her personality does a complete 180 as she tells Torvald why she must leave him. After spending the entire play as a airheaded ditz, she suddenly becomes serious and well spoken. It is somewhat jarring, but considering the time the play came out in, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped one can forgive this for the message which was pretty radical at the time]]
** Um, she does reveal herself to be fairly serious whenever Torvald isn't present. I'd say this is more a case of the mask slipping than a sudden reversal of personality.

* Anvilicious: After the truth comes out about how Torvald doesn't really love Nora for Nora, her personality does a complete 180 as she tells Torvald why she must leave him. After spending the entire play as a airheaded ditz, she suddenly becomes serious and well spoken. It is somewhat jarring, but considering the time the play came out in, [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped one can forgive this for the message which was pretty radical at the time]]

* WhyWouldAnyoneTakeHimBack: Averted. Torvald berates Nora viciously then just as abruptly decides to forgive her because she is like a child and knows no better. She allows him to hug her and tell her how much she loves her, leaves to get changed - and walks back in with a suitcase to announce that she's leaving him.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the traditional marriage. As Nora puts it, "[Many woman] sacrificed [their honor for their husbands]" when Torvald protest that a man would never surrender his honor to even his wife.
* {{Reconstruction}}: The reunion scene between Linde and Krogstand makes it clear that their relationship is based on understanding. So traditional marriage can work when the couple respect each other.

* {{Reconstruction}}: The reunion scene between Linde and Krogstand makes it clear that their relationship is based on understanding and would probably have a healthier marriage.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the traditional marriage. As Nora puts it, "[Many woman] sacrified [their honor for their husbands]" when Torvald protest that a man would never surrender his honor to even his wife.
* {{Reconstruction}}: The reunion scene between Linde and Krogstand makes it clear that their relationship is based on understanding and would probably have a healthier marraige.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the traditional marriage. As Nora puts it, "[Many woman] sacrified [their honor for their husbands]" despite Torvald protesting a man would never surrender his honor to even his wife.
* {{Reconstruction}}: The reunion scene between Linde and Krogstand makes it clear that their relationship is based on understanding and would they would probably have a healthier marraige.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the traditional marriage. As Nora puts it, "[Many woman] sacrified [their honor for their husbands]" despite Torvald protesting a man would never surrender his honor to even his wife. And then.

Deconstruction: Of the traditional marriage. As Nora puts it, "[Many woman] sacrified [their honor for their husbands]" despite Torvald protesting a man would never surrender his honor to even his wife. And then.
Reconstruction: The reunion scene between Linde and Krogstand makes it clear that their relationship is based on understanding and would they would probably have a healthier marraige.