Essay on Foil Characters in A Dolls House - 891 Words

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; they have similarities as well as differences. Nils Krogstad and Torvald Helmer are foils to each other. They both have children and are lawyers, even though Krogstad lost his license because he did a forgery. Krogstad did something immoral†¦show more content†¦Christine is an independent woman who has been out in the world and has held multiple jobs. Nora is seen as a child who does not have knowledge of how the world works because she is trapped in a â€Å"dollhouse†. Christine s upports this idea when she calls Nora a child and says, â€Å"For you (Nora) know so little of the burdens and troubles of life.†(Act 1) When the reader learns what Nora did for Torvald, it shows that Nora is more intelligent than she seems which is a characteristic that Christine also possesses. In order for Nora to pay back the loan she took, Nora did repair work for extra money. Nora and Christine both had a sick parent who needed their help, which caused them to make a tough decision and they each chose the most important person to them. The two couples in A Doll’s House, coincidentally, are foils to each other. Society sees Nora and Torvald Helmer as a perfectly happy couple. On the other hand, Krogstad and Christine’s relationship is looked down upon because Christine seemingly left him for money. Christine elected to leave her husband, Krogstad, so she could make more money to help her brothers and her sick mother. Nora chose to help her sick husband instead of her ill father during his dying days. The Helmer’s relationship looks stronger because Nora chose her husband over her father but in fact, her decision shows how much Nora is under Torvald’s control. Christine and Krogstad truly have the better relationship because they haveShow MoreRelated Mrs. Linde as a Foil for Nora in in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay1650 Words   |  7 PagesMrs. Linde as a Foil for Nora in A Dolls House Random House Websters dictionary defines a foil as a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast.   This essay will focus on the use of the foil to contrast another character. The characters of Nora and Mrs. Linde provide an excellent example of this literary device. Mrs. Lindes aged, experienced personality is the perfect foil for Noras childish nature. 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Ibsen introduces Mrs. Linde at early stage of the play as Nora’s old school friend with whom Nora could share her secret and this serves as a way of letting the audience know about Nora’s struggles. Mrs. Linde is an independent woman whose character serves as a foil to Nora’s character in the play. Throughout the play, A Doll’sRead MoreA Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen1400 Words   |  6 Pagesmost complex characters from Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Initially, Krogstad appears to be the villain of the play. Nora owes Krogstad a great deal of money. Krogstad uses the existence of her debt to blackmail Nora, threatening to inform her husband of her debt and her forgery if she does not use her influence to secure his position at the bank. K rogstad serves at a catalyst which brings about the central conflict of the play. However, Krogstad has other roles as well. Krogstad is a foil to Nora. He