Suicidal Tendencies - An Examination of Nora in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House

Would Nora have committed suicide if her plan went through? In Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, the main character, Nora, alludes to a possible suicide. But was she serious about this or was it simply a facade?

Although opinions on this matter vary, the dialogue and standard literary devices used in this play seem to answer the question definitely.

The character of Nora herself is anything but typical. She appears to follow a single course of thought with definite actions. Although old enough to have children, she seems to exhibit a very childish maturity level in her behavior and level of anxiety. Nora made references to suicide from the beginning of Act 2 through the end of the play.

The first obvious reference is in a conversation with Krogstad after he received his notice of termination. He guesses that Nora has been thinking of running away and "even of something worse." She is bewildered at how he knew she was thinking of "that," but quickly continues to say that she isn't courageous enough to do it. But when Krogstad says that Helmer will keep quiet about the matter of her forgery, Nora then claims: "I have the courage now-for that."

They follow it up by referencing a death by drowning and when Nora is "no longer." In the subsequent conversation with Kristine, Nora first alludes to "the miracle" that will happen.

On the last page of Act 2, after making a few minor references to her impending suicide, Nora, in an aside, states that she has thirty-one hours to live.

In a conversation with Helmer shortly after Kristine leaves in Act 3, Nora comments, "Soon now I'll sleep." This is an obvious reference to death, both in the way it's worded and in the light of Nora's present behavior and previous allusions.

Nora also makes an out-of-place comment by asking the doctor to wish her to also sleep well immediately after he speaks of his own death. In this context, her meaning is obvious.

Soon after, she also goes back to comment on the "freezing black water," which is what Krogstad first spoke of when talking of her suicide. The fact that the water is black and her speaking of "the depths-down" obviously reference to death.

Her last reference to suicide before her conversion is her telling Helmer: "When I'm gone from this world, you'll be free." The final quote to be made is when Nora explains the situation to Helmer and states that the miracle she was waiting for was his sacrifice of honor for her. But to prevent his sacrifice, "[she] would have taken [her] life."

These references and the more minor ones to suicide and some that can be taken as either to her running away or as to her impending suicide reveal that it was definitely a prevalent thought in her mind.

It can be said that most truly suicidal people don't talk about suicide much. But most truly suicidal people are in a much different situation and are much different characters than Nora. Most suicidal tendencies are a result of some form of depression and rarely thoughts of self-sacrifice.

Many suicidal thoughts can be seen as calculated, planned, and with more than one intention in mind. But we can see that Nora was on a single train of thought, with a set course of actions for a desired end and that speaking of them shouldn't affect it. If not a true reflection of her thoughts, why would she have mentioned suicide?

It is possible that she was calculating and used expressions of suicide to suit her purposes. But this point is mute because no purpose of hers was served. Her audience rarely grasped that she was talking of suicide and she also mentions it in an aside when no audience is present. No purpose of her own was served through mentioning this and so this cannot be the reason she mentions suicide.

A common occurrence in literature is when the author chooses a character to speak through. In the final transformation of Nora's character after the note is destroyed and Helmer forgives her, the author is most obviously making his point. A common acceptance is that from this point on, what Nora speaks is true. If something is unknown, it is stated as unknown, and if something is stated as known, it is known to be true.

Nora definitely states that in her plan or delusions of "the miracle" that was to take place, the end result was her suicide. Although many statements were previously made by her of her happiness, she now states that she only thought she was happy, but that she never was. On the other hand, her previous intention of suicide is not refuted, even in her new state of consciousness. This, in light of her new disposition, should be seen as a fact.

It can be debated as to whether or not Nora would have actually committed suicide had her "miracle" happened. But this area is irrelevant as it deals with hypothetical actions of a fictional character.

What is important here is that Nora's intentions and plans were definitely suicidal. Nora herself believed she would've followed through with it, even after the realization of her character. Nora believed she was capable of and planned for suicide throughout the latter part of the play. The text clearly supports this through its dialogue and its relevantly used literary devices.