Free Essay: Significance of the Word Hide in the Play A Doll House

Hiding in the play A Doll House has been showed in various occurrences. The characters hide paramount details from each other that could affect their relationships significantly. Nora hides her money problems from Torvald, her husband. In an attempt to guard her secret, she endeavors to shield Krogstad- One of Torvalds employees who has knowledge about her deception. Torvald on the hand hides from Nora his financial status, and would not let a lengthy discussion ensue between them about the finances. This paper explores the various episodes in which the characters in the play hide from each other. Additionally, it discusses various important lessons that one can learn from the play.

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The characters in A Dolls House are all hiding some truth from each other, but seeking the truth about life and amongst themselves. Nora hides her engagements and exact persona from him. Torvald, on the other hand, keeps a secret about all the undertakings of their relationship, with the thought that Nora is not aware of what goes on, and that she will never look for answers. This, therefore, makes the play one of hiding and seeing.

Nora plays hide and seek with her kids, something she also does with other people, including her husband and the public. Nora is endeavoring to keep her deceitful actions away not only from the knowledge of the public but also her husband. She goes silent about the fact that she loaned money for the purpose of saving his health. Nora knew that if she disclosed the initiative of borrowing money for his purpose, her husband would be humiliated and agonized. Nora knew of her husbands desire to feel in control of everything, and therefore, she hid the truth from him.

Nora hides the actual reason as to why she is against the idea of her husband dismissing Krogstad. Torvald becomes so self-conscious by Krogstads arrogant acquaintance that he develops a plot to fire him. All this time, Krogstad requests Nora to beg her husband not to dismiss him. She hides the actual reason as to why she does not want him fired, claiming that he is a writer in many scandalous newspapers and would in return ruin Torvald reputation. Her husband, however, prorogates that forgery, irrespective of the inspiration behind it, is a severe crime. This deed stimulates Krogstad, who is concerned about regaining decency, to use his information about falsification to intimidate her. Torvald is not aware that the ensuing consequences due to firing him would bring negative impact on his entire family. Nora was in a position to inform, but in its place, she chose to hold the facts from him.

Nora hides the truth about her capabilities and power. She fits in the cocoon of being the doll that her husband made her. At the beginning of the play, Torvald refers to her as a little lark or his squirrel. All the way through the play, he calls her a tiny cute animal not once with any term that might suggest a state of his noble. From the names that her husband calls her, she carries herself as a spoiled pet than a married woman. She creates the impression of a naive person, and therefore Torvald treats her like a doll. For Nora to fit in and please her husband, she hides her real character and strengths all through. Without her husbands knowledge, she claims that she had the capabilities of standing on her own. To her husband, she is a delicate little puppy, while to the world she is a much strong woman than she seems.

Nora hides her ability to handle money. She is completely capable of holding debt, but she does not let her husband know about it. On the contrary, she leads him into believing that she has little concern as to whether she possessed money or not. Despite the fact that she claims that she would not mind being in dues, the audience knows that she is actually in massive debt. She saves a little money from ventures to settle the debt, without the knowledge of her husband. She hints that she is a little puppy who does not know anything about money while hiding the fact that she is capable borrowing and paying huge sums of money. She lies just to continue being her husbands doll.

Nora plays hide and seek with the children, not because she loves it but for the purpose of hiding the truth from them, and her role as their mother. She claims that she enjoys the responsibilities that come with motherhood, and asserts that she adores taking off her childrens outer apparels since it is fun. This is however not the case when Krogstad comes to visit. She is very quick in commanding the children to leave the room and join the nurse. It clearly shows that she was eager to hide from any maternal accountabilities when given the chance. She hides from the children that she mothered.

Torvald similarly withholds the truth from his wife, Nora. He never discusses any of his work undertakings with her, and rarely discuss any financial issues. Initially, he miserable tries to bring the matter of money earnestly but quickly withdraws the topic. His perception of Nora was that she was just the normal typical woman who does not like discussing issues to do with savings and finances. When her temper turns bitter because of her minor admonishment, he soothes her by giving her money. He bought her happiness by giving her more money, instead of putting an effort to solve their questionable financial state. The same way Nora hides money matters from him is the same way he hides them from her.

Torvald also hides details concerning his job from her. Nora knows that her husband works in the bank; however, she is oblivious of his roles. She questions Dr. Rank whether all the bank employees dependent entirely on his spouse. Nora was aware that her husband had been promoted, but she had no clue as to what a promotion meant and had to confirm from a friend whether it said been in charge of every employee in the institution. Nora knew Torvald was hiding something from her. Therefore, she could not dare ask him.

Both Nora and Torvald hide from each other. Despite the fact that Nora hides a lot of things from her husband, she decides to look for the truth. She decides to play hiding and seeking at the same time. She is determined to find out whether there is a possibility of living a life where she does not have to hide from the person she ought to be closest to. She wanted to erase the life of pretending to be inferior, and hiding from the reality that she is a mother, and a grown married woman. To do that, Nora wanted an equal treatment from Torvald, something that he was not willing to do. He was not ready to sacrifice his ego and integrity for her. Despite the fact that he wanted her to carry herself, he was not willing to bear her weight.

Nora then realizes that Torvald is not the man that she thought he was. All that Nora wanted was for Torvald to consider her problems. When he did not endeavor to fulfill that, she sought a different life where she was only responsible for herself. Nora hides her strength, awareness, and capabilities from her husband. The reason behind her hiding was because she did not want to be considered as a strong woman, lest her husband failed to support her. Nora likewise hides from his responsibilities of being a mom. The job of being a good wife is occupied by a concealed personality. By leaving her household, Nora indicates that she will not tolerate an approach to life that prompts her to hide.

Hiding (in this context used to mean withholding the truth) information from people may seem like a pathway to evading a situation, but the repercussions could be dire. As proved from the play A Doll House, hiding has adverse consequences. Children are left without a mother, and Nora no longer has a husband. Trying to protect a loved one from getting hurt is one thing, and hiding the truth in seeking to fulfill ones interests is another. The truth will always set one free.