Noras secret Essays

Noras secret Essays Noras secret Essay Noras secret Essay Movement and gestures were pivotally used throughout this performance and its success varied with each character. For example, Mrs. Linde (Jennifer Hennessey) did not use effective movement to demonstrate her characters persona. In my opinion I interpreted the role of Mrs. Linde, when reading A Dolls House, as being quite strong and self-liberated, yet in the performance she was interpreted as quite weak in the way she spoke, and Hennessey did not use vivid movements to support this distinct interpretation. However, movement was used exceptionally by Helmer (Ian Dunn) in the use of body language, gestures and stance. My interpretation of the character Helmer was that of a spoilt boy trapped in a grown mans body and I believe that Dunn captured this perfectly through his boyish walk and his mannerisms used when in Noras company. OVERALL IMPRESSION THE PRODUCTION WAS TRYING TO CONVEY Doll s Houses is considered one of the most controversial plays of its era and even in present day, its main themes and sub-meanings are still very much pivotal in daily life. The production I went to see in the Southwark Playhouse used this mentality in showing that a womans struggle for self-liberation is as real, necessary and challenging today as it was in Ibsens time. For my part, the director (Thea Sharrock) was trying create a microcosm of the feminist movement in the play. Sharrock also drew attention to how easily the human train of thought can morph from one mindset into another and this was shown by the way Nora stood frozen with a perplexed look upon her face during the last fragment of the play, which greatly contrasted the giddy and childish, fidgety manner Nora had during the beginning. Over the course of the performance, appearances prove to be misleading veneers that mask the reality of the plays characters and situations. My first impressions of Nora, Torvald, and Krogstad ere all eventually undercut. Nora initially seemed a silly, childish woman, but as the play progressed, I saw that she is intelligent, motivated, and, by the plays conclusion, a strong-willed, independent thinker. Torvald, though he plays the part of the strong, benevolent husband, reveals himself to be cowardly, petty, and selfish when he fears Krogstad may expose him to scandal. Krogstad too reveals himself to be a much more sympathetic and merciful character than he first appears to be. The plays climax was largely a matter of resolving identity confusion-we see Krogstad as a lover, Nora as an intelligent, brave woman, and Torvald as a simpering, sad man, which was all a part of proving the true possibility of breaking lose from an autocratic society. Situations too are misinterpreted both by the audience and by the characters through clever use of dramatic irony. The seeming hatred between Mrs. Linde and Krogstad turns out to be love. Noras creditor turns out to be Krogstad and not, as the audience and Mrs. Linde suppose, Dr. Rank. And the seemingly villainous Krogstad repents and returns Noras contract to her, while the seemingly kind-hearted Mrs. Linde ceases to help Nora and forces Torvalds discovery of Noras secret. The instability of appearances within the Torvald household during the performances end results from Torvalds devotion to image at the expense of the creation of true happiness. Because Torvald seemed craves respect from his employees, friends, and wife, status and image are important to him. Any disrespect-when Nora called him petty and when Krogstad familiarly called Torvald by his first name, for example-angered Torvald greatly to show his spoilt and childish nature. By the end of the play, we saw that Torvalds obsession with controlling his homes appearance and his repeated suppression and denial of reality harmed his family and his happiness irreparably showing that men are not always the stronger sex as society has deemed so.