Discuss the representation of marriage in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. What evidence can you find to support the interpretation that this play is not only about the Helmers’ marriage but also about the institution of marriage itself?

From the first time the audience is introduced to Torvald and Nora Helmer’s relationship in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” several things become clear about the dynamics of their marriage.
One of those is that Torvald views Nora as a beautiful source of entertainment, like a pet. In the first scene of the play, Torvald calls his wife a “skylark” and “squirrel,” two cute, small animals. These pet names gain significance later in the text, when Nora realizes she is always “playing tricks” for her husband’s amusement. Torvald infantalizes his wife in a way that many married men did at the time. While the men likely viewed this as endearing, it is actually indicative of the lack of respect a husband holds for his wife, whom he views as inferior to him.
Another aspect of their marriage is Torvald’s attempt to control Nora. In the beginning, Torvald scolds Nora for spending too much on Christmas gifts for the children, speaking to her as if she is incapable of understanding. He also monitors her consumption of sweets, a behavior that suggests he treats her like a child more than an equal partner. Torvald’s superiority complex is reflected in the society of the time, since Nora is at the mercy of Krogstad when he blackmails her. If Norwegian laws at the time did not prohibit Nora from borrowing the money she needed to keep the family afloat, she never would have had to deceive her husband. Likewise, if her husband would have been more trusting of her, Nora wouldn’t have had to deceive him at all.
Within the Helmers’ marriage, the societal attitudes toward women were central to the relationship dynamics. Ibsen shows, then, that gender discrimination and stereotypes create the oppressive conditions of marriage.