A Doll’s House​ ​SYMBOLISM  

 
Consider the following list which mentions stage properties, parts of settings, concepts, and plot 
details. How does each item contribute to your understanding of the play? What does each item 
symbolize for you? The more you write, the better. :)  
 
SYMBOL  Where it appears in the text  What it might represent 
Act 2  The tarantella represents Nora’s desire to 
break free from her oppressive relationship. 
The structure of the dance and male 
leadership creates a limitation on the 
movement a woman possesses. When Nora 
The tarantella  dances with Helmer she has to follow the 
correct sequence. It also represents the 
sacrifice she makes in order to maintain a 
loveable front. She enters into the dance, or 
restrictive relationship, in order to avoid 
confrontation and consequences.  
Act 1 & 3  The tree represents Nora and Helmer’s 
home life. At the beginning of the play, the 
decorations and lights represent the perfect, 
happy image Nora puts up around the home. 
The Christmas  Throughout the novel this perfect picture 
tree—adorned  turns out to be an illusion. By the end, the 
or unadorned  tree is unadorned which shows the 
revelation of Nora’s true character. It isn’t as 
beautiful and bright as it first appeared. The 
reader sees the broken and depressing state 
of their relationship. 
Act 3  This illustrates the sexism throughout the 
story and stereotypical expectations of 
women. A doll is a toy where the person 
playing with it has total control over all it’s 
action. Helmer views her as a thing that he 
Doll-wife, 
has total control over as a husband. Nora’s 
doll-child 
father sees her the same way. He is the mind 
for his child and will make the decisions. 
This shows that women don’t know how to 
lead a life on there own, or don’t have an 
opinion on how it’s lived. 
 Act 1  Macaroons are a symbol of Nora’s rebellion 
and her decision to take control of her fate. 
She openly goes against Helmer’s commands 
to abstain from eating the sweets, which is a 
very clear example of rebellious behavior. 
Macaroons  She breaks free a little bit from the 
inequality present in her relationship. It also 
is one of the few things in the play that show 
Nora making a choice for herself. This is 
cool because in the play we can see that she 
normally is being controlled like a “doll”. 
Act 2 & 3  The costume represents the fake persona 
Nora adopted in order to stay on good terms 
with her husband. Everyday she hides 
behind lies. As Krogstad threatens to reveal 
her secret and after 8 years of putting on a 
Nora’s costume  “costume”, by the time the party comes 
around she is sick of dressing up. The box 
with her dress that comes out in act 2 is a 
huge turning point for Nora’s character. She 
wants to be rid of it which is foreshadowing 
to her confession. 
Act 3  There is a common theme between many of 
these symbols, and this again displays the 
inequality in Nora and Helmer’s 
relationship. The mailbox represents Nora’s 
A mailbox with 
thoughts. They are always locked up and 
a key 
unshared unless opened by the key. Helmer 
is the only one with the key, so he is 
incontrol of what happens. He has more 
power in situations. 
Act 3  Nora uses this to describe her life. She feels 
as though she’s plunging into this disgusting 
and twisted water that has no end. This is a 
The freezing 
symbolism of her depression from her 
black water 
actions and suicidal thoughts. She feels that 
death would be better then continuing on 
the path she’s on. 
Act 1  In act 1 we find out that Helmer was sick, 
which caused Nora to commit forgery 
inorder to take him to a place where he 
Disease  could restore his health. So disease was kind 
of the whole catalyst of the play. Disease 
leads to death, and in Nora’s case the disease 
was her lies and death was her leaving. If she 
 had gotten “treatment” or confided in 
Helmer, her future would have turned out 
much differently.