Quote 1
NORA: "How painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald […] to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether." (1.197)
The Helmers' marriage is based on maintaining a veneer of male dominance.
Quote 2
NORA: "Christine is […] is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect herself—" (1.282)
Nora's relationship with her husband seems to be built on careful manipulation of his ego.
Quote 3
NORA: "But don't you think it is nice of me, too, to do as you wish?"
HELMER: "Nice?—because you do as your husband wishes? Well, well, you little rogue, I am sure you did not mean it in that way." (2.82-2.83)
Comments like this from Torvald demonstrate that the Helmers are in a lopsided marriage.
Quote 4
NORA: "Surely you can understand that being with Torvald is a little like being with papa." (2.217)
Is Nora's marriage just a continuation of her childhood? Has she actually progressed into adulthood at all?
Quote 5
NORA: "Tell me, is it really true that you did not love your husband? Why did you marry him?"
MRS. LINDE: "My mother was alive then, and was bedridden and helpless, and I had to provide for my two younger brothers; so I did not think I was justified in refusing his offer." (1.136-1.137)
Offering herself in marriage was one of the few ways a woman had of supporting her family.
Quote 6
NORA: "Surely you can understand that being with Torvald is a little like being with papa." (2.217)
It seems that for most of Nora's life she's been under the thumb of a man.
Quote 7
NORA: "What do you consider my most sacred duties?"
HELMER: "[…] your duties to your husband and your children."
NORA: "I have other duties just as sacred. […] Duties to myself." (3.310-3.314)
This idea was completely scandalous in Ibsen's time. The thought that a woman might have value other than being a homemaker and mother was outrageous.
Quote 8
NORA: "How painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything!" (1.197)
By rescuing her husband, Nora has emasculated him, at least by the standards of the society they live in.
Quote 9
NORA: "Many a time I was at my wits' end […] I used to sit here and imagine that a rich old gentleman had fallen in love with me […] that he had died; and that when his will was opened it contained […] the instruction: "The lovely Mrs. Nora Helmer is to have all I possess paid over to her at once in cash." (1.205-1.207)
Even in Nora's dreams, it's a man who saves her.
Quote 10
NORA: "Christine is […] is frightfully anxious to work under some clever man, so as to perfect herself." (1.282)
Nora cleverly manipulates Torvald by taking advantage of his stereotypical views of man/woman relations.
Quote 11
NORA: "Certainly Torvald does understand how to make a house dainty and attractive."
MRS. LINDE: "And so do you, it seems to me." (2.34-2.35)
So great is Torvald's domination that Nora gives him credit for even the stereotypically feminine role of homemaking.
Quote 12
NORA: "You never can tell what mischief these men may contrive. We ought to be so well off, so snug and happy here in our peaceful home." (2.110)
It's interesting that their supposedly perfect home is threatened by nothing more than the truth.
Quote 13
NORA: "Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife." (3.286)
Here it is: the central metaphor for the whole play. Nora is just Torvald's toy in a toy house.
Quote 14
NORA: "A barrister's profession is such an uncertain thing, especially if he won't undertake unsavoury cases; and naturally Torvald has never been willing to do that." (1.114)
Does Torvald's dedication to obeying the law stem from personal integrity or a fear of what other people might think?
Quote 15
NORA: "Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do what she wants." (2.92)
Does Nora respect herself when she resorts to these kinds of tactics?
Quote 16
NORA: "Yes—yes, of course. Just recall to your mind what these malicious creatures wrote in the papers about papa, and how horribly they slandered him." (2.108)
It seems Nora's family has a history of scandal.
Quote 17
NORA: "Nonsense! Trying to frighten me like that!—I am not so silly as he thinks. […] And yet—? No, it's impossible! I did it for love's sake." (1.413)
Nora is under the impression that love supersedes the law.
Quote 18
NORA: "You know how devotedly, how inexpressibly deeply Torvald loves me; he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for me." (2.189)
When Torvald fails to do this at the end of the play, it proves to her that he just doesn't love her as she thinks he should.
Quote 19
NORA: "Yes, a wonderful thing!—But it is so terrible, Christine; it mustn't happen, not for all the world." (2.322)
Nora thinks the wonderful thing will be when Torvald sacrifices himself for her, proving his love. She's also terrified of this because it will destroy him. In the end, Torvald just doesn't love her enough to sacrifice himself.
Quote 20
NORA: "It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger." (1.193)
It's interesting that all Nora's lies to Torvald stem from an act of love.