Blog Post #4

In the play A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, one central theme that many of the characters have to deal with is the consequence of a morally reprehensible action. Through Krogstad’s difficulty in restoring his reputation after his crime, Nora’s inability to escape form her own crime, and Helmer’s constant condemnation of criminals, Ibsen is imparting that a morally reprehensible act will always come back to the person, take over his/her life and affect others him/her, therefore, one should not commit the crime in the first place. 

Krogstad’s once respected reputation came into ruins when he chose to commit the crime of forgery. He attempted to redeem himself and compensate for his past mistake; however, it can be seen that his morally reprehensible action completely stripped Krogstad of his control over his life. When confronting Nora about her crime of forgery he said, “Mrs. Helmer, obviously you haven’t the vaguest idea of what you’ve involved yourself in. But I can tell you this: it was nothing more and nothing worse that I once did –and it wrecked my whole reputation” (896-899). Through Krogstad’s situation, Ibsen is implying that one will never know the extent of punishment he/she has to endure for his/her crime, subtly hinting that one should not commit it in the first place.

Due to Nora’s naivety, she believed that she was able to fool Krogstad and get away with her crime. Throughout the play, it can be seen that she strives hard to bury her crime. However, the truth was inevitably revealed and she had to face the punishments for her mistake. Luckily, by chance, Krogstad decided not to reveal the truth to everyone like he said he would. Nonetheless, the truth eventually broke up her family. Nora’s futile effort to escape her morally reprehensible action shows that one’s wrongdoings will catch up eventually, further signifying that it should not be done.

Throughout the play, Helmer constantly denounces criminals. In a conversation with Nora, he even said, “I literally feel physically revolted when I’m anywhere near such a person” (1042-10430). He criticizes the way a criminal has to lie to people around them, even their loved ones. “Just imagine a man with that sort of guilt in him has to lie and cheat and deceive on all sides, has to wear a mask even with the nearest and dearest he has, even with his own wife and children. And with the children, Nora –that’s where it’s most horrible” (1019-1023). In this way, Ibsen is indirectly criticizing people who commit these sorts of morally reprehensible acts. He believes that a crime will not only affect someone socially, but mentally, as well. Therefore, someone who has done a bad deed should not raise kids because his/her corrupted mind might contaminate the pure minds of the kids'. 

In Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House, we can see that the consequence of a morally reprehensible action is essentially inescapable and it will eventually bring havoc upon the person and the people surrounding them. Through the character’s lack of control over their situation, such as that of Krogstad’s case, and their unsuccessful effort to escape their crime, such as that of Nora’s case, Ibsen is attempting to relay the message that one should not commit a morally reprehensible action for it will eventually get back to you and make you pay. Through the use of the character Helmer, Ibsen directly relayed his opinion on the matter, which was that a morally reprehensible action should not be done, for not only will it bring trouble, it will contaminate the minds of people around them. Many old plays such as this one contain many moral lessons, in this way, 21st century readers are still able to make use of old literatures and plays.