Title: What is the main conflict in the play A Doll's House?  - eNotes.com
Headings: What is the main conflict in the play A
Doll's House
?

A Doll's House
What is the main conflict in the play A Doll's House ?
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Content: He expects her to keep an attractive and tidy home, to raise their children well, to maintain her own neat and alluring appearance, and to respect and obey him in all things. These would not be considered unreasonable demands during this period nor would they be unique to the Helmers' marriage. Therefore, when Nora comes into conflict with Torvald as a result of these expectations, she is conflicting with societal norms rather than the man as an individual. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
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Most of the conflict in Ibsen's A Doll's House is a result of the clash between the superficial appearance of the characters' lives and the deeper reality that they all must live with. Nora lives a double life in many ways - she appears to Torvald to be a silly woman who only worries about what Christmas presents to buy the children and what to wear to the costume party. But, in reality, she is dealing with the repercussions of her forgery while working in secret to pay off her debt to Krogstad. This conflict comes to a head when Nora realizes that Torvald does not love her more than he values his own personal honor. She realizes that the love she thought he had for her was a facade and that she was just another of his possessions. While she was willing to sacrifice her honor out of love for him, he was not willing to return the sacrifice. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
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