RationaleThis written task relates to Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, one of the texts we read in Part III – Literature; texts and contexts.
This written task is a diary of Nils Krogstad, the antagonist in Henrik Ibsen’s play. In my task, my purpose was to show that Nils Krogstad is wrongly seen as the bad guy in the play and that a good marriage is the result of the joining of two people who realize that all people are equal and share the same experiences in life. Nils Krogstad is someone who is trying his best to restore his respect and reputation, but the biggest obstacle that blocks his path to restore is the society in which he lives. Two recurrent themes in Ibsen’s play are respect, reputation, and marriage. These themes are addressed in the diary entries.I chose to write a diary because this would give me the opportunity to make a written task that is more personal to Nils Krogstad. One writes things down in a diary which are located deep in someone’s heart. Therefore, the things written in a diary are mostly sincere and subjective.
It was possible for me to tell the story of the play in Nils Krogstad’s point of view and describe his thoughts on the events that happened throughout the play by using a diary as the text typeThe audience of these diary entries would be Nils Krogstad. This is because he would have kept his diary all to himself. These diary entries take place in the 1960s, as that is when the play took place. This written task has four diary entries.
Each diary entry is on a different event that happens throughout the play. Nils Krogstad’s style of language is mimicked by the use of his quotations.Word Count: 298Thursday, 22th of December 1963Dear Diary,I have just heard some really good news.
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Mr. Torvald Helmer is going to be my colleague, more precisely he is going to be the new manager of the Joint Stock Bank. I have a minor post at the Joint Stock Back, so maybe I can talk with Mr.
Torvald Helmer about giving me a better position in the business. More public respectability and a higher position on the ladder will help me bring up my growing sons. After I have taken a shower and dressed up nicely, I will visit Mr. Torvald Helmer and start a conversation about the matter. Hopefully, he agrees to give me with a better job at the bank. Saturday, Christmas Eve, 1963The Christmas tree is still not decorated. I will buy some decorations later in the day. Now I am going to drink some coffee at the pub.
I still have not received a letter from Mr. Torvald Helmer. Honestly, the conversation did not go in the direction I wanted.
Maybe I need to be more patient because patience is a virtue. Also, I do not understand why Kristine came to this town. I have not seen her in years. She probably came here to visit Mrs. Helmer.
Nevertheless, I feel like there is one caveat.This cannot be true! Why was Mr. Torvald Helmer walking down the street with Kristine? Is she offered a job at the Joint Stock Bank by Mr. Torvald Helmer? This might be an acknowledgment of the rumors that Mr. Torvald Helmer is intended to get rid of me.
I cannot lose my subordinate position at the bank. Mrs. Helmer needs to use her influence on my behalf to ensure that I do not lose my job.
If necessary I shall fight for my little job in the Joint Stock Bank as if I were fighting for my life.¹I just paid Mrs. Helmer a visit. Before I visited her, I thoroughly analyzed the IOU which was signed by Mrs. Helmer.
A clause at the bottom of the IOU, which said that her father would act as a loan guarantor, was signed by her father in October the second. The unusual feature is that her father died on September the twenty-ninth. So, I confronted her with the unusual feature of this case.
Mrs. Helmer admitted that the signature was not genuine and that she signed the contract. The poor woman has committed the same crime as I. The forgery of signatures totally destroyed my place in society.
She told me that I will get the 4,800 kroner I borrowed her soon enough. She does not understand that I am not in for the money. I just want to restore my status and respect. So, I advised Mrs. Helmer to make sure that I keep my job at the bank because she is responsible for the loss of my job. I am just forced to use Mrs. Helmer’s guilt in committing the exact same crime as me to help de-marginalize me. If this society could be more supportive and unforgiving I would not put this woman in the most unpleasant situation that someone can come up with.
I have written enough for today, so I would better go to bed.Monday, 25th of December, 1963No! No! No! I just received a letter from Mr. Torvald Helmer saying that I have lost my job.
Perhaps I must ask Mrs. Helmer for an explanation for my dismissal and change the terms of the blackmail.I have been thinking about Mrs. Helmer the whole day. Even debt collectors and hack journalists and people like me still have some traces of feelings.
2 She asked me to show compassion for the sake of her children. Her husband and she never thought of mine, so why would I? Also, I exactly know which plan she had come up with. I thought about the same plan when I had forged signatures, but I never had the courage to carry out my plan.
I am quite certain that she has not got the courage either. I told her that I want to return and get on. I cannot resist anymore to live in the most abject poverty. Therefore, I want to fight for a real prize. In less than a year it will be Nils Krogstad, not Torvald Helmer, who will be running the Joint Stock Bank.3 Actually, I do not want to do these things, but I am forced to.
It is he who is forcing me off the straight and narrow again, her husband. That is something I will never forgive him for!4 I am also forced by the iniquity of being subordinated in this unforgiving and non supporting society, which has always stood in my way to restore my status and respect. Eventually, Mrs.
Helmer told me that she has the courage now. Still, I am pretty sure that she would never do something like that. Tuesday, 26th of December 1963Something fantastic just happened. I met Christine in the Helmer’s living room. She proposed that we resumed our old relationship. Therefore, she started to explain why she left me for a wealthier man. Mrs. Linde had to leave me because she had no choice.
Her two young brothers and her mother needed to be taken care of by Mrs. Linde. She would not have left me if the prospects did not seem shaky at that time. I think that a good marriage is a joining of equals. This applies to me and her. When I lost her, it was just as if the ground had slipped under my feet.
5 This resulted in me feeling like a drowning man. Mrs. Linde has nothing to look back on and no one to look after. Therefore, she feels like a drowning woman. A drowning woman and drowning man have a better chance to be rescued if they hold hands.
Word Count: 997 Sources: A Doll’s House
