Mrs. Lind: Good Samaritan, or Spiteful Witch with bad spelling?

We debated in class a little while ago about the nature of Mrs. Linde's so-called "help" to Nora. Basically one side believes that Mrs. Linde is just a friend who wants what is best for her old friend, while the other believes she is a jealous and spiteful witch who doesn't want anyone to enjoy the kind of happiness that she was never given: a happy family.

Actually, I've really got nothing more to say. But I guess I have to (darn it).

The title of the play, "A Doll's House," comes from the idea that Nora is living a sheltered and make believe life, in which her ideal happy family is merely an illusion. Mrs. Linde even suggests that Nora has never known hardship, nor ever had to depend on herself. When Nora reveals to Mrs. Linde the actions she has taken, Mrs. Linde realizes what Nora has not: that she is living a doll's existence. Seeing this, she attempts to become the hand that removes Nora from the doll house and put her into the real world (Gary Gold's metaphor). She merely wants what's best for her old friend, and any hardships that Nora experiences will be outshone by her newfound independence and freedom.

This is one side of the coin.

The other holds that Mrs. Linde does not hold Nora's best interests at heart. She sees Nora's happiness and great homelife, and is overcome with jealousy. She cannot stand to see anyone have the happiness that was so denied to her. She feels that she must ruin it. She exploits Nora's secret and uses it to drive a wedge in between Nora and Torvald, creating a rift that cannot be crossed. She tricks Nora into believing that her life is really a lie, and that she must go out on her own. On her own into the cruel and ruthless life which was forced upon Mrs. Linde.

I have a few problems with this latter argument.

The first is that I have a hard time believing that Mrs. Linde is capable of convincing Nora--or anyone for that matter--that she is unhappy when she is actually happy. The seed of doubt was already in Nora's mind. Mrs. Linde just helped it to grow. Nora's been trying to make herself believe that Torvald would sacrifice himself in the name of love because she knows it isn't true. (I also have something a problem with this. What Torvald chose to do was the logical thing to do which had the fewest repercussions for everybody, preventing a massive upheaval of the family's life. Just like a woman to have unrealistic expectations of men =) [don't really believe that last part])

The second problem I have is that I can't read any malicious intent in Mrs. Linde's actions. For the whole play, she has been supportive of Nora, offering to talk to Krogstad to see if things can't be resolved. It is at this point that she realizes that this might be for the best. I also don't believe she planned for Nora to leave Torvald. She just wanted things to be out in the open so they could have a genuine relationship. The fact that Nora did leave him was an unforeseeable consequence. (544)

On a separate note, I've been thinking about posting some stories I've written as blog entries, but the can be sort of violent and coarse in nature (nothing sexual, I haven't deviated THAT far into the realm of inappropriate). Just wondering how you would feel about that.

Thanks. (592)

Annihilation

This is done in complete iambic pentameter. Look it up on iTunes to be sure of this if you like.

A Perfect Circle- "Annihilation"

From dehumanization to arms production,
For the benefit of the nation or its destruction
Power, power, the law of the land,
Those living for death will die by their own hand,
Life's no ordeal if you come to terms,
Reject the system dictating the norms
From dehumanization to arms production,
To hasten the nation towards its destruction
Power, power, the law of the land,
Those living for death will die by their own hand,
Life's no ordeal if you come to terms,
Reject the system dictating the norms
From dehumanization to arms production,
To hasten this nation towards its destruction,
It's your choice, your choice, your choice, your choice,
Peace or annihilation