A Doll's House (Movie)

After watching some of Shakespeare's plays, I realize maybe I am doing myself a great disservice by trying to ignore Western cultural products. Last night I watched Love's Labour's Lost and I honestly found it challenging because of old puns and Latin stuff thrown in. I didn't know the Bard is such a wordsmith and I finally understand why his works are listed in the canon. I usually ignore famous works because people already pay them too much attention and so I focus on discovering stuff which for me are treasures known only to a few. One of my biggest projects this year is trying out new restaurants every other week after a very nice solo lunch at Fat Russel on V-Day, which I have yet to write about as I try to capture as much as I can on what happens or what occupies or preoccupies me during this lockdown.

Torvald Helmer: What do I call those little birds who squander all their money away?

Nora Helmer: Spend-swifts.

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Dr. Rank: I don't understand why people like that so often end up in a good position, while so  many honest and healthy men are just left out in the cold.

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Nils Krogstad: The law is not interested in motives.

Nora Helmer: Then the law is useless.

 (This echoes my belief that law, since it is man-made, may not be always moral. Believe me, just as when I was planning for my future as my highschool days are drawing to a close, I have considered studying law after getting a degree in Philosophy, but eventually changed my mind and put EL as my first choice instead. The reason is connected to my goal of traveling the world and getting to know cultures and listening to people's stories. Q and I usually talk about languages as he admires me for being a multilingual. I tell him I used to think that it's normal for people to quickly learn languages but eventually discovered that it's not easy for most people, as a very close highschool friend pointed out to me that I have a gift for languages. Nowadays, I ponder about what if I took up law instead of archaeology right after college? Oh, but I didn't have the financial capability then...)
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Nora: I have to stand on my own two feet if I'm ever to know myself and the things that are gong on around me. That's why I can't stay in your house any longer.

Torvald: (...) I forbid you to.

Nora: (...)

Torvald: You can't abandon your home, your husband, and your children. Have you thought what people will say?

Nora: I can't worry about that. All I know is it's something I have to do.

Torvald: It's outrageous. It's going back on your most sacred duties.

Nora: And what, in your opinion, are my most sacred duties?

Torvald: (...) I mean your duties to your husband and your children.

Nora: I have other duties which are just as sacred. (...) My duties to myself.

Torvald: Before anything else, you are a mother and a wife.

Nora: I don't believe that anymore. I believe that before anything else, I am a human being, just as much of one as you are. (...) What most people say and what's in the books just doesn't satisfy me anymore. I want to find things out for myself and make my own decisions.

Torvald: You don't seem to understand your position in your own house. There's an infallible guide in this sort of situation. It's your religion, what about that? (...) If you refuse to be guided by your religion, at least let me appeal to your conscience. I suppose you have some sort of a moral code, or perhaps you don't.

Nora: I don't know (...) The only thing I do know is tat my opinions about these things are quite different from yours. (...) I don't know which one of us is right, society or me.

(...)

Torvald: No man would sacrifice his honor even for love.

Nora: Millions of women have.

(This is the very heart of the story and I am happy that Nora finally comes to her senses after being hit by her husband after the latter learned of the debt made by Nora to fund her husband's health expenses. The husband is an asshole who is more concerned of appearances than having a loving relationship with his wife.)