Tarantella
Tarantella, or “the dance of the spider,” is an Italian folk dance that originated in Taranto, Italy. Like many folk dances, it has a vibrant history of celebration, emotional expression, and was even used to treat diseases. Tarantella originated in the 15th century from tarantism, or a hysterical condition transferred by a tarantula’s bite in which victims would produce frenzied and convulsive behavior. History reveals that these “victims” were lower socioeconomic class women who were treated by dancing to fast-paced rhythmical musical for hours or days on end until they reached utter exhaustion, in which they were “cured.”
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In a desperate attempt to distract Torvald from reading Krogstad’s letter exposing her crime, Nora begs Torvald to sit down and play the piano for her as she practices the tarantella. Ibsen crafts this moment so that Nora is not just light-heartedly rehearsing the traditional folk dance, but is actively engaging with the ancient roots of the tarantella. As Helmer takes his place to “criticize” and “correct” Nora’s performance at the piano, she “dances more and more wildly…she does not seem to hear him; her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders; [and] she pays no attention to it, but goes on dancing” (46). Ibsen clearly paints the picture of Nora as the spider-bitten victim who is exhaustedly performing the tarantella to “cure” her disease. Torvald declares, “My dear darling Nora, you are dancing as if your life depended on it,” and Nora responds, “So it does” (46). Throughout this dance, Ibsen captures the complex tragedy of a woman in a bourgeois marriage in mid-19th century Norway.
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This pivotal performance reflects Nora’s ultimate breakthrough from Torvald’s oppressive direction over her life, as he states, “You have forgotten everything I have taught you.” The identity Nora clings to and wrestles with during the tarantella scene directly precedes her final moments with Torvald as she speaks her mind over the false livelihood that her marriage and life has consisted of.