--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Torvald: I would gladly work night and…" description: "\"“Torvald: I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora--bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he lov..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/henrik-ibsen-1419_honour_torvald-i-would-gladly-work-night-and-da_2747497.jpg" --- # Torvald: I would gladly work night and day for you… ![“Torvald: I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora--bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. Nora: But hundreds of thousands of women have done!” quote by Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/henrik-ibsen-1419_honour_torvald-i-would-gladly-work-night-and-da_2747497.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/henrik-ibsen-1419_honour_torvald-i-would-gladly-work-night-and-da_2747497.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b3/henrik-ibsen-1419_honour_torvald-i-would-gladly-work-night-and-da_2747497.jpg) > ““Torvald: I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora--bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. Nora: But hundreds of thousands of women have done!”” [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the tension between personal sacrifice for love and societal expectations of honor, especially for men. **In simple terms:** Men are expected to protect honor, not sacrifice it for love. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge gendered expectations. Themes gender roles honor sacrifice love Mood reflective critical empathetic Type literary dialogue philosophical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - gender equality workshops - literary analysis - theatre education Key Concepts feminist critique social norms Questions to Reflect On - How do cultural notions of honor affect relationships? - Can love justify breaking social codes? A Different Perspective The statement assumes honor is a male concern, overlooking women's agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) ## Related quotes > [“Helmer: But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. Nora: It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/helmer-but-no-man-would-sacrifice-his-honour-for-the-one-he-loves/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“But no man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves." "It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/but-no-man-would-sacrifice-his-honor-for-the-one-he-loves-it-is-a/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“Helmer: I would gladly work night and day for you. Nora- bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/helmer-i-would-gladly-work-night-and-day-for-you-nora-bear-sorrow-and/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“The purpose is so important that for it someone must sacrifice more than their life - they must sacrifice their honour and their good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-shel/the-purpose-is-so-important-that-for-it-someone-must-sacrifice-more/) [Viktor Shel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-shel/) > [It takes a courageous man to sacrifice his greatest delight to ensure that other people gain happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bokamoso-bruce-tlhwale/it-takes-a-courageous-man-to-sacrifice-his-greatest-delight-to-ensure/) Bokamoso Bruce Tlhwale > [“Can any man sacrifice is life for his fellow man?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/can-any-man-sacrifice-is-life-for-his-fellow-man/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [ “I know that \[civilized men\] do nothing but boast incessantly of the peace and repose they enjoy in their chains… But when I see… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-know-that-civilized-men-do-nothing-but-boast-incessantly-of-the/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Men speak of blind destiny, a thing without scheme or purpose. But what sort of destiny is that? Each act in this world from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/men-speak-of-blind-destiny-a-thing-without-scheme-or-purpose-but-what-2/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [The only principles of public conduct that are worthy of a gentleman or a man are to sacrifice estate, ease, health, and applause, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-otis/the-only-principles-of-public-conduct-that-are-worthy-of-a-gentleman/) [James Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-otis/) > [The Hebrew Talmod says: be very careful if you make a woman cry because God counts her tears. Every a woman shed is equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hebrew-talmod-says-be-very-careful-if-you-make-a-woman-cry/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If thinking is your fate, revere this fate with divine honour and sacrifice to it the best, the most beloved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/if-thinking-is-your-fate-revere-this-fate-with-divine-honour-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We artists give daily thanks for the miracle of our planet and for the inclination and the capability to honour it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/we-artists-give-daily-thanks-for-the-miracle-of-our-planet-and-for/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [“It seems to me, that you people spend a great deal of time talking about honour, but strip away the high sounding words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-seems-to-me-that-you-people-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-talking/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) ## More by Henrik Ibsen > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [What's to become of the morally sound? Left out in the cold, I suppose. We must heal the sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/what-s-to-become-of-the-morally-sound-left-out-in-the-cold-i-suppose/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“To be oneself on a basis of gold is no better than founding one’s house on the sand. For your watch, and your ring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/to-be-oneself-on-a-basis-of-gold-is-no-better-than-founding-one-s/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Look into any man's heart you please, and you will always find, in every one, at least one black spot which he has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/look-into-any-man-s-heart-you-please-and-you-will-always-find-in/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Different people have different duties assigned them by Nature; Nature has given one the power or the desire to do this, the other that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/different-people-have-different-duties-assigned-them-by-nature-nature/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [There is always a risk in being alive, and if you are more alive, there is more risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/there-is-always-a-risk-in-being-alive-and-if-you-are-more-alive-there/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [It is not for a care-free existence I am fighting, but for the possibility of devoting myself to the task which I believe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/it-is-not-for-a-care-free-existence-i-am-fighting-but-for-the/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“Nora: It's true Torvald. When I lived at home with Papa, he used to tell me his opinion about everything, and so I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/nora-it-s-true-torvald-when-i-lived-at-home-with-papa-he-used-to-tell/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Each bird must sing with his own throat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/each-bird-must-sing-with-his-own-throat/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [I propose to raise a revolution against the lie that the majority has the monopoly of the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/i-propose-to-raise-a-revolution-against-the-lie-that-the-majority-has/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [But I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/but-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-ghosts-it-is-not-only-what-we/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“A thousand words leave not the same deep impression as does a single deed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/a-thousand-words-leave-not-the-same-deep-impression-as-does-a-single/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/home-life-ceases-to-be-free-and-beautiful-as-soon-as-it-is-founded-on/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“You see, the fact is that the strongest man upon earth is he who stands most alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/you-see-the-fact-is-that-the-strongest-man-upon-earth-is-he-who/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) [Explore all 229 Henrik Ibsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) ## More Honour quotes > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“It seems to me, that you people spend a great deal of time talking about honour, but strip away the high sounding words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-seems-to-me-that-you-people-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-talking/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [We artists give daily thanks for the miracle of our planet and for the inclination and the capability to honour it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/we-artists-give-daily-thanks-for-the-miracle-of-our-planet-and-for/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [You have to be quite heavily invested in someone to do them the honour of telling them you're annoyed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/you-have-to-be-quite-heavily-invested-in-someone-to-do-them-the/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“I will stand by you – not for duty, not for pity, not for honour – but for love – trusting, protecting, comprehending love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-galton-wilson/i-will-stand-by-you-not-for-duty-not-for-pity-not-for-honour-but-for/) Edith Galton Wilson > [Of all graces, faith honours Christ the most; of all graces, Christ honours faith the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/of-all-graces-faith-honours-christ-the-most-of-all-graces-christ/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The practice of all ages and all countries (whether Christian or heathen, polite or barbarous) hath been ... to do honour to those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-atterbury/the-practice-of-all-ages-and-all-countries-whether-christian-or/) [Francis Atterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-atterbury/) > [“When God gives law to us, we must give honour to him; when he speaks, we must bow our heads and worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/when-god-gives-law-to-us-we-must-give-honour-to-him-when-he-speaks-we/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“Hero' is not an official status or designation, but if the world recognize you as a hero, it is the highest honor you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/hero-is-not-an-official-status-or-designation-but-if-the-world/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [It's an honour to play with the Italy jersey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciro-immobile/it-s-an-honour-to-play-with-the-italy-jersey/) [Ciro Immobile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciro-immobile/) > [I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-may-be-stupid-as-you-say-to-believe-in-honour-and-friendship-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Dear me! We Tooks and Brandybucks, we can't live long on the heights.' 'No,' said Merry. 'I can't. Not yet, at any rate. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-me-we-tooks-and-brandybucks-we-can-t-live-long-on-the-heights-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Browse all 1,096 Honour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Torvald: I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora--bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves. 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