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A Doll House And Machinal Analysis

Decent Essays

While A Doll House and Machinal arose from very different time periods and theatrical movements, they both tell similar stories and touch upon similar social issues. The common theme between them is the idea of freedom of the individual (specifically women) from society.
In A Doll House, Nora finds herself subordinate to her husband as well as the rules of society. Torvald forbids her from the consumption of macarons, bestows on her an allowance as if she were a child, persuades her to do as he wishes, dance like this, not like that, and she like a “good little lark” obeys his most every will. Her act of courage and independence, illegally taking out a loan to save his life, is seen as wrong in the eyes of society, while she sees it as necessary and forgivable; it is what a good wife should do for her husband.
Similarly, In Machinal, Young Woman finds herself trapped in a society by and for men. She marries her boss, whom she finds revolting, not out of love but for the protection of her financial and occupational stability, which is expected of society (as evidenced by her coworkers deciding that it is the right choice for her and she would be a fool not to take it). She becomes a mother not because she wants to, but because it is what her husband (a stand-in for society), and therefore society, expect. Men are judge, jury and executioner, and during the court her narrative is stolen and distorted by the male journalists. The only time she makes a decision for herself is

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