Essay on Henrik Isben's A Doll's House

Numerous individuals saw values of feminism within A Doll House, not only because of what the character, Nora, faced as a woman in society, but due to the social era of that time; woman felt they could relate to Nora’s struggles. The play was made during a time period in which women were not allowed to conduct business without the authority of a man, such as controlling money or divorce unless both partners agreed. Many saw that A Doll House presented evidence on Victorian society by displaying hypocrisy and its use of public opinion to suppress individuality, the

Often in literature characters are presented as victims of society. There are many examples of this in Henrik Ibsen’s controversial play, “A Doll’s House”. Written during the Victorian era, Ibsen’s play would have raised a lot controversy on the roles of males and females in society. The audience would have noticed the constant similarities between themselves and the characters that are presented as victims of society. A lot of the audience would have found the play shocking and disturbing.

When Torvald finds her hairpin stuck in the keyhole of the letter box, Nora tells him it must have been their children trying to get into it, not willing to admit that she had tried to break into his things. Although the truth about her is about to be discovered, Nora wants to preserve the last bits of dignity that she has left, finally worrying about herself before anyone else. This last lie however, leads up to her finally speaking the truth and expressing that she no longer feels that she loves Torvald. Her husband is furious at her, insulting her, and fails to see that every lie that she told was for his sake. Realizing that Torvald can’t see her side of things and will only find fault in what she did, she comes to her decision to leave her family. Nora states that she is not happy and never really was, her marriage to Torvald was as fakes as a doll house according to her. Rather than lie, she is completely honest now and states that she wants to become her own person and learn that which she doesn’t know despite what society might think.

In Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House, pointedly captures the reality of the Victorian Era within the play. Nora Helmer, the protagonist of the story, represents the typical women in society during that era. The audience’s first impression of Nora is a money obsessed, childish, obedient house wife to her husband, Torvald Helmer. However, as the play progresses one can see that Nora is far from being that typical ideal trophy wife, she is an impulsive liar who goes against society’s norm to be whom and what she wants. Her husband is illustrated as the stereotypical man during the 19th century, as he is the dominate breadwinner of the family, who too deserts his position as the play reaches its end. A key theme that is brought to light in A

Point of View - Since A Doll’s House is written in play form, all of the action is displayed in front of the audience with actors portraying the roles. We as readers only get to read the text of the play. However there is no particular scope to visualize any individual character perspective. Further more, the point of view is third person, limited.

In many literary works, there are characters in which portray both similarities and differences. In the Play "A Doll's House," by Henrik Ibsen, two of the characters have many oppositions and congruencies. These characters go by the names of Nora Helmer and Mrs. Linde. Ibsen characterizes these women by describing their comparable and contrasting personalities. He does this by describing their financial situations as well as their family lives. He describes these women, as opposites while in fact there are some distinct similarities. They share many of the same values and goals. Both Nora and Mrs. Linde are strong women with a weak exterior.

Ibsen utilizes the boundaries of the “inexpensively furnished” (147) room to create Nora’s symbolic cage displaying how she is physically unable to leave the confines of the room and the role in which every 19th century wife must play. In Act I, Nora plays her façade of the frivolous “funny little spendthrift” (150) in an effort to seem as defenseless as the woodland creatures Torvald finds so endearing and subsequently patronizing. Nora’s quarantine is enhanced as she is called a “squirrel…skylark, and little bird” (150) by Torvald, infantilizing her character and consequently solidifying her inability to escape the confines of her assumed womanly role. Nora readily assumes the position of a subordinate and feeble woman to protect the illusion she perceives as a complete home in addition to avoid “[being] completely alone” (154). This absolute isolation in adherence to the role in which she has been nurtured to conform to is slowly deteriorating her character, which is displayed in the increased sporadic nature of “poor little Nora’s” (152) actions and her lack of ability to focus as the play progresses. Nora’s childlike behaviors steadily become more obvious as her fixated birdcage becomes increasingly suffocating, the discomfort with her current isolation grows and as her mask of perfection slowly disintegrates.

What comes to mind when the word morals is said? Whose morals should be followed, individual or group? In A Doll House, Ibsen portrays the protagonist, Nora, to follow the morals of her husband, Torvald. Four key aspects that help Nora decide to change her mind and make a decision to leave Torvald. These include the constant change of nicknames, the questioning of her own independence, the questioning of Torvald's love, and the realization that Torvald loves his reputation more then herself. As a result, Nora sets out to find her own individuality and moral beliefs.

The character of Nora goes through the dramatic transformation of a kind and loving housewife, to a desperate and bewildered woman, whom will ultimately leave her husband and everything she has known. Ibsen uses both the characters of Torvald and Nora to represent the tones and beliefs of 19th century society. By doing this, Ibsen effectively creates a dramatic argument that continues to this day; that of feminism.

    A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, was written during a time when the role of woman was that of comforter, helper, and supporter of man. The play generated great controversy due to the fact that it featured a female protagonist seeking individuality.   A Doll's House was one of the first plays to introduce woman as having her own purposes and goals. The heroine, Nora Helmer, progresses during the course of the play eventually to realize that she must discontinue the role of a doll and seek out her individuality. David Thomas describes the initial image of Nora as "that of a doll wife who revels in the thought of luxuries that can now be afforded, who is become with flirtation, and engages

2. How does the imagery in the play aid the audience to appreciate the themes, the dramatic question(s), of the play?

A Doll’s House covers themes that reoccur in everyday life. Illusion sets the pace in the play as well in our everyday lives. A Doll’s House is a story of Nora, a mother who like a doll or puppet, has been controlled by a master, her father and husband. As the play moves along, it becomes clear that Nora went disobeyed the law and the ideals of her current master her husband to save his life. Once he knows, he is utterly terrified. He never sees it as an act of love until the fear is waivered. That is the last hope of Nora, his second reaction should have been his first, to be a man and support her and their family. Having her final hope diminished, Nora rises to be the one to change her life, leaving her husband and children. This occurrence during it’s time is also somewhat frowned upon in today’s society.

A Doll’s House written by Henrik Ibsen is a play which invokes different feelings on the reader. The play was written in 1879, a time in which women had a submissive role to her husband. The idea of a woman speaking out or even contradicting her husband was unheard of, and Ibsen did a magnificent job of not only portraying the message, but also empowering women to stand up for themselves. The plot of the story centers around a husband named Torvald, and his wife named Nora. As the story progresses, Nora reveals to her friend that she made a decision without her husband’s knowledge and now is making all efforts to make it right. Given the time in which the paly was written and the roles both genders had, A Doll’s House is perceived as a controversial and though provoking play by the use of dialogue, setting, theme, and characters.

A Doll’s House is a play by Henrik Ibsen about the liberation of the protagonist, Nora, from a toxic and oppressive relationship in the Victorian Era. Based on a real friend of Ibsen, Nora portrays a seemingly childish and bubbly persona, caged by noble sacrifices and a web of innocent lies. Manipulative and careful, she works furtively to solve all of her problems independently. This contrasts the view her husband has of her as his little doll. He suppresses her freedom of speech, thought, and even the freedom to eat what she pleases. While readers may get the impression that Nora is immature, she is slowly but surely revealed as an independent and responsible woman.

In the play “A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen the story focuses on the gender differences between a man and woman. One way Ibsen display feminism in A Doll House is through the relationship of the two main characters Torvald and his wife Nora. Nora and Torvald to have the perfect life, however behind closed doors it isn’t as it seems. The play begins with a happily married couple and ends with a woman wanting to be her own human being. Nora has been treated like child throughout the play by Torvald, she finally decides she has other duties such as herself that are just as important as everyone else. Through the play Ibsen provides the readers with insight how society views women. During this particular generation men were much higher ranking in society than women, women were not viewed as individuals but as shadows of their men. Ibsen provides many examples throughout the play how women were treated less than men.