Misguided Messages in The Awakening and A Doll's House
Just because a novel is considered a classic doesn't mean the
Messages it conveys to its readers are correct. Even though both The
Awakening by Kate Chopin and A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen are great
literary works, some of the ideas embodied in them aren't appropriate.
Both works suggest that it is common for husbands to be condescending to
their wives; that if a person has enough money, they can have someone else
raise their children for them; and that if a marriage gets hard, the couple
should just give up on each other.
Taking the stories for their literary qualities alone, they are
both quite good. Both novels are very well written. Chopin and Ibsen
developed their characters well, used excellent imagery, and told
interesting stories. Both shared their strong convictions even though they
knew their ideas weren't popular. The strong beliefs that are shared in
these stories are part of what makes them classics.
However, some of the ideas that are portrayed in these works aren't
ideas readers should assume to be true or good. The first of these is the
theory that husbands will most likely treat their wives as inferiors after
they are married. In A Doll's House, Torvald is blatantly condescending to
Nora. He calls her his ³little squirrel² or ³little skylark² and requires
her to ³do tricks² to please him. In addition, he treats her like a child,
a ³feather head² who can't understand anything important. In The Awakening,
Leonce is more subtle in his mistreatment of his wife. He tries to control
Edna by pushing his point until she does what he wants. He also tries to
make her feel bad about herself. For example, he tells her she isn't a
good mother to their sons. Although this type of behavior is condemned in
both of these stories, just characterizing this behavior as normal sends a
bad message. If young men are repeatedly told that this is how adult males
act, they will inevitably feel that they should act this way when they are
married.
The second bad idea conveyed by these stories is that if a person
can afford to, they should have someone else raise their children for them.
In A Doll's House, Nora and Torvald have a nanny who takes care of their
children for them. This is the same nanny who Nora's parents had paid to
raise her. Also, in The Awakening, Leonce and Edna not only have a person
who takes care of their children for them; but, when Edna moves to the
Pigioen-House, they send the children away to live with their grandparents.
This attitude has become very prevalent in our society. People think it
is acceptable to send their children to a daycare center instead of raising
them themselves.
The third misconception in these works is that people should give
up on their marriages if they start having troubles with their spouses. In
A Doll's House, Nora and Torvald definitely have their problems. Torvald
isn't a good husband. Nora, however never confronts him about it or tells
him how she feels. Instead, she lets her feelings build up until she can't
take it anymore. Then, she leaves her husband and gives up on their
marriage and family. In The Awakening, Edna starts to feel fed up with her
marriage too. Again, though, she doesn't sit down and discuss it with
Leonce. Instead she not only leaves her husband and children, but sets an
even worse example by committing suicide. This attitude is another that
has become accepted today. Marriage no longer has the meaning it used to.
People today think that they should get divorced the first time they have
marital problems.
Finally, although both of these stories are well written classics
with some good morals and ideas in them, not all of the ideas in them are
positive or correct. Some of the ideas, such as husbands being
condescending to their wives, having other people raise your children, and
giving up on your problems, should not be accepted. It is our job as
readers to separate these bad ideas from the good ones and use the good
ones in our lives.Partner sites: Labrador Retriever, Study Spanish in Costa Rica, and Free Essays and Term Papers