When reading literature some people prefer to read drama. Drama in literature allows the reader to connect and be a part of something by using emotion, which is why drama is intriguing. Henrick Isben draws the reader in during his play, “A Doll House” by the use of his belittle female and respected male characters. The play reveals the struggle of a woman facing the expectations of a male’s assumptions of how women were in the 1800’s. Some might argue that Isben is a feminist by way he portrays his feminine characters throughout his plays, and others may argue that Isben was not interested in women’s freedom at all. Throughout “A Doll House” Isben not only favors feminism, but also discusses the topic of masculinity by gender roles of both …show more content…
The female characters in Isben’s play all represent women who want to go out and experience religion and law, which back in the 1800’s women did not do. When reading this play, we soon find out that the nurse who takes care of Nora and her children had to “give up her own daughter in order to raise Nora,” (Stetz 2) which is significant being that back in the 1800’s it was common for the women to leave their families behind in order to find any work possible because women were considered at the low end of the totem pole. Women were not able to express their feelings and could not stick up for themselves being that they were confined to the role of a housewife and nothing …show more content…
When reading one of Isben’s plays a reader may not look into the meaning of the male characters because Isben writes primarily on women. In the play, Torvald is considered a high ranking individual in the workforce. However, when talking to someone such as, Krogstad, who is not equally ranked as him, the reader sees that he has no respect with anyone who is lower than him and that “Krogstad’s presence is unacceptable because it compromises his new status as manager” (Lee 6). Nora begs her husband to forgive Krogstad but “Torvald insists that the world of private attachments must remain separate from business dealings” (Lee 6). In the Victorian era men who were classified as higher up in the workforce would only talk with those who shared the same title as them. Also, this demonstrates that men in the 1800’s cared more about their career than their personal relationships outside of work. In the end of the play Nora wishes for her husband to save her as she saved him, but Torvald becomes selfish and “incapable of taking the blame for what she has done” (McFarlane 16). This suggests that Torvald, just like the men in the Victorian era, only care about his reputation rather than the wife’s. However, men just like women were not able to express themselves during this time period, which may clear up the fact that men acted the way they did, being that they were
In “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell and “A Dollhouse” by Henrik Ibsen, the authors use symbolism to shed light on the way woman were once looked down upon by men. In both plays the woman face similar derisive attitudes from the men in their lives. Women are treated as property, looked down upon and only useful in matters pertaining to cooking, taking care of children, housework and sexual objects. The women’s marriages, socioeconomic and social status are completely different, but both women reach their emotional breaking point, and grow so discontent with their situations they are willing to take drastic actions.
The suppressed position of women was blatantly highlighted in Henrik Isbens play titled "A Doll's House" The dehumanization weathered by Nora, the dependence she felt, along with lack of adequate experience and education all played a part in Isbens story as if it were exact representations of society just beyond the doll house walls. As the reality of Nora's predicament was raised to the surface her inability to manage herself is seemingly what leads her down the path to her own independence. It is through the disillusionment that Nora undeniably felt towards her husband Torvald and the world that she finally comprehends her unmitigated state of repression.
Women in most cultures have been designated as second to men and in some instances, considered below male children as well. With the passage of time women gained respect and the right for equality. Although gender discrimination remains, a lot of progress has been achieved. Literature is a one of the facets of the human race that reflects the culture change of people. William Shakespeare’s King Lear portrays the patriarchal system of the Renaissance era, which leaves women completely dependent on the male head of household. In Henrik Ibsen’s Doll House, set in the modern era, there is still a patriarchal system but women have just a little more freedom. The article, The Doll House Backlash: Criticism, Feminism, and Ibsen by Joan Templeton, analyzes the gender subordination in A Doll House. Comparing and contrasting the themes of the two plays followed by consideration of the article’s research on the theme in A Doll House, assists in developing an understanding of the gradual progression of women’s freedom to be their “true selves” through equality with men. The “true self” is a person's character that is masked by a false portrayal designed to appeal to others.
Ibsen, Henrik. "A Doll House" The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Kelly J. Mays. Eleventh ed. New York: Norton & Company, 2013. 1447-96. Print.
Ibsen reveals many things about the bourgeoisie roles of men and women of society through the play A Doll’s House. These ideals are crucial to ones overall social status. The reader can see the characters and their roles in a figurative and literal dollhouse from the title to the end of the story. The main character Nora is the focus of performing these gender roles as she takes on the role of a doll and eventually seeks self-realization and a striving purpose. She leaves behind her family to fulfill an independent journey. Ibsen helps to point out the flaws of society’s stereotypical gender roles and gives new possibilities to men and women.
Women have been given by society certain set of duties, which although change through time, tend to stay relatively along the same lines of stereotypical women activities. In “A Doll House” and “Simply Maria” we see the perpetuation of these forms of behavior as an initial way of life for the two protagonists. Nonetheless; we see a progression towards liberation and self discovery towards the development as a human being by breaking the rules of society. Such attitudes soon find opposing forces. those forces will put to the test the tenacity of these women; and yield freedom and ownership for their lives which are owned by others at the start of their stories.
Over the centuries, writers have used literature to show the societal status and the mind sets of the people in their era. ‘Antigone’, a Greek tragedy, and ‘A Doll’s House’, a highly controversial drama, inhibit the same thematic approach, depicting the oppression and submissiveness of women in male-dominated society and how they overcome their obstacles with firm will, inspiring millions of audiences from then till now. By Antigone’s character, Sophocles portrays a figure through whom he can express his faith in feminism in the 4th century. Likewise, Ibsen’s concerns about the position of women during the 19th century are beautifully breathed to life in ‘A Doll’s House’ through Nora’s transformation from a doll-like puppet to a human. Both of the writ...
Those of you who have just read A Doll's House for the first time will, I suspect, have little trouble forming an initial sense of what it is about, and, if past experience is any guide, many of you will quickly reach a consensus that the major thrust of this play has something to do with gender relations in modern society and offers us, in the actions of the heroine, a vision of the need for a new-found freedom for women (or a woman) amid a suffocating society governed wholly by unsympathetic and insensitive men.
The enforcement of specific gender roles by societal standards in 19th century married life proved to be suffocating. Women were objects to perform those duties for which their gender was thought to have been created: to remain complacent, readily accept any chore and complete it “gracefully” (Ibsen 213). Contrarily, men were the absolute monarchs over their respective homes and all that dwelled within. In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, Nora is subjected to moral degradation through her familial role, the consistent patronization of her husband and her own assumed subordinance. Ibsen belittles the role of the housewife through means of stage direction, diminutive pet names and through Nora’s interaction with her morally ultimate husband, Torvald. Nora parades the façade of being naïve and frivolous, deteriorating her character from being a seemingly ignorant child-wife to a desperate woman in order to preserve her illusion of the security of home and ironically her own sanity. A Doll’s House ‘s depiction of the entrapment of the average 19th century housewife and the societal pressures placed upon her displays a woman’s gradual descent into madness. Ibsen illustrates this descent through Torvald’s progressive infantilization of Nora and the pressure on Nora to adhere to societal norms. Nora is a woman pressured by 19th century societal standards and their oppressive nature result in the gradual degradation of her character that destroys all semblances of family and identity.Nora’s role in her family is initially portrayed as being background, often “laughing quietly and happily to herself” (Ibsen 148) because of her isolation in not only space, but also person. Ibsen’s character rarely ventures from the main set of the drawi...
Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House is an astonishing, yet accurate portrayal of how women were treated in the 1800s. It is essentially a force runner to women's rights and sets a path for many more feminist works to come. The novel fiercely challenges the modern idea that all women, by virtue of being women, are inclined towards feminist political interests. The roles of women have been a big part of literature and are usually a representation of how the roles of women in real life have evolved and continue to evolve. A Doll's House is an essential part of IBO specifically for the fact that it shows historical realism in the Victorian Era, and continues to challenge the unrealistic expectations of women in marriage.
In its historical context A Doll’s House was a radical play which forced its audience to question the gender roles which are constructed by society and make them think about how their own lives are a performance for Victorian society.
Those of you who have just read A Doll's House for the first time will, I suspect, have little trouble forming an initial sense of what it is about, and, if past experience is any guide, many of you will quickly reach a consensus that the major thrust of this play has something to do with gender relations in modern society and offers us, in the actions of the heroine, a vision of the need for a new-found freedom for women (or a woman) amid a suffocating society governed wholly by unsympathetic and insensitive men.
“A Doll’s House” gives the reader a firsthand view at how gender roles affected the characters actions and interactions throughout the play. The play helps to portray the different struggles women faced during the 19th century with gender roles, and how the roles affected their relationships with men as well as society. It also helps to show the luxury of being a male during this time and how their higher status socially over women affected their relationships with woman and others during this time period.
The nineteenth century was truly a different time for women and what their assumed roles in life would be. Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House” is an examination into those assumed roles and a challenge to them. It was a time of obedience and inequality and in the first act each character is shown to portray these qualities. However, the characters in this play have multiple layers that get peeled back as the story progresses. As each new layer is revealed the audience is shown that even with the nineteenth century ideals, the true nature of each character is not quite what they appeared to be initially.
The role of women has changed significantly throughout history, driven by women who took risks in setting examples for others to follow. Henrik Isben, author of A Doll's House, said “ A woman cannot be herself in society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view” (Innes 147). This proves that Isben was aware of male dominance in society during that time period. In his drama, “A Doll's House,” it deals with gender favoritism and male dominance.