Breaking Away From Society: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

1243 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: A Feminist Analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

Modern interpretations of “A Doll’s House” and “Trifles” portray that these dramas are solely works of feminism, when in fact they address a more important issue of the time: marriage ideals. During this time, marriages were nothing but a masquerade. Husbands and wives hid behind their commitment, and were overly focused on the appearances and opinions of society. Society played a key role in the formation of the attitudes and opinions of marriage in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen was written in 1879 and focuses on the problems within the traditional marriage of the time. “Trifles” was written several years later in 1916 by Susan Glaspell and was also a story that brought the issues with marriage ideals to the forefront. Both of these plays were meant to convince people to start questioning society and to bring forth issues that were being ignored.
“A Doll’s House” was written by Ibsen not only to bring attention to the suppression of women, but to bring attention to the other problematic aspects of marriage in the late 1800’s. Since the play was first performed in 1879 in Copenhagen, there was debate about the way that Ibsen portrayed the nature of the Helmer’s marriage (McFarland-Wilson, Knapp 140). Throughout the entire Western World in the 20th Century, the position of not only women, but the nature of marriage was up in the air. Ibsen was not a feminist; he was a realist, who loved to point out the injustices in society (Kashdan). Ibsen’s character clearly explains why he chose to center his writing on the overall picture of marriage, not just the neglect and unfair treatment that the women received.
Throughout “A Doll’s House”, we the readers get a glimpse into the reality of Torvald and Nora’...

... middle of paper ...

...1650. Print.
Ibsen, Henrik. “A Doll’s House”. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing. Kennedy, Dana Gioia. 12th ed. Vol. 3: Pearson, 2013. 1598-1650. Print.
Kashdan, Joanne G. "A Doll’s House." Masterplots, Fourth Edition (2010): 1-3. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
Kennedy, X.J, and Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing.
12th ed. Vol. 3. New York: Pearson, 2013. Print.
McDaniel, L. Bailey. "Literary Contexts In Plays: Susan Glaspell's "Trifles." Literary Contexts In Plays: Susan Glaspell's 'Trifles' (2006): 1. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
McFarland-Wilson, Beth, and John V. Knapp. "A Very Wild Dance Indeed: Family Systems In Heinrich Ibsen's A Doll's House." Critical Insights: Family (2012): 140-159. Literary Reference Center Plus. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Trifles And A Doll House Comparison Essay

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “A Dollhouse,” Nora is stuck in a marriage with a rich man who has no respect for her. Nora’s husband Torvald, does not think his

    Read More

  • A Doll's House, by Henry Ibsen

    1273 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House, a drama written in the midst of an 1879, middle-class, suburban Europe, he boldly depicts a female protagonist. In a culture with concern for fulfilling, or more so portraying a socially acceptable image, Nora faces the restraints of being a doll in her own house and a little helpless bird. She has been said to be the most complex character of drama, and rightfully so, the pressure of strict Victorian values is the spark that ignites the play's central conflicts. Controversy is soon to arise when any social-norm is challenged, which Nora will eventually do. She evolves throughout the play, from submissive housewife to liberated woman. It seems as though what took women in America almost a century to accomplish, Nora does in a three-day drama. Ibsen challenges the stereotypical roles of men and women in a societally-pleasing marriage. He leads his readers through the journey of a woman with emerging strength and self-respect. Nora plays the typical housewife, but reveals many more dimensions that a typical woman would never portray in such a setting.

    Read More

  • Individualism In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Romantic movement of the nineteenth century in Europe involved those who wished to express their disapproval of industrialism. Romantics focus on individualism as well as images and ideas created by the imagination. Romantics are very centered around a certain beauty and power of nature as opposed to material objects. Romantics stay away from the more realistic part of life, this is greatly expressed in Romantic literature and art. Specifically, in Arthur Rimbaud’s “Ophelia” it is evident to see the fascination with nature as well as the individual. He states, “On the calm black wave where the stars sleep/ Floats white Ophelia like a great lily,/ Floats very slowly, lying in her long veils . . .”(891). Here there is evidence of a Romantic’s

    Read More

  • A Doll's House and Trifles

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    The movement for female right is one of the important social issue and it is ongoing reaction against the traditional male definition of woman. In most civilizations there was very unequal treatment between women and men with the expectation being that women should simply stay in the house and let the men support them. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen, and Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, are two well-known plays that give rise to discussions over male-female relationships. In both stories, they illustrate the similar perspectives on how men repress women in their marriages; men consider that women should obey them and their respective on their wives is oppressed showing the problems in two marriages that described in two plays. Therefore, in this essay, I will compare two similar but contrast stories; A Doll's House and Trifles, focusing on how they describe the problems in marriage related to women as victims of suppressed right.

    Read More

  • A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

    1281 Words  | 3 Pages

    Weintraub, Stanley. ""Doll's House" Metaphor Foreshadowed in Victorian Fiction." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 13: 67-69. Web. 6 Jan. 2011.

    Read More

  • Doll's House Criticism

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Henrik Ibsen, the institution of marriage was secure. Women did not even have the thought of leaving their husbands and the roles within the marriage were clearly defined. In the play, A Doll’s House, it questions certain perspectives as it relates to traditional attitudes, which is highly debatable and provokes intense criticism. Furthermore, in order to fully explain, one must understand characterization, theme, and the use of symbols throughout the play.

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Becoming Independent in A Doll's House

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen illustrates through an intriguing story how a once infantile-like woman gains independence and a life of her own. Ibsen creates a naturalistic drama that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seam to have it all, but in reality their life together is empty. Instead of meaningful discussions, Torvald uses degrading pet names and meaningless talk to relate to Nora. Continuing to treat Nora like a pampered yet unimportant pet, Torvald thoroughly demonstrates how men of his era treat women as insignificant items to be possessed and shown off. While the Helmer household may have the appearance of being sociably acceptable, the marriage of Torvald and Nora was falling apart because of the lack of identity, love, and communication.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

    643 Words  | 2 Pages

    Other characters, however, such as Mrs. Linde and Krogstad, as well as Anne-Marie, play a part in defining gender roles in A Doll’s House. In this essay, I will discuss the ways in which Ibsen represents gender roles in A Doll’s House through the characters in his play and the differing views about feminism and gender roles in the play. At the beginning of the play, Nora and Helmer’s relationship appears to be a typical marriage in the 1800s. Helmer, as the man, is the head of the house and Nora is portrayed as the naïve, “spendthrift” wife who has no dealings with the financial situation of the family.

    Read More

  • The Breaking of a Family in A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Henrik Ibsen’s play, A Doll House Ibsen describes the perfect family and the conflicts within. Ibsen examines the normal lives of the Helmer family through the eyes of the wife, Nora Helmer. She goes through a series of trials as she progresses through the play and with each trial she realizes something is missing in her life. Ibsen examines the struggles within the house.

    Read More

  • A Doll's House Sacrifice Analysis

    2126 Words  | 5 Pages

    Henrik Ibsen paints a sad picture of the sacrificial role of women throughout all social economical classes in his play “A Doll House”. The story is set in the late 19th century and all minor female characters had to overcome adversity to the expense of love, family and self-realization, in order to lead a comfortable life. While the main female protagonist Nora struggles with her increasingly troubled marriage, she soon realizes, she needs to change her life to be happy as the play climaxes. Her journey to self-discovery is achieved by the threat of her past crime and her oppressing husband, Torvald and the society he represents. The minor female characters exemplifying Nora’s ultimate sacrifice.

    Read More

  • Flaws Portrayed Within the Helmer Marriage in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    Henrik Ibsen uses his play, A Doll’s House, to challenge the status of the typical marriage and question feminist equality. Ibsen makes an example of the Helmer marriage by exposing social problems within society. The play ends without any solutions, however, Ibsen does offer women possibilities. Nora is a heroine among women, then and now.

    Read More

  • Easing Out the Ending of, A Doll's House

    1195 Words  | 3 Pages

    Groundbreaking themes were presented in Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House. The play has shared an important message regarding feminism. It was released in the 1800's, during time when women were not taken seriously. This has made the work essential for humanity to observe and respond to. One of the most important aspects of Ibsen's play was the end, in which the main character, Nora Helmer leaves her husband. This was a shocking scene for unprepared audiences in theaters throughout the world. Divorce and separation from one's spouse and children was not proper to discuss in public because it was not looked highly on. Critics and others who study the play wonder if the ending was too bold for the time.

    Read More

  • The Role of Realism in Ibsen's, A Doll's House

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    “A Doll’s House” is unique in a way that it seems to explore aspects of feminism, such as the independent woman, although critics and Ibsen himself would have argued otherwise considering it to be more of a social commentary centred upon role playing in society. For this very reason, “A Doll’s House” can be seen as being relevant to twenty-first century society, since society will always attempt group people together, whether categorizing by gender, morality or wealth. The very fact that the themes presented were controversial during the Ibsen’s time, and are yet of concern in modern society make it one of the most influential plays ever written.

    Read More

  • Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: A Realistic Drama

    1220 Words  | 3 Pages

    Societal problems prevail throughout the history of the world and exist within all countries, regions, and cultures. The controversial aspects in societies are based on a large variety of subjects, and have to be identified in order to cause societal change. Therefore, Realism is the portrayal of difficulties in societies that are depicted in everyday life, which includes common situations and actions. Realism allows authors to describe and emphasize the incompetence of some aspects within communities, while enabling writers to call for societal reform. Henrik Ibsen portrays and addresses the concepts of Norway’s society in the 19th century in A Doll House, which is a tragic play translated by Rolf Fjelde. Ibsen desires to challenge assumptions as well as rules of Norwegian life, and most importantly wants to depict society accurately, as he meticulously incorporates everyday life. Therefore, A Doll House represents a Realistic drama due to the issues involving women, illnesses, and laws within the play, while conveying Ibsen’s desire of controversy and change in Norway’s society.

    Read More

  • How is the title “A Doll’s House” appropriate for the play?

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    “A Doll’s House” is a play written by a Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen. The play was published in 1879, and is a literary piece that triggered almost vigorous reactions from the audience. Moreover, the play was considered Ibsen’s masterpiece and he was determined to provoke a reaction from the public. His intention was to bring awareness to the problem of gender roles in the 19th century society: the role of women who were used as decorations of the household. The title this play, “A Doll’s House”, foreshadows the play’s protagonist, Nora Helmer, and her role in the household. The title of the play suggests that Nora is a doll in her own home.

    Read More

More about Breaking Away From Society: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

Open Document