As a woman, she does not have the authority to disagree with her husband or try to influence his actions. Torvald says, “If it ever got around that the new manager had been talked over by his wife…” (Ibsen 42) showing that it would be a laughing matter if a woman had an idea, but Nora still makes many attempts to persuade her husband. As a friend, Nora is expected to know her role which is a listener and supporter for Mrs. Linde and just an acquaintance to Dr. Rank, but the relationship with Dr. Rank goes beyond what is acceptable. When Dr. Rank confesses his feelings for Nora she is very upset because they can no longer flirt with each other now that the feelings are real. Her role is to be a loyal wife to her husband, which she is, but Ibsen uses the flirtatious dialect between the two to show that there are mutual feelings and that confessing them brings the relationship beyond what is allowed.
Nora starts off as a passive and typical housewife of her time, but as the play advances, her conflict with Krogstad shows how she is slowly straying away from what would be her place in society. By the end of the play when Torvald find out about the blackmail and refuses to defend her, her perceived reality is completely shattered. She then realizes the sham she's been living and take the bold step of breaking away from Torvald and her traditional role in society as a wife and mother.
Unfortunately she made the mistake of borrowing it and forging her father's signature. This is the secret that she hides all through the play from her husband. Nora believes Helmer will try to take the blame for what she has done. She thinks he will keep being the man that takes charge and fixes all problems that may come about. What she doesn't realize at this point is that Helmer does not truly care for her the way she has brought herself to believe throughout the years of their marriage.
Jennie, is going through her own struggles trying to figure out what she is suppose to do. She is so kind, and understanding that it confuses her, because she wants George to explain to her what he needs , or for him open up to her, but he just closes up. One of the main issues here is their lack of adequate communication, after George fun himself remembering Barbara his dead wife during their honeymoon, their communication was not the same. They would have superficial conversations, where they kind of spoke about weather or food, but ignoring and avoiding the real issues. This seems to be a clear sign of avoidance of communication, if maybe George would open up to her then maybe he could let Jennie know that he does love her but the memory of his beloved dead wife still haunts him.
We have seen from past scenes that their relationship is not very good; this only exaggerates that idea as she has used physical strength and tied her up just to ask her a few questions: '……I charge thee tell Whom thou lov'st best.' The immediate impression the audience gets from this incident is that K... ... middle of paper ... ...he stage at different exits, another visual indication that they are not a couple. In Elizabethan times, Daughters were literally given away as if in a business deal. This play expresses this issue often and especially in this scene. They often had little say in the matter whether they liked their future husband or not.
Her role in the play is slightly mischievous but very loving and passionate. We do get the sense she is not as happy as she seems to be. We later understand how she truly feels about her marriage. She is upset that she is not allowed to make decision by herself as when she break the custom of consulting with her husband abut a loan and she gets it by herself. Nora felt like a doll, and she got the strength to free herself from that oppressive situation.
Edna disregards her husbands appeal to conform and continues to do what she wants. Victorian society was not ready for a novel whose main character disregards the norm for her own happiness. The rejection Chopin received was mainly due to Edna's rejection of the traditions and the adultery aspect of the novel. Edna, caught up in a loveless marriage, resorts to adultery to keep herself satisfied. Edna follows her heart rather than reason when she pursues Robert Lebrun.
Though she is not aware of trying to create a perfect home like a doll house, her greed pushes her to act on a whim and borrow money from Mr. Krogstad to save her husband, whom she lies to that her father provided the money. She may have taken the decision out of love to save her husband’s pride, but the outcome was bound to be horrendous. She is portrayed as an independent woman, who however was inexperienced in the ways of the world, judging by how she was so quick in her judgment of trusting Kristina with her “secret”. While she may be trusting with Kristina, the same could not be said of her relationship with her husband and when she finds herself in a dilemma of facing the truth with him or leaving her marriage, she becomes withdrawn and edgy as the urge to tell the truth weighs down heavily on her. She not only borrows money, she lies and forges her father’s signature, because she knew that the loan would not be given to her without any male surety.
“A Doll House” by H. Ibsen: Sacrifice as Way of Life 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.
Thus, a source of deception in the play stems from the fact that the actual marriage between Nora and Torvald is not a healthy relationship, as in society’s view. Furthermore, when Nora decides to go against her husband’s will to borrow the money for the loan, she forsakes her matrimonial bond, yet gains personal independence. Nora considers the loan “something to be proud and happy for” (1017). Yet, in essence, she is pleased with her ability to lie to her husband. Through this circumstance, Ibsen successfully reveals that a relationship built on ... ... middle of paper ... ...by leaving the marriage.