Within a Doll's House

1514 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: ibsen's a doll's house literary devices

“A women’s place is in the kitchen” is believed by a majority of male Creekview students and most of the world’s male population. Within A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Nora, the main character, saves her husband’s life by securing a loan to get the money to take a trip to Italy without his consent. In this time period, the1800s or later, it was unheard of to do something without the husband’s consent. This is similar to the views of the relationship between men and women in Antigone by Sophocles. Antigone is about the house Laius and its curse, with Antigone, the protagonist, burying her brother, Polynices, when it was forbidden by Creon; this crime is punishable by death. She defies man law; going against everything she ever learned, being a rare person to stand up against the man dominated society. Both of these authors, Sophocles and Ibsen, show glimpses into a world that still exists into today’s society but a world that is much different with women’s capabilities, relationship towards men, and individual rights. In both plays the main characters have different capabilities that are unique to each of them. For instance both show strong will that many women are afraid to show. In Antigone the characters show many different capabilities, Antigone included, with these certain characteristics giving her the ability to bury her brother. As she simply says “Antigone: Guilty. I did it, I deny it not” (Sophocles, pg 189-190). This shows how Antigone is proud of what she is doing, standing up to Creon and his ways with unmoving motivation. As well as showing her true commitment to burying Polynices and being proud of doing so. Plus, Antigone displays this strength of commitment more than anyone else in this play. As Ismene and Ant... ... middle of paper ... ... over time, though in these two plays the hope for change shown bright, but generally women were considered weak and therefore had no such powerful rights. To sum it up both of these plays share the same broad message conveyed throughout the entire play. Which includes, women have the capabilities to do more than they show and are allowed to do. As well as the relationship men and women share is not constant, or the same, there are many different views on the relationship they share and many different variations that change as time progresses. Furthermore the rights of women also change with much time, and hard work by many women who have worked hard for their rights and future rights of all women. Some of this can lead to these two plays, giving new, bold ideas that were frightening for many during their times but helped for the push for a better tomorrow.

Show More
Related

  • Women's Roles in Antigone and A Doll's House

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the plays Antigone and A Doll's House, the playwrights discuss gender roles and how they relate to the characters in each individual play. Antigone, by Sophocles, follows a young girl who defies a law issued by King Creon against burying her brother, who fought against their town in the recent war. Creon orders her to be executed, but she ends up committing suicide. In A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, a wife named Nora takes out a loan by herself, unacceptable for a woman during that time period, and tries to appease the lender who threatens to reveal her loan. In the end, Nora's husband, Torvald, finds out about the loan and Nora ends up leaving him. In each of these plays, Sophocles and Ibsen offer insight into the problems faced by women who are independent, stubborn, and brave.

    Read More

  • A Character Comparison: Nora Vs. Antigone

    1855 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novels A Doll's House and Antigone, Ibsen and Sophocles respectively create two lead female characters, Nora and Antigone, who confront society's expectations of women in fundamentally different ways. Nora goes against the grain of middle class society by first forging her father's signature and then deceiving her husband, Torvald, throughout their marriage; Antigone, on the other hand, openly challenges and defies the rule of men, including her uncle and King of Thebes, Creon. Although Nora and Antigone share some comparable personality traits, like being strong willed and motivated, they confront the men in their lives and their comparable societies in two distinctive ways, which, as a result, leads to two differing denouements.

    Read More

  • The Role Of The Protagonist In Antigone

    617 Words  | 2 Pages

    How she reacts to events and the ensuing consequences that occur, forms the plot of the play. At the very beginning Antigone chooses to bury polyneices even though it was against Creon's wishes. She had a choice to leave his body buried but she chose to unbury him which shows her stubbornness, and this is a common trait amongst protagonists. Creon also has this trait and shows it when he discovers her body. Antigone does not give up under any circumstances, which is both admirable and

    Read More

  • Women's Struggle for Equal Rights in the Play, Trifles by Susan Gaspell

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    The struggles for equal rights for women were evident in this play just as they are evident today. One of the most obvious examples is how the women were treated at the beginning of the play. They are left in the kitchen while the men go upstairs to look for evidence. The men viewed the kitchen as a room for women and a room where only women belong. The Sheriff proved that when he made the statement that there is nothing here but “kitchen things” (Glaspell 662). In saying this he gives the audience the impression that this room was a room of little importance and that nothing of any value exist in the kitchen. Women who attempt to balance two jobs, the job and being a mother and the job of working in the outside community are often viewed as not being as committed to their job that they work outside of the home. It is often necessary for a mother to leave work to take care of a sick child and when she does this she is frowned upon in the community of the working world. It gives her employer the impression that she is not committed to her job because outside distractions are interfering with production. Employers do not see that fact that she has contributed countless hours. They only see the time that she is away fro...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Antigone And Creon

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    On pages 138-140 of the play Antigone a Sentry brings Antigone to Creon and explains to Creon that this is the person responsible for the burial. Instead of denying the claims, Antigone takes full responsibility for the crime. Not only does she take responsibility for the crime, she states that the reason for the burial was to give honor to her brother. Creon does not agree with Antigone and states that she went against his laws as King and therefore she must be killed. This starts an an immediate debate between Antigone and Creon, which reveals one similarity between the two characters; they are both stubborn. Antigone does not represent the ideological correct woman of Sophocles time, one who is obedient to the King. Instead she continues to argue with him over his authority. Creon is being just as stubborn as Antigone, does not back down from the order that he has made. Sophocles’ strategy of confrontational question and answer creates the dramatic effect of escalating tension between the two characters. The two are not seeing eye to eye and what surprises

    Read More

  • Subverting Expectations: Female Sleuths in 'Trifles'

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Her play proved that women are not at the mercy of men and are capable of making decision or assumptions for themselves. The two leading women in the play emphasize the idea of women having power. Even though it is in tedious means of her play, it contributes greatly to the overall idea. The reader of the play or participating actors are introduced to dynamic gender roles that can be seen in everyday life. The play showed how women are capable of taking control of their own lives and how it affects the lives of others around

    Read More

  • Identity In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play, women did not have a voice in the play because they were seen as inferior. For

    Read More

  • Authority In Antigone

    1568 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this play all Antigone wants to do is give her brother Polyneices a proper burial so his body may lay at rest. Even when the law forbids her from respecting her brother she disregards it and goes on to help her brother lay at rest, because she feels it is the right thing to do. In return Antigone is shown as a hero and Creon, the one defying her right to bury Polyneices, is portrayed as the villain. “This death of mine is of no importance; but if i had left my brother Lying in death unburied, I should have suffered, Now i do not” (Allen, 1083). In addition Antigone is looked upon as the hero when she asks her sister Ismene to help her bury her brother. When Ismene denies she is giving in to the law and not respecting family, in this context it makes her look weak, in return Antigone looks strong and brave. “But think of the Danger! Think what Creon will do!” (Allen, 1070). Furthermore in the end Antigone did die but she was honored by the gods and proven once more that she was the real hero standing by her family and never letting anything or anyone get in the way of her family morals. “Come with me to the tomb. I buried her; I will set her free” (Allen, 1101). Over all Antigone stuck with her beliefs through everything even when it meant death and still came out being the hero, this is how Sophocles voiced his

    Read More

  • Power Of Women In Othello

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Elizabethan era women had a status of subordination towards men. They had a role to marry and oblige to their husband’s wishes. Shakespearean literature, especially illustrates how a woman is psychologically and physically lesser to their male counterpart. The play, Othello, uses that aspect in many different ways. From a Feminist lens others are able to vividly examine how women were subjected to blatant inferiority. Being displayed as tools for men to abuse, women were characterized as possessions and submissive; only during the last portion of the play did the power of women take heed.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Women In A Doll's House

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    The old and new attitudes toward sexuality and the proper behavior of women is very apparent in the play called A Doll House. The play shows how each woman has sacrificed who they were for the men and the other people in their lives. The play also shows how men see women in general. Several characters give up who they thought they were meant to be, because of the social aspect in their lives. Society has always placed a burden on women as who they are supposed to be as wives, mothers, and as adult women. Women were seen as the inferior sex in the past and in the present. Things have changed over the years as women earn more and more freedom and rights that men have had for a very long time. The sacrifices that are made in this play speak to how things work for women in society. Women give up their right to happiness because they feel obligated to change who they are to help someone else.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Gertrude And Ophelia

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    This fact plays a crucial role in the mood of the play. If the reader understands history, they also understand that women did not really amount to any importance, they were perceived more as property.

    Read More

  • Ambiguism In A Doll's House

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    The character of Nora, of Isben 's A Doll 's House, is especially hard to translate. Her character is built by the mix of various shifting traits.   Throughout the acts her ambiguity is especially shown. Nora is one of the characters that changes for she is always exchanging between three parts that change her witch are a supporting wife, key mother and sexual.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare´s Portrayal of Beatrice

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...the gender equality that women desired during the Elizabethan era. His use of satire allowed him to subtly reveal the gender issues which he believed to be occurring during the sixteenth century. However, this ‘equality’ only existed to an extent and only for the duration of the play. Some would argue that it never existed at all, and still does not.

    Read More

  • Women´s Portrayal in Shakespeare´s Othello

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men have so much control in this society and Shakespeare has a little bit of a change in the women in his play.

    Read More

  • Female’s Influence Over People

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    Equivocation, deception and fear play very important roles in the characters of the women to influence many of the other characters of the play. The topic used was about female protagonists exerting power over the other characters and all three points do talk about the ways and means used to influence the other main characters in both the plays.

    Read More

More about Within a Doll's House

Open Document