How do the authors, Strindberg and Ibsen, portray the theme of superiority in “Miss Julie” and “A Doll’s House”.
In both “Miss Julie” and “A Doll’s House”, August Strindberg (1888), and Henrik Ibsen (1879) present the theme of superiority in various ways. Superiority can be seen from many sides, Social superiority, the superiority of men over women and at different points the superiority of women over men feature in both plays. At the time both plays were written, the naturalistic movement was taking place and one of the four principles suggested that “human beings have no free will, or very little of it, because hereditary and environment are so powerful in determining the course of human action”. This essay will look at the ways in which Strindberg and Ibsen present superiority in both plays. The environment is one of the most powerful tools; in addition to the main characters in order to assist both playwrights to portray the theme of superiority.
A common assumption is that men are superior to women. Stronger, smarter, less emotional but that does not mean that the statement is true. Furthermore both playwrights suggest this superiority by presenting how the male protagonists control the female characters. This theory, of men superior to women, is acutely illustrated by Jean’s performance towards the end of the play when he is asked by Miss Julie to order her. “I can’t repent, can’t run away, can’t stat, can’t live – can’t die. Help me! Order me, and I’ll obey you like a dog. Do me this last service” . Miss Julie is clearly wishing for Jean to tell her what to do because she does not know how to be independent. She is a very unsecure woman that tends to feel safer having a man by her side, indicating her exactly what to...
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... for her father but at the same time Miss Julie is superior to him in the social class and style. Finally, Helmer can control Nora all he wants with his money and his little pet nicknames but when Nora starts to realise this, as the play develops, she matures in the way she thinks and tries to find a way out of her hopeless marriage with Helmer, leaving him companionless.
Bibliography
1. Angier, Natalie. Men, Women, Sex and Darwin
2. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. (Great Britain: Methuen London Ltd, 1985)
3. Larouse, American Pocket (Mexico: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd) No date of publication.
4. Strindberg, August. Miss Julie. (United Kingdom: Methuen Publishing Ltd, 2006)
5. Truth, Sojourner, Ain´t I a woman?
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.
A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, and A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, both have central themes of search of self-identity within a social system. This is demonstrated by women characters from both plays breaking away from the social standards of their times and acting on their own terms. In most situations women are to be less dominant than men in society. These two plays are surprisingly different from the views of women in society and of the times and settings that they take place in.
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.
In Miss Julie, August Strindberg depicts a tormented, sadomasochistic woman held captive by ingrained and inherent restrictions posed onto her by her aristocratic class. As she attempts to break free, her escapist tendencies cause various consequences to ensue, such as her eventual death. Other characters present also engage in the same escapist desires, especially present in Jean’s longing to advance his level in society. Such ideas end in disaster for any party involved. Strindberg manifests various character’s nonconformist ideas towards exaggerated barriers between social classes, such as those of Jean and Julie, to create themes on conformity and consequence.
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A Doll?s House presents a revolutionary change for Norway in the 1880?s. During this time period women were seen as second or even third class citizens, and though numerically this is not true, a minority . Ibsen presents his character Nora as a plaything, sorely manipulated by the men in her life. As the play pro...
The desire to be the best, to be dominant among a group of people can reveal a character’s deepest fears or weaknesses. To be great requires a certain personality, but is it not always easy to come out on top. In the play “A Doll’s House”, by Henrik Ibsen, there are multiple endeavors for dominance. Torvald battles Krogstad over being the most successful; driven by money and a power hungry ego, this conflict reveals more about both men’s personalities. Consequently, their struggle unveils Nora’s fight to be independent and depart from society’s norms.
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.
The nineteenth-century play ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen focuses on the family and friends of Nora Helmer, a Norwegian housewife under control of her husband, who wishes for her to be a status symbol. Nora’s initial behaviour of childishness and naivety reflects the way in which her husband and father have been treating her. However as the play develops, Nora’s independence grows and her persona shifts into an independent individual, with a realisation that she deserves better treatment from those around her.
In both Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House the subversion of perception and the insubordination of supposedly inferior characters has massive implications on the overall message of the play. These mechanisms bring to light a multitude of questions about the correctness of social norms and the future of both Russian and Norwegian society. They are powerful reminders of ever-changing society and the nature of human relationships, and they leave the reader at once confused and motivated for change.
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.
Nora is a dynamic character. When the play begins Nora is viewed and presented as a playful and carefree person. She seems to be more intent on shopping for frivolous things. But, as time goes on it becomes apparent that Nora actually has a certain amount of seriousness in her decisions and actions in dealing with the debt she incurred to save Torvald’s life. Nora’s openness in her friendship with Dr. Rank changes after he professes his affections toward her. Her restraint in dealing with him shows that Nora is a mature and intelligent woman. Nora shows courage, not seen previously, by manipulating her way around Krogstad and his threats to reveal her secret. After feeling betrayed by Torvald, Nora reveals that she is leaving him. Having
The idea of equality for women has been the subject of countless books, speeches, and performances for decades. The concept of a world in which a woman can be considered equal to a man is not a new concept in today’s society, but it was in that of 19th century Norway. This is the world of noted playwright Heinrik Ibsen, a forward thinking individual with ideas that challenged the restrictions of society time and time again. A forerunner in the women’s rights movement, Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House offers a commentary much before its time on the dangers of a patriarchal society through the evolution of its protagonist, Nora. In his play, Ibsen uses the Christmas tree to symbolize the growing empowerment and independence of Nora, as well as the steady deterioration of Nora and Helmer’s marriage.
Although Ibsen portrays A Doll House as a Realistic play due to the societal problems, which include women, illnesses, and laws; he attempts to address society and cause change within the Norwegian society without openly talking about these issues. The actions of characters, such as Nora, represent the fact that an individual can make progress in societal reform. Therefore, Ibsen’s identification and attempt to change society symbolizes a Realistic desire of finding solutions to problems. The ultimate goal of Realism is to better everyday life for the majority of people, while trying to deepen the understanding of society’s problems.
“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.