A Doll House By Henrik Ibsen

During this period, women were subjected in their gender roles and were restricted over what the patriarchal system enforced on them. Everyone was brought up believing that women had neither self-control nor self-government but that they must capitulate to the control of dominate gender. The ideology that “God created men and women different - … [and they should] remain each in their own position.” (eHow, Ibsen's Influences on Women's Rights) is present in A Doll’s House with Nora’s character, as she is seen as the ideal women during the Victorian Era, who is first dutiful as wife and mother before to her own self. Whenever Torvald gives Nora money, she spends it on her children so that they are not “shabbily dressed” (Act 1). Though she loves her children it is all the more shocking when she leaves them.

Ibsen 's play A Doll 's House centers on a stereotypical and comfortable family in the nineteenth century which, outwardly, has the appearance of respectability to which any audience can relate. There are many indicators that reveal that this family upholds a false image, such as the symbolic title “A Doll 's House". Nora is introduced as a "little Spendthrift" (p 6), which foreshadows future tension in her relationship. Torvald believes she is spending money frivolously, but she has actually secretly borrowed money to save his life, and is using the money he gives her to pay back her debt.

A Doll 's House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that has been written to withstand all time. In this play Ibsen highlights the importance of women’s rights. During the time period of the play these rights were neglected. Ibsen depicts the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband during the 19th century. Nora is the woman in A Doll House who plays is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsen 's plays: "The common denominator in many of Ibsen 's dramas is his interest in individuals struggling for and authentic identity in the face of social conventions. This conflict often results in his characters ' being divided between a sense of duty to themselves and their responsibility to others." All of the aspects of this quote can be applied to the play A Doll House, in Nora Helmer 's character, who throughout much of the play is oppressed, presents an inauthentic identity to the audience and throughout the play attempts to discovery her authentic identity.

Mr. Krogstad, a former employee of Torvald is the leading antagonist in A Doll House. He clearly has an agenda and a lust for power. Krogstad’s lust for power gives the reader a sense of subtle rage because Krogstad only wants what’s best for him and his family but he exploits Nora for his own gain. Krogstad advances the plot by controlling Nora through a loan, while illuminating both main characters, and reinforcing the themes of confusion and lost love.

The author Henrik Ibsen used the play to elaborate on the irony of the 19th century culture of restriction of individual freedom and excessive adherence to ‘societal norm’ at all cost without paying attention or having recourse to the core values and norms that brings about individual happiness and freedom. Torvald Helmer tried to elucidate the abnormality of seeking individual freedom instead of societal norm when he inquired from his wife; Nora “…And you don't consider what people will say”. The society in Ibsen’s “A Doll House” is seen higher than the individual person, for one to fit in he or she must strictly adhere to what the society demands and not what the individual wants. Nora was quick to express her frustration on the demands of the society when she replied Dr. Rank thus “What do I care about tiresome Society?”. Even the eating of Macaroons was also forbidden by Torvald and Nora’s Father, Dr Rank could not hide his feeling upon the sight of Macaroons at Torvalds house when he inquired from Nora “What, macaroons? I thought they were forbidden here”, Nora who is also held by the claws of societal conformity had to lie to justify the possession of macaroons. The irony was played out when the same Dr. Rank enjoyed the macaroons after Nora placed it in his mouth. Ibsen’s setting of the play also portrays a society where a woman cannot be seen to go against not only the orders of her

Throughout the play Nora’s family is referred to as a doll house. Hence the name of the title, but why is it a doll house? Nora and her kids are like dolls in Torvald’s game. It is like her family is always playing house. It seems to Nora that her life is being used as a game instead of actually getting to live happily. She and her husband have more of a father and daughter relationship, rather than a husband and wife relationship. “The child shall have her way (Ibsen 2.385).” When Torvald says this he sees his wife as a child and not an adult. He does not see her as capable as himself, therefor he does not share responsibilities. This makes him treat her like a child, and he tries to play her into doing what he thinks the story would be best doing. She even says “Surely you can understand that being with Torvald is a little like being with papa (Ibsen 2.217).” She even refers to her relationship with her husband being like her relationship with her dad. It shows that she has respect for her husband like her father, and that she listens to any command he may bark at her.

A Doll House was written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879. There are two woman in the play, Nora and Mrs. Linde who have some differences, but also share some similarities. Nora is married to Torvald Helmer, they have three children together. Miss. Linde is a widow an took care of her younger siblings and her now deceased mother. Nora and Mrs. Linde are different in the way they have lived the past couple of years and how at the end of act three they are changing their lifestyles by either going from independent to a dependent life or from a dependent to an independent lifestyle. Through these differences, they also share a similarities in the way they have cared for a family member, they are proud of this accomplishment, marry for money, work hard to earn money, and both ultimately were willing to sacrifice themselves for their families. Even though Nora and Mrs. Linde live different lifestyles, they both took care of a loved one and feel proud and happy for what they did.

“Forgery. Do you have any idea what that means” (1745), Torvald questions his wife Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House (1879). In this play, Henrik Ibsen features individuals struggling for an authentic identity. The story focuses on an unspoken matter. Nora Helmer secretly borrowed a large sum of money for the sake of her husband’s, Torvald Helmer’s, life. Nora has never revealed the loan to Torvald and has been privately paying it off with her household allowance. When Torvald is appointed as bank director, his first act is to dismiss a man who was once disgraced for forging his signature on a document. That man happens to be Nils Krogstad, the person from whom Nora borrowed the large sum of money from. It is then revealed that she forged her father’s signature in order to get the money. Krogstad threatens to reveal Nora’s crime if she does not convince her husband to not fire him. Nora attempts to influence her husband, but Torvald continues with his deed. When Torvald discovers the crime Nora committed, he is ready to disclaim her even though the loan was for his sake. When all is brought to light, Nora realizes Torvald is not worth her love and she walks out on him. Henrik Ibsen uses symbolic elements in A Doll House (1879) not only to impart an additional layer of meaning to his writing, but as a means of character-revelation.

In today’s society, people tend to act as someone they aren’t rather than whom they truly are, a lot like the characters in A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen. By understanding everyone’s individuality, communication among others will grow stronger and build greater relationships based on truth. If people actually accepted themselves for who they are as well as others, communication would cease to be a circus production with each person in their specified roles. Yet, this includes the acceptance from society as well rather than the promotion of clichés and what is viewed as “accepted”.

At the beginning of the play, Nora is seen to be in a docile position where she solemnly tries to impress her husband Torvald, as she fears that her actions might make her husband disappointed in her. When Torvald asks Nora if she has eaten any macaroon while she was shopping for Christmas, Nora lies to her husband by saying, “No, not at all” (853). This particular behavior portrays the submissiveness of women who are kept in a subordinate position, and are limited to their homes as they are not financially autonomous and need to depend on their husband for support. Similar type of behavior of women can be depicted in psychologist Deborah

The wealthy often had hired help to raise their youngsters. Henceforth, Nora has minimal immersion in the upbringing of her own broods. When we do see Nora interact with her kin she seems to fall in to a more childlike role, playing with her offspring as if they are her peers as she says, “Have you had great fun? That's splendid! Oh really! You've been giving Emmy and Bob a ride on your sledge! Both at once, only think, Why, you're quite a man, Ivar. Oh, give her to me a little, Anna. My sweet little dolly! [Takes the smallest from the nurse and dances with her.] Yes, yes; mother will dance with Bob too. What! Did you have a game of snowballs? Oh, I wish I'd been there” (Doll act 1). Here she refers to her own daughter as a doll, yet does not say the same of her sons. This presents a question: are only women to be seen as dolls? Nora has never lived free of an oppressor; as a child she was ruled by her father and immediately after she was controlled by her husband, leading to this underdeveloped childlike mindset. One can also see stereotypical gender roles represented in Nora and Torvalds’s parenting style. Nora says of gifts for her children, “Look, here's a new suit for Ivar, and a little sword. Here are a horse and a trumpet for Bob. And here are a doll and a cradle for Emmy” (Doll act 1). In doing this Nora helps to reinforce stereotypical

My understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work, A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, was deepened through the interactive oral. We discussed about the cultural values of the time with its emphasis on the position of women, and the play’s influence on feminism in Norway. In fact, A Doll’s House is more relevant than before, since a paradigm shift occurred in the modern society that women are no longer dependent upon men.

Henrik Ibsen was born in 1828 to a wealthy family, however, when he was just eight years old his family went bankrupt, and they lost their status in society. Ibsen knew how the issue of money could destroy a person’s reputation in no time at all. That is how he makes the characters in this play, A Doll’s House, so believable. Nora and Mrs. Linde, the two main female characters in the play, have had issues in the past of how money and forgery ruined their lives. Nora forged her dead father’s signature to get a loan. They play revolves around her struggle with her fear of being found out. Nora and Mrs. Linde are only just two examples on how money has impacted them. In the novella A Doll’s House, Ibsen uses the motifs such as money to

The play A Doll House written by Henrik Ibsen has strong symbolisms such as the doll house, Christmas tree, macaroons, and New Year’s day that help outline the theme. The author uses symbolisms to pull his audience in and allow them to feel the full effect of inequality and emotional abuse men gave women in the year of 1879, when Ibsen wrote this play.

In past history, society has been very traditional with its views on gender roles. The term "gender role" alludes to society 's idea of how men and women are expected to act and behave. Gender roles are based on norms, or standards, created by society. In American society, “masculine roles have commonly been related with strength, aggression, and dominance, while feminine roles have traditionally been related with passivity, nurturing, and subordination” (sex roles/gender roles). In “A Doll’s House,” written by Henrik Ibsen, the readers are shown a firsthand view at how gender roles affected the character’s actions and interactions throughout the play.