A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen

In Henrik Ibsen's, A Doll's House, the character of Nora Helmer goes through the dramatic transformation of a kind and loving housewife, to a desperate and bewildered woman, whom will ultimately leave her husband and everything she has known. Ibsen uses both the characters of Torvald and Nora to represent the tones and beliefs of 19th century society. By doing this, Ibsen effectively creates a dramatic argument that continues to this day; that of feminism.

In Ibsen’s the figurative play is the A Doll House, Nora is a doll, and her marriage is the doll house. Outwardly, Nora is a beautiful woman entertaining her husband with the beautiful images of a submissive wife, but inside, she is desperate, longing to explore her potential outside of the dollhouse of her marriage. In a society dominated by the expectations of men, Nora must choose between the duties determined by her role as a wife in opposition to the obligations of self, in determining her true character. Within the context of love, Nora will commit forgery, and through this deception, discovers her marriage is nothing more than an illusion, and she nothing more than a doll within Torvald 's house.

In Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House, pointedly captures the reality of the Victorian Era within the play. Nora Helmer, the protagonist of the story, represents the typical women in society during that era. The audience’s first impression of Nora is a money obsessed, childish, obedient house wife to her husband, Torvald Helmer. However, as the play progresses one can see that Nora is far from being that typical ideal trophy wife, she is an impulsive liar who goes against society’s norm to be whom and what she wants. Her husband is illustrated as the stereotypical man during the 19th century, as he is the dominate breadwinner of the family, who too deserts his position as the play reaches its end. A key theme that is brought to light in A

Making use of the word “little” again revealing how he views his wife; “my” is also a frequent word in Torvald’s vocabulary. Torvald’s possessive nature prompts him to call Nora his no matter what pet-name he uses. The pattern of these possessive, diminutive pet-names such as “my little featherbrain” (3) reflect Torvald’s belief that Nora is another child of his, so much so that he actually refers to Nora specifically as a child on more than one occasion. Telling Nora that she talks like a child (3) and suggesting that “the child shall have her way” (2) further displays his feelings toward Nora. Just as an adult does not discuss their business with an adolescent, so does Torvald not have important conversations with Nora. Nora even notifies Torvald that during the last scene was the “first (they) have had a serious conversation”(3). Torvald even groups Nora with his other children demanding that “lesson time shall begin . . . both (hers) and the children’s” (3).

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.

Nora begins to take offence to the words of Torvald. He refers to her as his most “prized possession”, and continues to say that he often imagines her as though she is his mistress, and she is a temptress. Nora continues to get offended, telling Torvald she doesn’t want any of this. Nora begins

She alludes to a child’s character when she says, “everything I think of seems so silly and insignificant” (26). Torvald replies with a condescending statement: “Does my little Nora acknowledge that at last?” (26). Torvald expects only childish talk from her. He even tells her she is “little,” like a child, and although he expects nothing more than child’s talk from her, he does expect to be obeyed.

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House is a realistic drama set in the late 1800’s in Norway. It is a story of a young mother and wife that has an awakening that her whole life has been anything but her own. The protagonist is Nora, a seemingly naïve, child—like character that throughout the play develops clarity about her situation and eventually releases herself from the oppression she has been living with her whole life. Torvald is Nora’s husband and the antagonist who delights himself with the authority he has working at the bank and over Nora. The relationship between this husband and wife duo becomes more apparent to the reader and to Nora, of one that is unhealthy.

In the nineteenth century the typical husband-wife relationship consisted of the husband working and providing for his family whilst the wife being completely and financially dependant on him. The status of women in the time period of which this play was written, was that of second-class citizen. Women did not have the right to many things that men did and the role of women was mainly restricted to that of a housewife. In his play, “A Doll’s House”, Henrik Ibsen portrays Nora as a regular housewife who goes through an awakening; realizing that she deserved to live a better life filled with more freedom. At the beginning of the play, Nora, the main character, demonstrated that she was okay with this stereotypical relationship; essentially encouraging

A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, tells the tale of Nora and her struggles throughout the play. And the setting has a key factor with the entire play because it takes place in a nineteenth century Norwegian village. The cultural context for women, like Nora, was completely different for men during the century. The domestic lifestyle was a key context in the play that highlighted problems that women faced during the time period. The roles of women and marriage and divorce are the context that the play uses to shine light at the avenge woman’s domestic life.

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen was written in 1879 during the Victorian Era. The story is written as a play to be performed on stage. The two main characters Nora and Torvald Helmer are upper middle class husband and wife, but it boils down to social expectations. Conflicts arise when women are under their husbands rule for everything and society pressure to keep up appearances. Torvald Helmer is the antagonist to Nora, his wife, because he is mostly concerned about his reputation, he is the supreme power of the household, and he is very hypocritical. These character traits make Torvald Helmer out to be a shallow person with no regards for other people’s feelings.

Through Nora and Helmer's exchange we discover that Krogstad, despite the fact that apparent as the miscreant in a doll's house, has an association with Nora and her past as they have both perpetrated the same wrongdoing in the public eye- to manufacture a mark. This shows the limited and good laws of pop culture, which restrain the characters in their movements, and makes a clash between what they see as ethically right restricted to overstepping the law. "I call him an ethical pariah". This is highlighted through Nora's misleading, as she gets cash and produces her father's signature out of adoration for her spouse and their lifestyle as she wishes to spare his life, despite the fact that it is illegal to do so. "The trip was to spare my spouses life-how would I be able to surrender it?" Her love for Helmer and good feeling of good and bad overrules her obligation to public opinion and laws.

A Doll’s House written by Henrik Ibsen is written under realism which portrays real life. The major concern this play addresses is human rights, especially women’s rights. Nora, the wife, and Tolvard, the husband, both demonstrate the different societal expectations placed upon women and men differently. The dynamic of their relationship also signifies how society forces very specific roles upon women and how they should be treated by their husbands, men, and society.

It is inevitable to find two completely different perspectives in life, especially in art. In regards to the play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, this is not the exception. The previously mentioned play has caused controversy among conservative and liberal critiques as a consequence of the actions of the protagonist. Nonetheless, I strongly believe the play A Doll’s House is suitable for presentation to students and families at a county high school due to the learning outcomes, such as comprehending certain aspects of the past, realizing the importance of self-individualization, and being tolerant to other people’s actions before pre-judging them.

Henrik Ibsen pioneers a unique portrayal of the struggle for personal freedom in “A Dollhouse.” He uses marriage and gender roles indicative of his era as an example of the constraints placed on people in society. His work is controversial and ahead of its time, and Ibsen is able to show in “A Dollhouse” morality and societal customs do not always walk hand in hand. Through the use of the character Nora, he shows the necessity of sacrifice is sometimes needed to achieve freedom from culture. The conclusion of “ A Dollhouse” appropriately demonstrates the required action of a housewife, striving to grow as a human being, who is forced is to make a difficult decision of breaking the familial dynamic with her husband and children. While Nora 's abandonment of her children is shocking and sad, it is not a casual gesture stumbled upon, as believed by some critics such as Elizabeth Harwick. In “A Dollhouse” Nora is an individual reaching the breaking point of frustration in her personal life. Her climatic departure from her family is a result of the accumulating experiences she has endured. Nora 's childhood shadowed by a dominating father, her financial responsibility when Torvald is sick, her flirtatious manner with Dr. Rank, and her contemplation of a more balanced marriage, are all precursors to Nora 's action in leaving her family.