preview

Gender Roles Of A Doll House By Henrik Ibsen

Better Essays

Gender roles in dramatic works have seen as polarizing and stereotypical since the beginning of dramatic theatre. During the Greek festival of Dionysia, Greek male actors would don masks and other adornments, portraying male and female characters in performances. The female characters were typically written as mothers or wives, exhibiting flaws that made them inferior to their male counterparts. Aristophanes broke this trend with his feminist driven comedy Lysistrata. The Greek playwright built complicated, female characters who actively mocked the stereotype of being doting wives and lovers. Additionally, male roles were always heroic or deviant, with no in between. The portrayal of men and women in dramatic works was one-dimensional with …show more content…

Depending on their natural characteristics, men and women were divided into ‘Separate Spheres’ (“Gender Roles in the 19th Century”). Men were expected to be providers, money-makers, and primary decision makers. A women, perceived as illogical and hysterical, was instructed to reside at and provide a home for her family. Despite Queen Victoria having ascended to the English throne, Norway was governed by a male prime minister. Therefore, women continued to be seen as subservient to the men in their lives.
Angels in America, set during the 1980s Reagan Administration, tells a complex story about identity and politics. This too was a time, dictated by men with seen women as secondary. President Reagan was deeply rooted in his conservative traditional views and did not support liberal progression. He saw no need for feminist advancements in the country and frequently voiced his opinion on the matter. Reagan expected men to work in government positions, while women, including his own wife, would stay home (“Women, Ladies, Girls, Gals…”). However, society chose to progress and leave behind the close-minded president. When the AIDS epidemic broke, both males and females were targeted. The diseases exposed vulnerability and morality, proving there was no superior gender
Nils Krogstad and Roy Cohn are two powerful men who thrive when in control. Nils has no hesitations towards blackmailing Nora in order to attain his goal. Roy

Get Access