In What Ways Can you Compare and Contrast Blanche DuBois and Nora Helmer? Both Blanche DuBois and Nora Helmer are main characters in the two plays A Streetcar Named Desire and A Dolls House. You can compare and contrast the two characters because they do have a lot in common, however, they do appear extremely different at first. A major difference which can be seen straight away is that the two women are living in two different eras; Nora in 1879 and Blanche in 1947. Both characters are introduced immediately to their respective audiences. Williams introduces Blanche in a long piece of stage directions, describing her appearance to every last detail, whereas with Nora, we find out about her appearance throughout the play. The characters …show more content…
She wants Mitch because he offers her security and “rest”, which she has not had in her life for a long time. She wants Mitch more for what her offers her, than the fact that she likes him. Nora has had totally security from Torvald for many years, she has a comfortable home with two children, however, she is not happy with this, she feels as if she is trapped and has no life of her own wants to be on her own, to be away from Torvald so that she can experience the world for herself. The opposites are clear between the two. Nora is throwing away her security and seeking self-sufficiency; on the other hand, Blanche seeks some kind of security and wants someone to rely on. Although the era’s in which these two plays are set, both women still live in a male dominated society. This was a problem in both era’s and a problem which both writers wanted to highlight to the audience. This is truer in A Dolls House, and is influential in many of ideas of the play. The problem which causes the split between Nora and Torvald is because of Nora taking out a loan without his consent, this shows how women were sexually discriminated against in the time in which the play was set, as they were not allowed to do certain things which men could, for example it was nearly impossible for them to have a well paid job, resulting in Nora having to go behind Torvald’s back to make some money. Similarly in A Streetcar Named Desire there is clearly a
Numerous individuals saw values of feminism within A Doll House, not only because of what the character, Nora, faced as a woman in society, but due to the social era of that time; woman felt they could relate to Nora’s struggles. The play was made during a time period in which women were not allowed to conduct business without the authority of a man, such as controlling money or divorce unless both partners agreed. Many saw that A Doll House presented evidence on Victorian society by displaying hypocrisy and its use of public opinion to suppress individuality, the
Comparing the play versus, the movie versions of A Streetcar Named Desire has been entertaining and enlightening. Originally written as a play, Tennessee Williams later adapted it into a screenplay for the film version. Consequently, both versions were extremely popular in their own right. Drama and social taboos create an emotionally charged viewing adventure. Williams characters are complex, exciting and just crazy enough to keep the audience spellbound. The DuBois sisters are complete opposites sharing only their love for each other as common ground. Blanche, the older sister, shows up for an impromptu visit with her sister Stella Kowalski. Stella and her husband Stanley live in New Orleans, in the French Quarter. Blanche has become destitute and has lost the family plantation. Stanley, incensed by the idea that Blanche has taken the plantation from him, sets out to destroy her by any and all means. The characters and performers provide a riveting and consequently soulful performance that is hauntingly unforgettable. Williams writing moves the audience to tears with dynamic characters, conflict and catastrophe of unimaginable depth.
The play A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, is a play about a woman named Blanche Dubois who goes to live with her sister after she loses her home in Mississippi. Between the hardships of her previous life and the way she is treated now, she is not in a good way by the time the play ends. She basically has a mental breakdown. There are three stages of Blanche’s mental state. She lives in a fantasy, Mitch rejecting her, and Stanley raping her, Blanche is mentally unstable by the end of this ply.
Throughout Tennessee William’s play “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Blanche Dubois exemplified several tragic flaws. She suffered from her haunting past; her inability to overcome; her desire to be someone else; and from the cruel, animalistic treatment she received from Stanley. Sadly, her sister Stella also played a role in her downfall. All of these factors ultimately led to Blanche’s tragic breakdown in the end.
Throughout “A Doll House” Isben writes on the way Mr. Helmer treats Nora as if she is a child living under his male power. In the story, men were the higher educated working individuals and the women stayed home outside of the workforce. Victorian women in the 1800’s were known for walking out on their husband and children, and we see at the end of Isben’s play Nora walking out on her husband. As a reader, I was astounded that women would walk out on her children since in our society women commonly fight for the right to take care of their children. This play contains all “the major elements of the ninetieth century,” including family roles, societal roles, and social roles and how they interact with one another (Hornby 91). When exploring these different roles it all comes down to feminism vs.
In A Dolls House, Torvald has a very narrow definition of women 's roles. He believes that it’s a woman duty to be a mother and a good wife, however he thinks women are helpless and childlike. Nora’s understanding of freedom changes during the play. In the first act, she believes that she will be “free” as soon as she repays her debt, because she will be able to devote herself to her domestic responsibilities. However after she gets blackmailed by Krogstad she reconsiders her understanding of freedom and questions whether she is happy in her house. By the end of the play, Nora seeks a new kind of freedom. She wishes to be relieved of her family obligations to pursue her own ambitions, beliefs, and identity.
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.
“A Streetcar Named Desire” main characters are Blanche, Stella, Stanley, and Mitch. Blanche is the main character of the play, she is Stella’s older sister, and comes to stay with Stella while Stella is pregnant. Blanche
In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche first comes across to the audience as a wealthy high maintenance aristocrat whom has class. As the story grows deeper the truth about Blanche’s past is revealed.
Blanche's tragic flaw that cause her downfall or hamartia is her reliant on men, so much so that she makes choices and does things that are morally questionable. She manipulates and lies to potential suitors to make herself seem more attractive and younger-which in her mind is the only way a man will love her. She does this with Harold "Mitch" Mitchell and it seems to be working until Mitch is informed of all the lies he's been fed, at which point Mitch breaks up with Blanche and leaves her vulnerable for Stanley to
In “A Doll’s House”, Torvald and Nora each have a unique role in their marriage. Torvald treats Nora as his little doll, or plaything, while Nora treats him as the man of the house who has the authority to do anything he wants. These ideas form because the society within the play does not allow much freedom for women. According to this society and culture, a women’s role is depicted by the man she is with, the female character’s all exemplify Nora’s assertion that women have to sacrifice a lot more than men. In this play, Nora, Mrs. Linde, and the maid all hold sacrificial roles depicted by the society they
In A Doll's house, there are many characters with a wide variety of different personalities and objectives. Even though there are many similarities between characters, there are just as many differences. Out of all the characters Torvald and Nora are the ones with the biggest differences in personality and opinions. Even though they are married and most of the time seem to have the perfect home life, it becomes easier to deduce throughout the drama that they are two completely different people that want different things out of their lives. Some main differences that Nora and Torvald have are the way that they perceive their self-image, what they want out of life, and the actions that they will take to overcome problems. (1)
Throughout the course of time, women have been discriminated against and have been viewed more as objects than humans. Both authors, William Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen, express the inequality of women throughout the two plays. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen expresses how women are degraded by society. Henrick characterized Nora Helmer as an average, “stay at home mom” who takes care of the children, and has no job to provide for her family. Throughout the story the reader sees how Nora fuels the play and also helps develop the plot. Although in Othello, Shakespeare presents women using the same approach, on the contrary, Shakespeare gave women more freedom, as we see in A Doll’s House, Nora is isolated from the outside world, while in Othello, Desdemona and Emilia are free to wander without supervision. Through the duration of both plays, the reader becomes aware of the characters flaws, Nora and Desdemona both demonstrate flaws as they become naive and allow their trusting and reassuring nature to deceive them. Also, both Torvald and Iago speak and view women in a prejudice manner, additionally; both male characters view women as possessions. Finally, the female characters disregard males dominance in the current society as the reader sees Nora and Emilia have a different approach on men, rather than being obedient as other women do in that current society.
In each play we have two main characters; in ‘A Doll’s House’ Torvald and Nora who are married and it’s been many years that they are living with each other, on the other side we have Henry and Eliza in ‘Pygmalion’ who have a teacher-student relationship, but it is clear that the attitude of Torvald and Henry is very similar most of the time. Henry as a teacher, encourages Eliza with chocolates to accommodate her with himself, while Torvald, with a father-like behavior, ignores Nora’s rights and demands such as forbidding her to bring her favorite sweets into the house. Moreover, both men name Eliza and Nora not only with their own names but whatever make them satisfied; Torvald calls Nora as his "little songbird" or his "squirrel", but Henry calls Eliza anything that occurs to him like a "squashed cabbage leaf." besides, by considering the conversations between Torvald with Nora, and Henry with Eliza it becomes clear that none of the men ever consider their partners as an adult by entering a serious conversation to them, as if they have lesser intelligence and understanding. Second, the judgement of men toward women is somehow shown in the plays. Torvald and Henry both misjudge Nora and Eliza, and it can show the fact that even the society of that era misjudged women in general. Consequently, both Pygmalion and A Doll's House are about women trying to find their position in the minds of Torvald and Henry that resist it as unfair; so it can be relevant to the begging of the time when women demand their rights in the society. Talking about the attitudes of the male character in ‘A Doll’s House’, declares that Torvald thinks of Nora only as a wife and a mother, not as a woman. She is only a doll for her husband. The setting in the whole play is a room which is a cage for Nora and she’s been keyed in. This condition is because Torvald thinks he has the right to possess his wife. It was a good condition to
The Play A Doll House is acted out in three different acts which all provide insight on the feministic world in the early 1900s. From the beginning of the play the readers can see how Torvald is strong successful banker who has just received large promotion, while he treats his wife like a child like doll. He calls her names such “sulky squirrel,” “sweet little lark,” “song bird,” and “little scattered brain” (Ibsen 785). These names portray Nora a weak individual who is nothing but an unintelligent housewife and can suggest that Nora is