Societal Views of Women in the Victorian Era in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

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.

Nora's character is viewed as a young girl who doesn't have a care in the world. she demonstrates that she is not absolutely ignorant that and that her life is inconsistent with her actual identity. For example she challenges her spouse, Torvald, in little yet important courses by eating macaroons and afterwards deceiving him about it. She swears, only for the joy she gets from the minor defiance to social orders principles. Nora appears to be totally cheerful. She reacts warmly to Torvald's teasing, talks with energy about the additional cash his new employment will give them, and takes joy in the time she spends with her kids and companions. She doesn't appear to notice her doll-like presence, in which she is indulged, spoiled, and belittled.

Torvald, whenever addressing Nora, fails to address her actual name. For example, he exclaims "What is it my little squirrel bustling about?". Ibsen uses Torvald's addressing of Nora as a pet to display the belittling of women in society. Therefore he indicates that are perceived as lower than men in society. Torvald continues this behavior when he addressing Nora "The child shall have her way." Ibsen employs Torvald's names to exemplify that he views his wife as merely a child. He uses this comparison to show the influence men have on not only children, but women as

Torvald is a good husband, but he treats Nora merely as a pretty doll. Moreover, Torvald is also the money provider of the family, which gives him even more power and pride. However, Nora’s husband does not expect her to be independent or thoughtful. It seems that Torvald even enjoys Nora is being dependent and childish, so he can keep his pride and control over Nora. Due to Nora’s dependency and Torvald’s domination, an equal relationship does not exist in their marriage. Especially on the act III, during their last intense argue, Torvald even says, “You are out of your mind! I won't allow it! I forbid you!” (Ibsen, Act III, 658). This also reflects on the marriage situations in the society of the nineteenth century. Generally, the women were no more than an accessory, or a doll to the men. Husband nearly listened to their wives’ thoughts and had a deep conversation with them.

The major theme in “A Doll’s House” was the sacrificial role of women. Ibsen plants a clear picture that even though men refuse to sacrifice their integrity hundreds of women sacrifice it every day. Nora lives a falsified life by living through the values and opinion of the two main men in her life. She lives day by day being called demeaning names such as “my little lark”, “my little squirrel” and its things like that which show how much of her integrity is being thrown out the window. In October 1878 Ibsen jotted down some 'Notes for the Modern Tragedy ', in which he observed that: 'A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws flamed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine

In the beginning of the story, Nora appears to be happily married and fulfills her societal role as a mother and wife. In this era, a woman’s role in society was to be a housewife and to care for her husband and

Towards the beginning of the Act, Nora adheres to Torvalds’ orders by asserting that her behaviour and actions are as so because “Torvald says [she] should” (37). Nora further praises him, “Torvald certainly knows how to make things pleasant about the place,” conveying his role as a dominant male figure in the society who dictates her actions and improves her life (37). However, as the Act develops, Nora is braver in terms of her use of a more inquisitive nature. This is presented as she questions Torvalds actions, “surely [he is not] serious” (43). This side of Nora exhibits a calculated independent and thinking woman. Ibsen shifts Nora’s initial focus from her wonderful life to an unfulfilled and dissatisfying struggle with her husband, created from the pressures exerted on her as a woman of the 1800’s society. Furthermore, Nora separates herself from her children and questions leaving them, portraying her thoughts of independence from her family. This is represented when she asks the Nursemaid if she “think[s the children] would forget their Mummy if she went away for good” (36). Ibsen conveys Nora’s encumbering independence by displaying her thoughts of leaving her responsibilities as a mother, and woman of society, behind. Furthermore, Nora is not the quiet, “pretty little pet”

The title is a perfect way to describe Nora in this play. In the first act Nora acts as a doll. Dolls don’t contain minds or emotions, they just do whatever you tell them to do. One just uses a doll to play with and use for entertainment. The owner of the doll usually likes to be in control which is why they have a toy figure. Torvald is the owner in this case and talks to her and treats her in a derogatory way. He calls her things such as, “my little lark”, “my squirrel”, “my dear little Nora”, and “my little songbird”. Notice that most have “little” in front of the name which implies he is talking down to her, as if she was a little girl. Another way of Torvald treating Nora like a child is when he gives her money. As Torvald asks Nora why she looks so sad, he begins to pull his wallet out almost flaunting it and teasing her. This is very similar to the relationship of a father and a daughter. Nora’s smile gets really big and he obviously gives her the money. This also shows the ownership that Torvald has over Nora, controlling all of the money. Now Torvald thinks that Nora is a “spendthrift”, but Nora really is a pennysaver and uses the rest of the money to pay off the debt. There are a few things that

She cleverly manipulates the men around her while, to them, she seems to be staying in her subordinate role. In all three acts of the play Nora controls many situations and yields the most power.

By exemplifying the oppressive situation and diminished value of women in the 1800s of Victorian society in the captivating play A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen portrays the life of a woman, whose entire existence is a build of societal guidelines, coming to the realization that her life is a pretense, propelling her into rebellion. Nora, a defiant wife, mother, and daughter of Victorian society, who is reduced to a mere plaything, struggles against the unjust constraints of social conformity, ultimately rejecting her oppressive marriage and life, freeing herself from the norms of society. Throughout the play, Nora rebels against the inequitable constraints of society and her oppressive husband in symbolic ways including, the things she says, her neurotic habits of behavior,

Patriarchy's socialization of women into servicing creatures is the major accusation in Nora's painful account to Torvald of how first her father, and then he, used her for their amusement. . . how she had no right to think for herself, only the duty to accept their opinions. Excluded from meaning anything, Nora has never been subject, only object. (Templeton 142)

In 1879, a revolutionary feminist play called “A Doll’s House” was born. It is a three act play written by Henrik Ibsen. “A Doll’s House” is a social drama that demonstrates how women are submissive to marriage and to society. The culture at the time considered women week and domestic. The plot is centered on a woman named Nora. During the play Nora figure out she is not happy and she decides to take control over her life. This play is still considered a model for feminists’ roles today. Gender inequality and stereotyping is demonstrated throughout the play. It is demonstrated by the way Nora accepts her married life, by the way her husband treats her, in the way people prejudge Nora’s life, and by the way Nora decides to leave her husband and children to determine who she really is.

Nora from the start of her life was always used to being looked down upon as if she didn’t have her own mind. Not only did her husband in this play act as though she was some

They have been dehumanized by society. As this play was published during the Victorian era, the play was seen as revolutionary. The thought that anyone would break societal and gender roles, especially a woman, was incredibly provocative. The way in which Nora is treated in this play reminds me of Eavan Boland’s poem ‘The Shadow Doll’. The doll is symbolic of the way women are expected to fit a role in life, in the case of this poem it is a bride. In the final stanza of the poem, it conveys an image of the bride “pressing down, pressing down” in order to lock the case of the wedding gifts. Boland is hinting here that at the inevitable loss of identity that she will now have to experience through her marriage, just like Nora has experienced throughout her marriage with Torvald.

Nora, the main character, obsessively tries to please her father and her husband. In an attempt to be the perfect daughter and a perfect wife, she conforms to the established