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The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka And A Doll's House

Decent Essays

At first a character may appear like a frivolous bird or a wretched cockroach. However, complex humans with ambition and emotions lurk beneath their demeanor, despite how inconvenient the truth is to societies that prefer to chain people to one image. In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Nora and Gregor used to live comfortably with their middle-class families in a way that audience-goers and readers can relate to. The Helmers’ marriage is traditional for the late 19th century; Torvald works at a bank and manages the family’s finances while Nora cares for the house affairs and plays with her young children. For the Samsa family set in the early 20th century, Gregor the traveling salesman was the breadwinner of the family, and although he disliked his job, he supported his elderly parents and younger sister. Once their physical and mental situations change, Nora and Gregor are forced to accept truth about their real place in the houses’ hierarchies with Torvald and Grete.
Chirpy Nora Helmer of A Doll’s House begins the story coaxing her husband Torvald to gift her money for Christmas, hinting to the audience that she has a questionable fascination with money (Ibsen 3). Similarly, she raises suspicion about the sincerity of their happy marriage when she lies about snacking on macaroons, something so insignificant that it seems pointless to lie (Ibsen 4). Later in Act I, an old friend Mrs. Linde visits, shares her troubles, and calls Nora

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