Using Marxist Theory in the Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen Essay

In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen introduces the major thematic concept of marriage and financial wealth. Throughout the novel, Austen depicts various relationships that exhibit the two recurring themes. Set during the regency period, the perception of marriage revolves around a universal truth. Austen claims that a single man “must be in want of a wife.” Hence, the social stature and wealth of men were of principal importance for women. Austen, however, hints that the opposite may prove more exact: a single woman, under the social limitations, is in want of a husband. Through this speculation, Austen acknowledges that the economic pressure of social acceptance serves as a foundation for a proper marriage.

In Elizabethan Society during the time in which William Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice, many marriages were arranged by the parents of the betrothed couple to ensure the transfer of wealth as opposed to assuring true love. Once married, the woman was expected to be subservient to her husband and not control any matters of the estate. Although not necessarily written as a stance on women’s position in society, it is from this perspective that Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of Venice laying down an underlying theme of marriage for wealth within the play. Love in William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is bartered like a tradable commodity in order to gain money, status, and resources.

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

Torvald was ill and the only thing that could save him would be time spent away from the cold. Nora never tells Torvald about this loan because he doesn’t believe in borrowing. Toward the end of the play when Torvald finds out about the loan, his true colors come out and Nora finally gets to see what her husband is really like. This is what really causes Nora to leave her family and to try to find who she really is. This situation also causes Torvald to change a little as well. Near the end when Torvald finds out about the loan, he gets angry with Nora. Once he learns that she is going to leave him and the children, he begins to change his ways a little and starts treating her with a little more respect. He hopes this will make Nora stay, but she already has her mind set and finally has control for once in her life.

Previous to the opening of the play, Nora makes the decision to get a loan without Torvald's knowledge so that he can go to Italy and improve his health, showing compassion and love for her husband. Nora's aquiring the loan with her father as a guarantor, shows that she cared enough not to worry her husband with money problems at a time that he needed to heal. Forging her

   In his play, A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen depicts a female protagonist, Nora Helmer, who dares to defy her husband and forsake her "duty" as a wife and mother to seek out her individuality. A Doll's House challenges the patriarchal view held by most people at the time that a woman's place was in the home. Many women could relate to Nora's situation. Like Nora, they felt trapped by their husbands and their fathers; however, they believed that the rules of society prevented them from stepping out of the shadows of men. Through this play, Ibsen stresses the importance of women's individuality. A Doll's House combines realistic characters, fascinating imagery, explicit stage directions, and

In the play “A Doll’s House” Henrik Ibsen introduces us to Nora Helmer and shows us how spontanesly her design of the ideal life can change when a secret of her is revealed. Nora’s husbands promotion to Manager of the town Bank, leaves her convince she will be living a wonderful life; stress and worry free. However, Nora’s idea of a wonderful life is completely changed when her long-kept secret is revealed.

Women roles have drastically changed since the late 18th and early 19th century. During this time, women did not have the freedom to voice their opinions and be themselves. Today women don’t even have to worry about the rules and limitations like the women had to in this era. Edna in “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin and Nora in “A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen were analogous protagonists. The trials they faced were also very similar. Edna and Nora were both faced with the fact that they face a repressive husband whom they both find and exit strategy for. For Nora this involved abandoning her family and running away, while Edna takes the option that Nora could not do-committing suicide. These distinct texts both show how women were forced to

Compare and contrast how gender roles are presented in The Importance of Being Earnest and a Doll’s House in light of Ibsen’s statement that “there are two kinds of moral laws, two kinds of conscience, one for men and one quite different, for women.”

Furthermore, Ibsen uses the conversation between Nora and Krogstad to illuminate the theme of deceit. Deceit is the central theme of the play with the spiral of devious events undertaken by Nora becoming at catalyst for her awakening. The theme is prominently illuminated during the first conversation between Nora and Krogstad with it being revealed Krogstad lent Nora the money she sought to save Torvalds life, ‘you came to me to borrow two hundred and fifty pounds.’ This heightens the climax as the reveal of Nora’s loan juxtaposes Torvalds negative values on borrowing money, ‘No debts! Never borrow! A home that is founded on debts and borrowing can never be a place of freedom and beauty.’ However, even though Nora disobeyed Torvalds central rule of borrowing money, her act of deceit was committed for ‘moral’ reasons as she had to save his life provoking the audience to

Nora proceeds to apologize and plays the role of the obedient wife. Nora has the right to spend extra money after what she has been through for the first few years of marriage. Nora and Torvald were very poor. Torvald also became sick and had to travel to Italy to recover. Nora secretly and illegally got a loan to pay for the trip to Italy. During the time setting of the play, women weren’t allowed to do certain things without their husband’s permission such as take out loans. Nora has been working extra hard to pay back her debt and the promotion that Torvald will receive will help Nora become debt free.

Investigation of Power in Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ Nora Helmer is introduced in Act I as a character subjugated to the wills and desires of her husband; she is merely an object which Torvald, possesses. At the conclusion of Act III however, she has become sufficiently independent to arrive at her decision to leave the children, her husband and what life she had behind, as she slams the door on the family home. A significant transition of power has occurred and this is one of the major themes that Ibsen raises in his dramatic text ‘A Doll’s House.’ However, in examining the underlying issue of power presented by the text, one cannot simply look at the plight of Nora’s character, three major aspects of this theme need also to be

Women had to change their lifestyles to be able to marry into wealth. To help the family, the daughters had to change their lifestyles (Sheehan). “A truth universally acknowledged, that a single main possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” said Mrs. Bennett (Hall). When the daughter gets married, her father wants to make sure that the husband can take care of her and protect her financially (Ray 140). Some women started marrying for money instead of love. A woman searching for love that cannot find a husband will then begin searching for men with wealth instead. A marriageable woman should not have to choose between marrying for wealth or for true love (Hall). Charlotte Lucas marries Mr. Collins, so when Mr. Bennett passes away, they will get his land. Charlotte Lucas also married Mr. Collins for the money and not for love. Mrs.Bennet wants one of her daughters to marry a wealthy man, so when Mr.Bennet passes away, they will still have a place to live (Pride and Prejudice). Marrying for

When Nora confesses to her friend Mrs. Linden what she had done, she does not seams worry or ashamed because as she explained the money was used to save her husband’s life. Nora worked in the house copying books to get money to pay the loan, and every time she went clothe shopping she would save half of the money. Now we can understand why in act one we see Nora asking for money and when her husband asked her what she wanted as a Christmas present, she also asked for money.

He too equates wealth with happiness when he says "it is splendid to feel that one has a perfectly safe appointment, and a big enough income." (1.70). When Nora mentions that they can take a loan until his raise comes through, he is adamant in his reply that “there can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt.” (1.22). He had also adopted society's values that power depended on money, and debt, which was frowned upon, was considered a sign of moral degeneracy. The dramatic irony behind his words lies in the fact that Torvald would not even still be alive if his wife hadn't gotten into debt, but he does not realize this.