A Doll House Essay

A DollвЂ™s House Essay
The enforcement of specific gender roles by societal standards in 19th century married life proved
to be suffocating. Women were objects to perform those duties for which their gender was thought to
have been created: to remain complacent, readily accept any chore and complete it "gracefully"
(Ibsen 213). Contrarily, men were the absolute monarchs over their respective homes and all that
dwelled within. In Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, Nora is subjected to moral degradation
through her familial role, the consistent patronization of her husband and her own assumed
subordinance. Ibsen belittles the role of the housewife through means of stage direction, diminutive
pet names and through Nora's interaction with her morally ultimate...show more content...
Ibsen utilizes the boundaries of the "inexpensively furnished" (147) room to create Nora's
symbolic cage displaying how she is physically unable to leave the confines of the room and the
role in which every 19th century wife must play. In Act I, Nora plays her faГ§ade of the frivolous
"funny little spendthrift" (150) in an effort to seem as defenseless as the woodland creatures
Torvald finds so endearing and subsequently patronizing. Nora's quarantine is enhanced as she is
called a "squirrel...skylark, and little bird" (150) by Torvald, infantilizing her character and
consequently solidifying her inability to escape the confines of her assumed womanly role. Nora
readily assumes the position of a subordinate and feeble woman to protect the illusion she perceives
as a complete home in addition to avoid "[being] completely alone" (154). This absolute isolation
in adherence to the role in which she has been nurtured to conform to is slowly deteriorating her
character, which is displayed in the increased sporadic nature of "poor little Nora's" (152) actions
and her lack of ability to focus as the play progresses. Nora's childlike behaviors steadily become
more obvious as her fixated birdcage becomes increasingly suffocating, the discomfort with her
current isolation grows and as her mask of perfection slowly disintegrates.
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A Doll 's House Review Essay
A Doll's House Review A Doll's House was published in Norway in 1879 by Henrik Isben. He is
known as the father of Modern Theatre. He is also referred as the father of realism. The play is
very interesting because of the funny dialogue, the unique characters, and Ibsen 's view of the
place of ladies in the public eye. The main characters of the play is Nora Helmer and her husband
Torvald Helmer. Imagine what it would be like to live in a doll 's home? It 's a house in which
you are controlled and have no energy to settle on any solid choice; It 's a house in which you are
a play thing for another person 's amusement. This sounds a ton like an awful marriage, so it 's a
house in which your husband holds the satchel strings, in a manner of speaking, and abandons you
with no influence over your family 's accounts. In fact, your husband keeps you on a tightrope.
Such is the perceived life of Nora Helmer. A Doll's House is an example of a literacy work with
numeral possible themes. The idea of the play is an expression of the need for women to escape
from the confinement and restriction that they faced in nineteenth–century European society, it is
supported by the condescending manner in which Torvald treats Nora and by his frequent
references to the respective value of men and women. Another theme is in order for a marriage to be
successful, the people involved should know and trust each other, show view each other as

The Doll's House Essay
Both, 'The Dolls House' and 'The Garden Party' reflect on similar situations that we see in our day
to day lives such as class distinction and power. In 'The Doll's House', the Burnell girls are so
excited to show their doll's house to the other girls at school at school the next day. Isabel (the
eldest child) says "I'm to tell first because I'm the eldest." This reflects on how in situations and
society some people hold more power over other people. Things such as age and social status can
often create division as the oldest or one of the highest status can be thought to be more important
compared to others. 'The Doll's House' also shows how most people are merely attracted to
materialistic things, as soon as the Burnell girls show everyone...show more content...
In 'The Garden Party', Mrs Sheridan gives Laura her hat while giving her the hat she says, "people
like them don't expect sacrifices from us." Once again the line suggests that Mrs Sheridan
considers herself superior and detached to the people of a lower class around her. Also, when Laura
looks at herself in her mirror whilst wearing the hat she sees a 'charming girl', this once again hints
that Laura too like her mother is isolated from the outside world, she hasn't interacted with people
outside her class. The black colour of the hat relates to Mrs Sheridan coldness or rather lack of
warmth towards the situation and the man's death. The hat is an important part of the story as
when laura goes to see the man's family she apologises for the hat. This may be because she has
suddenly realised how disconnected she has been to the outside world her entire life and has
realised the how biased her mother's and family's treatment of other people is. Seeing the man's
body shocks Laura, her reaction upon seeing the body is odd, she is almost elated. This could be
because this is her first real experience outside the shelter of her home. Upon seeing the lifeless
body herself, Laura realises how fragile life truly is. Her not being able to finish her sentence to
Laurie, "isn't life..," also shows how Laura has realised that regardless of class everyone has the
same outcome, death. And if not anything else, they all at least have that in common. Similarly in
"The Doll's House", the doll's house itself is a symbol of the Burnell's status in society as its
popularity suggests that the Burnells are the only people with a doll's house and are therefore
different, more superior to everyone around them. The odd smell of paint coming from the doll's
house could be a representation of the Burnells themselves, that although they are of a higher class
and are superior they are not perfect. The odd

A Doll's House Essay
A Doll House Essay Ibsen said that his mission in life was to "Inspire individuals to freedom and
independence" which was shown throughout the play A Doll House. Since he wrote modern theatre,
the characters were real and audiences could relate to them. He particularly questioned the role of
men and women during his time. Ibsen used A Doll House to motivate women so they would seek
more power and freedom in their relationships. Audiences could then look up to characters such as
Nora and Mrs Linde whom were independent, some what ahead of their times. Ibsen's purpose was to
not only to enlighten women of their unfair status but also to make the men understand women are
much smarter than what they think. His goal was to change...show more content...
She knows her role and that the men had total control of money. Her character changes at the end
when she realises she can no longer use her femininity to get out of trouble. Her stronger side comes
out where she breaks out of the typical feminine role. The Subjection of Women by Mill went by
similar morals that Ibsen wanted to spread. It states that women should be able to vote and should be
equal in marriage. Both these men wanted to change women's naturalization of typical household
duties. Mills stated that people naturalized things to make them feel better, knowing it is unjust,
including issues of slavery. "Men do not want solely the obedience of women, they want their
sentiments." Ibsen showed that this wasn't always the case, as although Nora was obedient, she
wanted something different. Many women would have been in this situation and the play gave them
the courage to say it. Women of this time were only educated in how to be attractive to men and to
be ladylike. By not having the same opportunities to men, women found out they were not reaching
their full potential and didn't feel complete, like Ibsen's Nora. "What is now called the nature of
women is an eminently artificial thing–the result of forced repression in some directions, unnatural
stimulation in others." The idea of being intellectual was suppressed and men took their dominance
as second nature. Torvald was

Realism in A Doll's House Essay examples
For Ibsen, the theatre was a place of truth, of brutal analysis; an institution where the minds and souls
of man were exposed with an honesty that at times seemed intolerably cruel. "Ej blot til Lyst" – "Not
Only for Amusement" – Ibsen did not accept compromise nor should one expect compromise from
Ibsen. "Ibsen's plays do not depend for their interest on the action, or on the incidents. Even the
characters, faultlessly drawn though they be, are not the first thing in this plays. But the `naked drama
' – either the perception of a great truth, or the opening up of a great question, or of a great conflict
which is almost independent of the conflicting actors, and has been and is of –far reaching
importance – this is what primarily rivets...show more content...
Ibsen was a romanticist who became a realist. Ibsen was a man who thought romantically but he
wrote realistically – the desire to show real life on stage. In a conversation with Harald Holst, a
member of the Christiana Theatre, Ibsen says that "every scene and every picture ought as far as
possible to be a reflection of reality." "There must be "equal truth to life on all counts." (Ibsen.Net)
When one thinks Ibsenism, one thinks realism. In a letter written to Hans Schroeder, Director of the
Christiana Theatre, Ibsen stresses, "truth to life – the illusion that everything is real and that one is
sitting watching something that is taking place in real life." He goes on to say, "every scene and
picture in his plays ought as far as possible to be a reflection of reality."(Ibsen.Net) "There must be
equal truth to life on all counts."
It took Ibsen almost 30 years of writing poetry and historical dramas to achieve this "realism" stage
that would lay the foundation in developing his dramatic technique. Ibsen established realism as the
standard for modern drama. "No pretense or delusion was safe from his quizzical scrutiny, and no
institution or cherished notion was exempt from his scorn." (Gassner) H.L. Mencken, the
well–known and acerbic critic, wrote "a terrifying glimpse through a keyhole."

A Doll's House Essay
A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, is a play about a Victorian housewife, Nora Helmer, who, although
failing to cover up a well–intentioned crime she committed for the sake of her husband's life,
succeeds in liberating herself from an oppressive marriage. Nora, in the course of the play, has a
revelation of how she can break free of the ideological superstructure of the Victorian household she
lives in. Nora finds that she can define who she is instead of being under the label of the beautiful,
loyal wife of a Victorian male, as if she is the single defected doll among all the mass produced
ornamented dolls, ready for their owners–their husbands. Subtle details such as the masculine
characteristics Nora exhibits, the dance she practices with...show more content...
Nora's Italian dress appears to be exquisite to Torvald, calling Nora his "little Capri girl" (Ibsen
67), infantilizing Nora as well as reifying her by saying "she's worth looking at" (Ibsen 67). Even
though the dress is chosen by Torvald and shows how Nora is sexualized under the male gaze,
this dress can be read as a costume to reinforce Nora's dominance instead of the beauty in her
appearance, something Torvald can only envision as he never cares to think about his wife below
her shell. During the time when Torvald was sick and the Helmer household had to move to Italy
for his medical treatment, Nora was the one who covered all the expenses that would be used for
curing her husband's illness–she borrowed money and did work that are strictly for men, such as
copywriting. Not only did she support him financially, she also helped maintain Torvald's health;
she was always by his side like the loyal and caring wife she always was. During the Helmer
family's residence in Italy, Nora took up both the role of a wife and the role of the husband,
supporting her family financially through unconventional labor and looking after her sick husband,
making her the dominant figure in the household. The Italian dress reminds her of the power she
possessed when she was in Italy, which makes Nora want the power back. After the party, as she
changes back to her everyday clothes, she states, "I've changed" (Ibsen 79), meaning that not only
did she change back into her usual attire, but she has also changed into a woman who is determined
to leave her husband behind, "betraying the sacred duty of a wife" (Ibsen 82), embracing that power
and masculinity she used to own once again. As a doll, she changes her clothes but she becomes a
whole new person, mighty and independent, when many other

A Doll House
In the story, "A Doll house", the author, Henrik Ibsen, describes the gradual collapse of the
marriage between Nora and Torvald. Nora, a dedicated and supportive wife, borrows money from
Torvald's friend Krogstad without her husband's consent in the early years of their marriage. The
money borrowed was used to pay for the expenses needed to prevent her husband from dying. Nora
has a growing knowledge of her failing marriage right from the time she borrows money from
Krogstad, her conversation with Dr Rank and Christine, admonition from husband for her frivolous
spending, and eventually the reaction of her husband when he receives the information about the
forgery and the loan. The thought that she has something over her husband's head is a...show more
content...
Nora is frustrated in seeing Krogstad's letter, which will reveal all her secrets but is not able to
retrieve the letter, because her husband always has the key to the mail box. Nora carries a burden
all throughout her marriage. All she hopes for is a miracle. She believes that when the secret is
out, Torvald will take the blame and protect her, but unfortunately when the secret is revealed to
Torvald, her world finally falls down, and Torvald disclaims and attacks her, even though she had
done it for him. The futility of her marriage finally dawns on her. She says she was never happy,
only lighthearted and that she was a doll wife to him. She blames Torvald for her ruined marriage.
Nora is faced with the reality that she's always been treated like a child. In their conversation, it is
realized that since they married, there hasn't been a serious conversation between them. Nora sees
that her husband is not worth her love anymore and that she has wasted all eight years of their
marriage. She now wants to educate herself. Therefore, not even the thoughts of her children could
save their marriage, so she leaves

Theme Of A Dolls House Essay
Henrik Ibsen's, A Doll's House is definitely a unique story written by a very intelligent,
complicated writer. I believe he intentionally wrote the play in a manner which would lead every
reader to draw his own conclusions. He forces us to find our own interpretation of the play in
context with our personal lives and experiences with the opposite sex. The theme may be
interpreted by many as a study of the moral laws that men and women are required to follow by
nature. I believe it is primarily based on the gender stereotypes that determine the role of women in
society.
During the time in which the play took place, society frowned upon women asserting themselves.
Women were expected to play a role in which they supported their husbands,...show more content...
Nora responds to his remark saying, "Go away, Torvald! Leave me alone. I don't want all this."
Torvald asks, "Aren't I your husband?" implying that one of Nora's duties as his wife is to
physically please him at his command.
Torvald also does not trust Nora with money, which exemplifies Torvald's treating Nora as a
child. On the rare occasion when Torvald gives Nora some money, he is concerned that she will
waste it on candy and pastry. In general, Nora's duties are restricted to playing with the children,
doing little housework, and working on her needlepoint. A problem with her responsibilities is that
her most important obligation is to please Torvald, making her role similar to that of a slave.
Torvald easily talks down to Nora saying things like: "...worries that you couldn't possible help me
with", "Nora, Nora, just like a woman", and "Mayn't I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty
that belongs to no one but me–that's my very own?" as if she is considered his property.
However, Nora does eventually realize that she has been treated like a child all her life and has
been denied the right to think and act the way she wishes. When Torvald does not immediately
offer to help Nora after Krogstad threatens to expose her, Nora realizes that there is a problem. By
waiting until after he discovers that his social status will suffer no harm, Torvald reveals his true

A DollвЂ™s House: Nora Essay
When the door slams at the end of "A Doll's House" by Henry Ibsen, No one would not believe the
woman walking out of her house is the same one who appeared at the beginning of the play. The
main character in this play is Nora. Nora goes through a complete transformation, changing from a
child like and dependant woman to a self strong woman pushing to become independent. Ibsen
portrays the roles of society in the Victorian times in this play. Throughout her whole life, Nora's
husband and father have always controlled her; she has never been able to be independent, and the
treatment she receives is not equal to the males around her, and the people around her belittle and
patronize her to no end. Finally it goes too far and Nora realizes...show more content...
Torvald berates Nora about her physical appearance, saying, "Has my little sweet tooth been
indulging herself in town today by any chance? ..." (Act 1). Nora often sneaks macaroons,
because she can not eat them in front of Torvald for fear of his disapproval. Torvald is very
particular about Noras figure, as he wants her to stay small, dainty, and delicate. This is Ibsen
showing the "role" of the male in that society. He has to always be in control, and for Torvald, his
and Nora's image are the most important things in the world, whether it was Nora's figure or the fact
that Nora forged her father's signature to obtain the secret loan, which angers Torvald a great deal.
In the beginning, Nora acts and speaks like a child saying things like "Pooh!"(Act 1). Ibsen
showshow he thinks dependant and uneducated woman are naive and almost childlike. Nora and
Torvald's relationship is almost exactly how her and her father's relationship had been, with the
man completely controlling Nora, and Nora acting like an obedient child. Nora had not been
independent with her father and when she marries Torvald she is also completely dependant on
him for everything she wants or needs. Both Nora's father and Torvald coddle Nora and treat her
like a delicate doll so she is never fully is independent. At one point in the play Torvald even admits
he finds Nora more attractive because of her dependence on him. Christine Linde is

A Doll House
Jordan Sbarboro A Doll House Analysis THE 111
Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House is a play written in 1879 and is still talked about and performed
today. While it was written as an intellectual reflection on how women deserve all the same rights
as men, it's also a good metaphor for how women should be independent today. In fact, that's the
theme in the play, independence. The play follows the main character Nora, she is treated like a
child by her husband, Torvald. Nora went out of her way to get a loan from Krogstad, as well as
her father, and she is still treated like an uneducated child. She is also being blackmailed by
Krogstad if she doesn't convince her husband to give him a promotion at the bank. Because she is a
woman, and the politics of

A Dolls House Essay
The play "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen, makes several impressions about the perceptions of
society and how women roles were defined during that time. This play also shows how gender
status was at the time. The role of women was quite clear in this play. Nora's behavior, like most
women during that time, was to give into anything her husband said and obey his orders. In the
beginning of the play, Nora was shown as a childish and naive housewife with a skill for spending
money, and had a "parent–child" relationship with her husband. Her husband insulted her many
times and even accused her of having too many sweets and gaining weight. Women were not
considered as equal with men, either in relation to their husbands or the society. As Nora...show more
content...
Though Nora has a financial advantaged she leads a complicated life because society dictates that
the husband should be the marriage's governing partner. Women could not conduct business or
control their own money, for which they need the authorization of the man who is portrayed as the
owner of women. Nora must hide the fact that she received a loan from Krogstad, even though it
was to save Tovald's life, because she knows he would never accept the idea that his wife, a woman,
had helped save his life. With the arrival of Mrs. Linden, an old school friend, Nora finally has
someone to talk to and hang out with. She finds herself able to be fully honest and confide in
with Mrs. Linden. Nora requests, on Mrs. Lindens behalf, that Torvald hires her which indicates an
ongoing change in her attitude. With Nora's deception and the perceptions of society, she is
susceptible to blackmail. Krogstad has an advantage over Nora, and threatens to reveal her
fraudulent signature on the bond to everyone if Tovald fires him. Nora's courage comes out when
she sends Mrs. Linden to persuade Krogstad to change his mind, she shows full independence and
awareness of her actions. Since it is illegal for a woman to obtain a loan without her husband's
permission, Nora must work in secret to pay off

A Doll House Essay

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A Doll House Essay