Meanings Behind a Doll's House
Drama Essay: The Meanings Behind Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”
In the 21st or present century, the idea of a woman abandoning her children and husband to discover who she truly is would be viewed as a triumphant action. However, in the Victorian era, where the play “A Doll’s House” takes place, this event was unheard of and completely outrageous. Women mostly served the same purpose in every relationship and every household so the idea of being an individual and finding their interests was entirely unimportant. Many times in literature, a deeper meaning can be found within the text. The drama “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, conveys a scenario that represents Victorian views and women’s place in society at that time. With the use of symbolism throughout the play, a message is created about ideals during this era. While Ibsen claims to not share any feminist views, much of his creation speaks otherwise. As many believe Ibsen’s intent “is to expose the patriarchy and it’s exploitation of women(Baseer)”. Many aspects in the play are intriguing as well, that could lead one to believe Ibsen really is a secret feminist. With careful analysis, the reader can locate several places in “A Doll’s House” where Ibsen acknowledges the imbalance of a patriarchal society and covertly establishes himself as an advocate for Women’s Rights.
In “A Dolls House”; Nora, the wife, is unemployed and very childish. Whatever money she possesses and spends is given in the form of an allowance from her husband. She spends heftily and is very irresponsible with the funds she is allowed. This flaw in her financial handling skills is one of the many indicators of Nora’s naievety. This benightedness is even recognized in the play. A few of the people that go to visit Nora point out that she has limited knowledge of the world she lives in. For instance, Mrs. Linde, who says “You are a child, Nora(Ibsen 825)”. This idea of ignorance and emphasis on it reveals that Nora is essentially useless as
In the 21st or present century, the idea of a woman abandoning her children and husband to discover who she truly is would be viewed as a triumphant action. However, in the Victorian era, where the play “A Doll’s House” takes place, this event was unheard of and completely outrageous. Women mostly served the same purpose in every relationship and every household so the idea of being an individual and finding their interests was entirely unimportant. Many times in literature, a deeper meaning can be found within the text. The drama “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, conveys a scenario that represents Victorian views and women’s place in society at that time. With the use of symbolism throughout the play, a message is created about ideals during this era. While Ibsen claims to not share any feminist views, much of his creation speaks otherwise. As many believe Ibsen’s intent “is to expose the patriarchy and it’s exploitation of women(Baseer)”. Many aspects in the play are intriguing as well, that could lead one to believe Ibsen really is a secret feminist. With careful analysis, the reader can locate several places in “A Doll’s House” where Ibsen acknowledges the imbalance of a patriarchal society and covertly establishes himself as an advocate for Women’s Rights.
In “A Dolls House”; Nora, the wife, is unemployed and very childish. Whatever money she possesses and spends is given in the form of an allowance from her husband. She spends heftily and is very irresponsible with the funds she is allowed. This flaw in her financial handling skills is one of the many indicators of Nora’s naievety. This benightedness is even recognized in the play. A few of the people that go to visit Nora point out that she has limited knowledge of the world she lives in. For instance, Mrs. Linde, who says “You are a child, Nora(Ibsen 825)”. This idea of ignorance and emphasis on it reveals that Nora is essentially useless as