Preview

Symbolism In A Doll's House

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
922 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Symbolism In A Doll's House
“A Doll House:” Nora’s Doll-like Life
The play “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen opens on Christmas Eve. From the beginning of the play, the audience is introduced to Nora Helmer. She seems completely blissful with her life, and feels fortunate for the way her life she is turning out. She responds with affection to her husband’s teasing; Torvald Helmer. She also feels excited about the extra money her husband will earn from his new job as a bank manager. Nora does not seem to mind her doll-like life. In the play Ibsen portrays the little importance that the sacrifices that the women of all economic classes make by “giving up honor for love” (Ibsen 1359) .Women are seen as delicate, innocent, and uneducated in the business world. Symbolism plays a major role in understanding the play. The Christmas tree, New Year’s Day, and the Tarantella are symbols that weave the life of the characters and what they stand for.
The Christmas tree is a very symbolic in the play. It symbolizes Nora’s position in the household. In the play the Christmas tree is only a decorative object, very pleasing to look at, and adds charm to the home, just like Nora. Ibsen draws many similarities between Nora and the Christmas tree. At the beginning of the play Nora ordered the maid to hide the tree because “the children …show more content…
Ibsen was successful by making a symbolic setting to represent the true meaning of the characters of this story. Scholars tend to agree that ”the overwhelming impression left by this network of verbal/visual images--from the concealed Christmas tree at the beginning of the play to the masquerade party near its close--is that of a symbolic web of deceit in which the Helmets have long been ensnared” (Drake). The Christmas tree, New Year’s Day, and the Tarantella are symbols that weave the life of the characters and help to demonstrate the deceit and hidden lives of the
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Essay On Nora's Relationship With Her Husband Torvald
    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Essay On Nora's Relationship With Her Husband Torvald

    A woman sheltered by an awful man, turning into a woman breaking free from a helpless man. Ibsen’s A Doll’s House shows evidence that it is written with a feminist agenda. Nora is treated like border line trash the whole play in comparison to her husband. She is called weak, unintelligent, and needy. She is called terrible names the whole time, demeaning her role as a woman. Even the title of the play supports it being themed on feminism. A Doll’s House may have reason to be seen as a play about humanism, but the main theme is indeed…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Symbols In A Doll's House
    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Symbols In A Doll's House

    Author Henrik Ibsen was a very brave man during his time period. He dared to be different and wrote about what people did not want to or desired to discuss because it was not the cultural norm. He mainly focused on women’s rights and their roles due to his startling upbringing and wanted the world to know that, in reality, everything was not always hunky-dory, especially when it came to women. This led to and fueled him to write in the Realism format which discussed real life issues. In his work, A Doll’s House, Ibsen metaphorically spoke of one of the main characters, Nora, as he used symbolism to expose the reality of women’s roles, along with a possible outcome of how women would end up if they challenged society’s view of them.…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Stereotypes In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen
    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Stereotypes In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    In a male-dominated world, women have to struggle against society-imposed identities. Within A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, Nora undergoes a journey of realization, leading her to believe that she must discover who she really is, not who society wants her to be. Nora begins the play portraying the image of a “trophy wife”, but as the play continues, she transforms into her own individual. Through Nora’s cognizance that she has been pretending to be someone she wasn’t, Ibsen displays that women, in a patriarchal society, must struggle with stereotypes, while still trying to be who they truly are.…

    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House and the Macaroon
    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Doll's House and the Macaroon

    A significant symbol in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen are the macaroons that show up several times within the course of the play because it shows that Nora is not truthful to Torvald and that their household is tangled up in a web of deceit. “She slips the bag of macaroons in her pocket and wipes her mouth...”. Nora knows that Torvald dislikes her spending money on guilty pleasures like macaroons so she tries to hide them, just as she tries to hide the truth of her bond and debts. The macaroons also show that Nora is uncomfortable with all of the rules and regulations Torvald has set up and that she has her own will and mind set. When Torvald asks her if she had any macaroons, she immediately responded with “No, Torvald, really; I promise you.” It shows that she may have a different set of morals than Torvald and that she is not at all comfortable in her living situation and Torvald is not one of her confidants like Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde. The macaroons show that Nora is not the perfect doll that Torvald tried to mold her into. The macaroons function in the text was to show that although that some families and lives seem picture perfect, most of the time it is not true, as proven by Nora’s need to hide the bond and macaroons from Torvald. The macaroons could also represent Nora’s want to be independent and free, that she wants to rebel and be someone of her own making as opposed to being Torvald’s little “songbird”, “squirrel” and “capricious Capri”.…

    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen
    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen

    A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, was first performed in 1879 in Denmark at the Royal Theatre. It is a play that goes against the social norms of the 19th century and exemplifies women in a questionable way. The play would not be what it is today without the unique theatrical components that made it a provocative and realistic drama. A few of these realistic components include its feminism point of view, Christmas setting, New Years, the living room environment and the rebellious attitude of one the main characters, Nora.…

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House Research Paper
    • 3445 Words
    • 14 Pages

    A Doll's House Research Paper

    A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, portrays a young married woman, Nora, who plays a dramatic role of deception and self-indulgence. The author creates a good understanding of a woman’s role by assuming Nora is an average housewife who does not work; her only job is to maintain the house and raise the children like a stereotypical woman that cannot work or help society. In reality, she is not an average housewife in that she has a hired maid who deals with the house and children. Although Ibsen focuses on these “housewife” attributes, Nora’s character is ambitious, naive, and somewhat cunning. She hides a dark secret from her husband that not only includes borrowing money, but also forgery. Nora’s choices were irrational; she handled the situations very poorly in this play by keeping everything a secret. The way that women were viewed in this time period created a barrier that she could not overcome. The decisions that had the potential to be good were otherwise molded into appalling ones. Women should have just as many rights as men and should not be discriminated by gender; but they should also accept consequences in the same way without a lesser or harsher punishment.…

    • 3445 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Meanings Behind a Doll's House
    • 1725 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Meanings Behind 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.…

    • 1725 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll S House Symbol
    • 647 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Doll S House Symbol

    In A Doll's House by Henrick Ibsen, money symbolizes what some characters seek or have gotten into problems over. It seems that this whole play revolves around it and drama is created because of it. The common saying “money can't buy happiness” is proven untrue in the beginning of this play when one of the main characters, Nora, is always joyous and perky when she convinces her husband to give her more money. Throughout this play, money forces characters to show their true selves.…

    • 647 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Nora Change In A Doll's House
    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Does Nora Change In A Doll's House

    When reading A Doll’s House, one would think it’s just a normal play centered around an average family during Christmas time. They may appear perfect like a doll house, but behind the curtain they have their share of problems. This play mostly follows Nora, who is seen as a typical housewife and mother. Throughout the story, her character evolves the most in this play and one would believe she changes her life for the better; even going so far as to show feminist qualities of self-sufficiency and liberation. Not all Holidays can be joyful and perfect and her decision of leaving her family behind paved the way for many women to question their own treatment in society.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House Controversy
    • 1758 Words
    • 8 Pages

    A Doll's House Controversy

    In the nineteenth century, and even before, society was not as it is today. A lot has changed since then, such as cultures, works, rights, laws and even society itself. Plays were a form of entertainment back in the days and even now. Entertainment has never been so pivotal for the society until the play “A Doll’s House”. Henrik Ibsen, the creator of the play “A Doll House”, have led the readers and public with the desire to study, analyze, comment, question the actions and characters of the play. In the play, a woman, call Nora, took a loan to save her husband’s life, Torvald. The problem of the play is that she did not tell him. Due to a letter Torvald receive from Mr. Krogstad, he gets to know about the debt. The husband reclaims Nora for her actions, calls her a stupid woman and then tells her she is not an adequate mother. As the result of Torvald acts and words, Nora decides to leave the house. Ibsen’s play has evoked a lot of controversy and new views of the…

    • 1758 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    A Doll's House: Symbols That Revealed the Deterioration of Nora and Torvald's Marriage
    • 1551 Words
    • 7 Pages

    A Doll's House: Symbols That Revealed the Deterioration of Nora and Torvald's Marriage

    In Henrik Ibsen’s Doll’s House the stylistic symbols used enhanced the play and added a complexity that makes it a memorable work of literature that has survived through the ages. These symbols are placed throughout the play to show the deterioration of Nora and Torvald’s marriage, the changes that caused the marriage to end as it did and as well as the potential for it become a real marriage. This can be seen with the use of New Years Day, the Tarantella costume and the Doll House that is their home together, being used throughout Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.…

    • 1551 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    “a Doll’s House” by Ibsen
    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “a Doll’s House” by Ibsen

    theme in “A Doll’s House”. During Ibsen’s time and currently now this issue about gender continues to raise important concerns between men and women such as: the right of a woman to determine and direct course of their own lives, the role of the wife in a marriage, and the…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House Essay
    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Doll's House Essay

    Also in A Doll’s House, you will find that things are not always what they seem. One of the main examples of this, is the various sides of Nora that she uncovers throughout the course of the play. She goes from being told, “Nora, you’re just a child” [pg.951 Ibsen] by Mrs. Linde, to an untypical Victorian woman. She appears to be a spendthrift to Torvald, when really she is paying off a debt she owes to…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House Oppression
    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Doll's House Oppression

    Playwright and writer, Henrick Ibsen, in his play, A Doll’s House, illustrates how women were oppressed during modern-day Victorian Era. Ibsen’s purpose is to express how Nora, along with thousands of other women, are being being psychologically oppressed by their husbands, creating broken homes controlled by separate minds. He adopts an empathetic tone in order to display his perspective on oppression, and bring deep insight in his audience.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Miss Julie and a Doll's House
    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Miss Julie and a Doll's House

    “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen is divided into three acts. In act one, the transition between Nora and the porter that open “A Doll’s House” is immediately puts the money, which emerges as one of the most significant symbolism that forces the play’s conflict as it concerns genders, classes and moral standards. Similarly, act one always portrays Torvald’s insistence on calling Nora by affectionately flyspeck names; Little Songbird which evokes her helplessness and her dependence on him. The only time he called calls Nora by her actual name is when he is angry at her. By placing these names it suggests that Torvald not only asserts his power over Nora but also dehumanizes her. This implies that Nora has no sense of the fundamental male ability to deal with financial issues. In addition to being sort of a doll to Torvald, Nora is also like a child, in the eyes of Torvald. He treats her like a child. Nora’s selection of gifts- a sword and a horse for the male children and a doll for her daughter also portrays that Nora is in forcing stereotypical gender role discrimination. Nora sees her daughter the same way as she has been treated-as a doll.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics