The Struggle for Identity in A Doll’s House :: A Doll’s House

The Struggle for Identity in A Dolls House A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that was written frontward of its time. In this play Ibsen tackles womens rights as a matter of importance. Throughout this time period it was neglected. A Dolls House was written during the movement of Naturalism, which commonly reflected society. Ibsen acknowledges the fact that in nineteenth century life the role of the char was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband. Nora Helmer is the character in A Doll House who plays the 19th woman and is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsens plays The common denominator in many of Ibsens dramas is his interest in individuals struggling for and authoritative identity in the face of dogmatic social conventions. This conflict often results in his characters being divided between a sense of duty to themselves and their responsibility to others.(1563) All of the aspects of this quote cigaret be applied to the pla y A Doll House, in Nora Helmers character, who throughout much of the play is oppressed, presents an inauthentic identity to the audience and throughout the play attempts to discovery her authentic identity. The inferior role of Nora is extremely important to her character. Nora is oppressed by a variety of tyrannical social conventions. Ibsen in his A Dolls House depicts the role of women as subordinate in order to emphasize their role in society. Nora is oppressed by the manipulation from Torvald. Torvald has a very typical relationship with society. He is a smug bank manager. With his job arrive many responsibilities. He often treats his wife as if she is one of these responsibilities. Torvald is very authoritative and puts his appearance, both social and physical, ahead of his wife that he supposedly loves. Torvald is a man that is worried about his reputation, and cares little about his wifes feelings. Nora and Torvalds relationship, on the outside appears to be a happy. Nora is treated the like a child in this relationship, but as the play progresses she begins to realize how phony her marriage is. Torvald sees Noras only role as being the subservient and amiable wife. He refers to Nora as my little squirrel (p.1565), my little lark (p.1565), or spendthrift(1565). To him, she is only a possession. Torvald calls Nora by pet-names and speaks down to her because he thinks that she is not intelligent and that she can not think on her own.