A Doll’s House Essay

A Doll’s House Essay

Q3. Literary texts often pose questions about an established social order. Discuss how representations have been constructed in A Doll’s House in order to critique, reinforce or destabilise social institutions and/or social expectations

Cultures and societies had long been developed with a robust patriarchal system, in which the differences between the rights of man and women were vastly differing, to the point of misogyny- an idea that seems absurd in the modern context. It was only in the late 19th century Norway, that the 'first wave of feminism' began, initiated by Danish critic/scholar Georg Brandes, which was focused on empowering and providing a voice for the cause of women. Henrik Ibsen was one of the first playwrights to be provoked, writing A Doll’s House; through his play Ibsen tackles contemporary issues, predominantly the divergences between the sexes. Ibsen can be interpreted to critique the bourgeoisie’s societal expectations of women- representing the superficial bourgeois society as bifurcating the genders, into a restrictive patriarchal system.  It was the women’s disproportionate confinement in the private sphere that caused the bourgeois society to correlate it with women’s subordinate status, thus this system treats women as inferior. Henrik Ibsen believes this specific hierarchy trapped women into the domestic sphere, with roles only regarding the household and appeasing the men; leaving men to fill positions of authority throughout society. This is seen in the play in which Nora personifies the oppression endured by women in the bourgeois society, of whom seems to lead a happy life with her husband and children. However, as Nora faces repression in her marriage, she realises the extent of her dependency and departs, leaving behind her duties as a mother and wife. The play urges for a social change, where the importance of women as individuals is recognised. To reinforce this message, the play employs symbolism, stage directions and props

Ibsen can be interpreted to be critiquing the way bourgeois society functioned, such that women felt the need to conceal their true identity from men, only revealing the agreeable facets to their personality. It was seen as their duty- of the domestic sphere- to facilitate their husband’s lives. He utilises the symbolism of the pet-names Torvald addresses Nora by, and the Christmas Tree in aid of his commentary. This is plainly illustrated by the relationship between Torvald and Nora, in which Torvald held a domineering position of authority. His father-like behaviour was exemplified by his repeated referrals to Nora as a pet, or animal such as ‘sky-lark’, ‘singing bird’ or ‘my pretty little pet’. This is symbolistic of how he views her as an object he must look after, as he believes -in accordance with the bourgeois values at the time- that innately she is inferior to him. However, Nora ultimately realises the true nature of her relationship with Torvald, and by extension society’s expectations on her and other women to be submissive, and pursue only matters of the domestic sphere rather than promote themselves as individuals. It is Nora’s reaction to this realisation of this that is indicative of Ibsen’s argument woven throughout. Nora’s final act of leaving illustrates Ibsen’s recognition that women cannot be themselves in society. This is due to the nature of the patriarchy women were inferior and thus limited to the domestic sphere. The symbolism of the Christmas Tree for Nora herself is utilised and referenced throughout the play. As Ibsen writes, “Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening. The children can't see it until it's decorated." A parallel can be drawn to Nora in the way she hides the fact that she has saved her husband's life instead playing the role of the lively, superficial wife.  Another interpretation of this parallel is that it, like her, serves a purely decorative and superficial purpose, and in the way that the children are not allowed to see the undecorated tree is representative of the way no one is allowed to see her in her tarantella costume until the dance. When Nora's life is disintegrating in Act II, it is such that "the Christmas tree stands, stripped of presents, dishevelled and with the remains of burned down candles." symbolising her devastation as she faces the shallowness of her marriage and Torvald's controlling nature. Ibsen critiques the derogatory and misogynistic nature of the patriarchal system, illustrating the restrictions on women due to societal expectations to be submissive and the superficial face of the household.

Ibsen’s commentary on the societal expectations of women to exist purely in the domestic sphere also utilises the play’s stage directions and set. The bourgeois society would never allow for women to leave the domestic sphere, at times Nora can be seen to be frustrated by society’s limitations and expectations of her as a woman and as a mother. At the beginning of Act II, Nora in her flustered state, “(...) stops by the sofa and picks up her coat. Putting her coat down again”.  This cloak is referred to as “outside wear”, thus this mundane act of picking up and putting down her coat is representative of how she is confined to only her house and the domestic sphere. In A Doll’s House, this isolation or entrapment is physically represented by the bounds of her home, of which encompasses the whole set. This set is representative of how women were trapped, as Nora -whom is representative of women- is never seen to leave the domesticity of her home, of which even excludes Torvald’s study -the business sphere- and her own front-yard-the public sphere. This exclusion from Torvald’s study and thus the business sphere is seen throughout the play by Torvald’s repeated action in which “He shuts the door behind him.” From Act One, when Torvald is shown as a disembodied voice from his study, to the end of the play where he picks up his papers, retreats back to the study and shuts the door, it is clear that there is a distinct difference between his study and the home. This is isolation of Nora from his business is also shown in that Nora can only listen in at the door of his study, and the letterbox and papers are all forbidden from her. Nora never leaves the inside of her home throughout the play, until the very last scene where it is implied she has exited the building by “the heavy sound of a door being slammed is heard”; this is true even when she ‘checks’ the letterbox, “she opens the door and looks out” to the letterbox, never truly walking outside to physically inspect. This is representative of how women are shunned in bourgeois society in left to only fill the domestic sphere. Nora, who eventually leaves the vicinity of her home in the ending, is utilised by Ibsen to reveal to the audience and society at that time, the extent to which women were confined and trapped.