Interpretation of A Doll's House
Interpretation of A Doll's House"A Doll's House" is classified under the "second phase" of Henrik Ibsen's career. It was during this period which he made the transition
from mythical and historical dramas to plays dealing with social
problems. It was the first in a series investigating the tensions of
family life. Written during the Victorian era, the controversial play
featuring a female protagonist seeking individuality stirred up more
controversy than any of his other works. In contrast to many dramas of
Scandinavia in that time which depicted the role of women as the
comforter, helper, and supporter of man, "A Doll's House" introduced
woman as having her own purposes and goals. The heroine, Nora Helmer,
progresses during the course of the play eventually to realize that
she must discontinue the role of a doll and seek out her
individuality.
David Thomas describes the initial image of Nora as that of a
doll wife who revels in the thought of luxuries that can now be
afforded, who is become with flirtation, and engages in childlike acts
of disobedience (259). This inferior role from which Nora progressed
is extremely important. Ibsen in his "A Doll's House" depicts the role
of women as subordinate in order to emphasize the need to reform their
role in society.
Definite characteristics of the women's subordinate role in a
relationship are emphasized through Nora's contradicting actions. Her
infatuation with luxuries such as expensive Christmas gifts
contradicts her resourcefulness in scrounging and buying cheap
clothing; her defiance of Torvald by eating forbidden Macaroons
contradicts the submission of her opinions, including the decision of
which dance outfit to wear, to her husband; and Nora's flirtatious
nature contradicts her devotion to her husband. These occurrences
emphasize the facets of a relationship in which women play a dependent
role: finance, power, and love. Ibsen attracts our attention to these
examples to highlight the overall subordinate role that a woman plays
compared to that of her husband. The two sides of Nora contrast each
other greatly and accentuate the fact that she is lacking in
independence of will.
The mere fact that Nora's well-intentioned action is considered
illegal reflects woman's subordinate position in society; but it is
her actions that provide the insight to this position. It can be
suggested that women have the power to choose which rules to follow at
home, but not in the business world, thus again indicating her
subordinateness. Nora does not at first realize that the rules outside
the household apply to her. This is evident in Nora's meeting with
Krogstad regarding her borrowed money. In her opinion it was no crime
for a woman to do everything possible to save her husband's life. She
also believes that her act will be overlooked because of her desperate
situation. She fails to see that the law does not take into account
the motivation behind her forgery. Marianne Sturman submits that this...
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