Gender Inequality in

A detailed Summary of Gender Inequality in

The roles of men and women in the play, "A Doll's House", written by Henrik Ibsen, are very different compared to what they are now. According to Ibsen, "A woman cannot be herself in modern society. It is an exclusive male society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who asses female conduct" (pxli). The play was published in 1879, a time when there was an increasing concern with individual liberty and gender equality. Both Nora and Helmer are victims of society and their social roles as husband and wife, and tried to live according to convention by developing a marriage which is just an illusion and not reality. When Nora leaves behind her "doll house", she is opening the gate for the life of a woman, and by doing this she showed that a true bond between men and women is perfect freedom. The play shows an act of feminism.

Ibsen effectively brings out the issue of gender equality in their society and marriage. The title of the play already gives away hidden meaning of how their marriage is about superficiality and how each doll is made to perform different social roles. "Our home has never been anything but a playroom" (p 98), clearly emphasizing that Nora and Helmer are living this false doll's life when Nora

The tarantella acted as a symbol in the play as it was originally played by victims who were poisoned by the 'tarantula' and it is an extremely emotional experience which works well with Nora's dilemma. The colour and wild movements of the whole dance itself leads up to the climax where she faces reality and tells Helmer the truth. There is huge significance with costume in that period of time as the colorful shawl she wore for the dance symbolized the desire to cling on to happiness, and Mrs. Linde was the foil for these true feelings to come out as the dress was painstakingly mended by her at Nora's request. When she appears later in her everyday clothes, her responses to his words are very strong. An example is when she says "Yes, Torvald. I've changed". Ibsen purposely used this technique of color to show her self-development, and the breaking down of her shell to her true feelings.

describes herself as her husband's doll and the children as her doll's. Helmer plays the father figure of the house and he gives Nora presents, with the expectation of being entertained in return. Nora knows that "it's much easier for a man to arrange these things than a woman" (p59) and according to Ibsen, "woman is judged by masculine law, as though she weren't a woman but a man...It is an exclusively male society with laws made by men...with judges who assesses female conduct from a male standpoint". (pg xli) Nora had committed forgery, and did it through the love for her husband to save his life, but had not realized the social consequences of her actions. These "shiftings and evasions" (p84) was the only genuine act of love in the play, yet it was still wrong from the male's point of view. Helmer keeps his social valu

Some common words found in the essay are:
Nora Helmers, Nora Helmer, Christine Nora, Krogstad IOU, Torvald I've, According Ibsen, Society Torvald, , Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen, society taught, male society laws, female conduct, male society, society laws, consequences actions, nora helmer, true feelings, feelings nora, according ibsen woman, social roles, sacrifice honor,

Approximate Word count = 1159
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English