In the play "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekhov set in Mrs. Ranevsky's estate and " A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen set in Helmers' flat the protagonists shape the story. In both plays the protagonists' mental beliefs combine reality and illusions that shape the plot of each respective story. The ability of the characters to reject or accept an illusion, along with the foolish pride that motivated their decision leads to their personal downfall.

In the Cherry Orchard, by AntonChekhov, Gayev and Miss. Ranevsky, along with the majority of their family, refuse to believe that their estate is close to bankruptcy. Instead of accepting the reality of their problem, they continue to live their lives under the illusion that they are doing well financially. The family continues with its frivolous ways until there is no money left. One specific example of this is when the family throws an extravagant party on the final night before the house is auctioned off laughing in the face of impending financial ruin. Even when Lopakhin attempts to rescue the family with ideas that could lead to some of the estate being retained, they dismiss his ideas under the illusion

In a "Doll's House", by Henrik Ibsen, property and status are again destined to be lost. The illusion is twisted. At the beginning of the play, Nora leads a life under the illusion that everything was perfect. She lives for eight years with the knowledge that she has broken the law, and betrayed her husband. Though it was necessary, the psychological toll it took on her and the family was hardly worthwhile.

From this experience she grew. She learned about human nature, and about the value of money, and had even learned a lesson of practicality. Instead of clueing in her husband in about what she had, she kept quiet and left him ignorant. She lived her life in an illusion, pretending to be the old Nora that she was, and not the new and changed women she had developed into. She did not let the person she had become permeate all the aspects of her life. She let the illusion of the old Nora continue well after she had become a new person. Eventually she evolved into a person who could not be married to Helmer anymore.

Helmer: Oh, you think and talk like a stupid child (83).

If she had forced her husband into handling the situation, by having him borrow money himself, everything would have turned out just fine. She, instead, took out the loan on her own, and did not even clue in her husband. She tried to avoid having his pride injured by forcing him to borrow money, even though it was necessary to save his life.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Henrik Ibsen, Ranevsky Cut, Helmer Oh, Miss Ranevsky, August Here's, Helmer Nora, Ranevsky Lopakhin, Anton Chekhov, Gayev I'm, life illusion, Orchard York, cherry orchard, doll's house, doll's house henrik, i'm sorry, financial ruin, house henrik, borrow money, helmer downfall, henrik ibsen, illusion foolish pride, house henrik ibsen, reality illusion,
Approximate Word count = 1228
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)