Before the feminist revolution began, the female was traditionally in charge of taking care of the children and household. Her image in life was that of the wife, mother, and nurturing person. Some of the traits that were thought to be uniquely feminine were; emotional, sensitive, gentle, quiet, nurturing, interested in personal appearance and beauty, focused upon home and family. Generally the image of the woman was quiet, submissive, and dedicated towards the well being of her family. The stereotypical role for women is to focus their lives on marriage, home and children. They rely on men for sustenance and status. The expectancy is that women will engage in nurturing and life preserving activities through childbearing and care taking behaviors. Additionally, there is also emphasis on personal appearance and prohibition on direct expre

In his play, A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen bravely depicts a female protagonist, Nora Helmer, who dares to defy her husband and forsake her "duty" as a wife and mother to seek out her individuality. The feminist issues in A Doll's House seem almost contemporary, although it was written more than a century ago. When Ibsen wrote this play in 1879, Nora's behavior was subject to controversy, since most people still believed that a woman's place was in the home. A Doll's House challenges this patriarchal view and shows the audience a fresh perspective on a woman's life. Through this play, Ibsen stresses the importance of women's individuality.

ssion of aggression, assertion, and striving for power. The role of women becomes an underlying theme in many plays throughout history. For example plays like Mother Courage, A Doll's House, and Fences include a dominating woman that strays from the stereotypical role that women were expected to play in society. Each play depicts a woman that in her own way redefines the abilities and true strength of women.

Even though Nora seeks to be independent, she uses her role of subordination to her advantage. By deceiving her husband, Torvald, into thinking that she can do nothing on her own, she ensures that he never suspects her of forging her father's name to borrow 800 cronen from Krogstad in order to save Torvald's life. When Krogstad threatens to expose the truth, Nora must use her craftiness to distract Torvald and sway him into letting Krogstad keep his job. Unfortunately, she is not able to change his mind, but she does succeed in diverting his suspicions of her motives. She praises him and lulls him into a false sense of security. She confesses to him that she can't do anything without him to help her. These statements lead him to believe that he is the one to "rescue" her, when it is in fact Nora who is trying to rescue him from dishonor. Nora truly believes that by deceiving her husband, she is protecting him from worry. Because of Nora's deception, the person that Torvald believes her to be is quite different from the person she actually is. He believes that she is a "spendthrift," infatuated by expensive things when in reality she saves her money to pay back Krogstad and buys cheap clothing and gifts. Torvald thinks that she is submissive to him, as a good wife should be, but she defies him by eating forbidden macaroons and lying to him. These contrasting sides of Nora's personality reveal her confusion about her path in life. She soon comes to realize the she must take the path that is right for her and no one else. She discovers that Torvald is not the man she thought him to be and that he knows nothing of who she really is. They have lived as strangers to each o

Some common words found in the essay are:
Troy Rose, Nora Kristina, , Courage Children, House Fences, Doll's House, Wilson's Fences, Mother Courage, Swiss Cheese, Nora Helmer, mother courage, doll's house, courage children, mother courage children, role women, plays mother courage, plays mother, women underlying theme, stereotypical role, personal appearance, wife troy, wife mother, role women underlying, equality genders, courage doll's house,
Approximate Word count = 1844
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)