Sambath U M
Dr. Joseph Koyipally
Academic writing
3 february, 2021
Nora's exit and the celebration of womens independence in "A Dolls House"
Henrik Ibsen, the Norwegian dramatist
resided in a society where women’s were deprived of equality and
self-independence, but he took the courage to dream for the women.
Looking into the 18th century drama A Doll's House, where
the protagonist Nora Torvald shows a radical path which is
essentially needed to break the preconceived notions. Henrik Ibsen
portrays a woman, who slams the door against the conservative values.
Nora’s struggle for recognition as a human being is rightly
considered an exemplary case of women’s struggle for political and
social rights. Nora exit was an entrance to modernity in drama.
The play A Doll's
House cannot be treated only as a problem play, but also a hallmark to the
beginning of modern drama with the features of naturalism. Ibsen is a
great radical by insisting on naturalism. Ibsen shows the ill effects
of middle class family systems, where women’s were economically and
politically subordinated. This manifestation can be read as the sign
of modern play. Ibsen is a master class craftsmen in creating
complicated with multi layered character. Once Ibsen stated that
“Before I write down one word, I have to have the character in mind
through and through. I must penetrate into last wrinkle of his soul.”
(Ibsen,287 )
Nora is a mastery by
Ibsen towards the need for self independence.
Nora is the wife of Torvald Helmer and mother of three children. Nora
in the play is struggling to be true to herself. It is also treated
as a that it was a consequence of Ibsen was writing, something more
existentialist – something more related to people trying to be true
to themselves and not having their identity imposed on them by other
people. Till a certain point, Nora keeps herself subordinate to the
husband. But she breaks the shackles of the conservative values which
holds her to the doll house. She decides to be no more a puppet to
anybody, which create the sense of the radical play about the women’s
historical transition from generic family members to becoming
individuals. In act III, Nora says “I can’t live with a man who’s
going to contain me like this “ (98) and she leaves. It was the
shocking moment in the European theatre, as it broke the preconceived
notion that women will never leave her husband. Even A Doll's House is
interpreted as a feminist play, Henrik Ibsen denied this statement
and claim his actual intention;
“I think you for
the toast, but must disclaim the honour of having consciously worked
for women’s rights movement....True enough, it is desirable to
solve the women’s problem, along with all the others; but that has
not been the whole purpose. My task has been the description of
humanity.” (Ibsen, 337).
The plays shows the
huge difference in the society. With the character of Torvald and
Nora, Ibsen depicts a stereotypical family. But his modernism rely on
Nora, who take-up the courageous act in breaking the stereotypes. In
the play Torvald and Nora play games designed to maintain Torvald's
role as a dominant male. Torvald is an important element in the
concept of idealism. Thus the clash between Torvald and Nora can be
interpreted as the cultural battle between idealist and emerging
modernist. A Doll's House has been epitomized by the readers for its
radical behaviour towards the conservative values and for the
celebration of women’s independence.
The most riveting
part of the play is the Nora’s exit, where she shut the door
against the patriarchal society. This shook the civil society of
Europe. Thus Ibsen wrote an alternate ending for the German audience.
Ibsen leaves his audience’s with nothing more than more question
rather than any fundamental structured answers. Nora in act III says
that “I am going to see if I can make out who is right, the world
or I”(102). This moment she no longer cares what men or society think.
She has decided to discover the true-self, which she believes.
work cited
Ibsen,Henrik,A Doll's House, Bloomsbury, 2015 .
Ibsen,Henrik, Letters and speeches. Evert Sprinchorn. Newyork hill, 1964, pp. 337,287
Langas ,Unni, "What did Nora do? THinking Gender with A Dolls House", Routledge, August,2006, pp. 18-25
Moi, Toril,Idealism, Theatre and Gender in A Dolls House", University of toronto press, Fall 2006, pp.256-284
Templeton, Joan, "The Doll house backlash; Criticism, Feminism, and Ibsen" , Modern language association, January, 1989, pp.28-40
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