ipl-logo

A Doll's House Psychoanalysis

885 Words4 Pages

The play ‘A Doll’s house’ is a three act play written by Henrik Ibsen. - BLABLA BLA-. The story, however could be interpreted differently by different readers greatly depending on their cultural context. In this essay will be discussed how a Freudian and a Feminist reader might interpret the plot, the character relations and the ending differently.

A Feminist might argue that the story’s underlying message is to unveil the power dynamic during the 19th century between men and women. Nora is depicted as a dependant, childish and unexperienced woman (as said by mrs.Linde p.34). Torvald sees Nora as a dimwitted person as can be seen on p.89 where Torvald finds it impressive when ‘little Nora’ used to word ‘Scientific experiment’. Evidently Torvald …show more content…

The ego considers and makes a compromise between both the carnal desires of the ID and the social norms and morals contained by the ego using reasoning and logic. The ego can often be conflicted due to poor decision making or prolonged suppression of either the ID or superego, forcing the ego to employ a Defence mechanism. The protagonist’s conflicted ego can be seen to employ several defence mechanisms in the play, in order to protect her from a mental breakdown. A mixture of repression and denial can clearly be seen in the second act, where Nora pushes the threatening thought of Torvald finding out about the forgery away, when however this thought again arises she denies to herself that Torvald will ever open the letter. Displacement is seen on p… where Nora want to rip her Italian clothing ‘to a million pieces’ this shows how Nora wants to express her anger on the fabric, which she had bought on the trip that was the cause of this conflict. When Nora dances the Tarantella and dances more violently, her ego then employs the sublimation defence. This is to express her distress and unhappiness on Torvald almost finding out, however this is done on a socially acceptable way. The relationship between Nora and Torvald is also remarkable, for it resembling that of a father and daughter. The resemblance can be seen

Show More
Related

  • A Doll's House Analytical Essay

    1136 Words  | 5 Pages

    Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen was highly criticized for undeniably demonstrating woman’s issues in the 19th century. While the play doesn’t change setting much at all, Ibsen clearly focuses in on the characterization of three insightful characters: Mrs. Linde, Nora, and Helmer. Mrs. Linde is a minor character; however, that doesn’t alter her effect on the play. She provides the mold for the perfect, idealized wife. Nora, the main character, develops rapidly in the play, and her character is a stark contrast to Mrs. Linde.

    Read More

  • Pros Condemn Torvald's Treatment Of Nora

    201 Words  | 1 Pages

    A single family income has always made budgets tight and being a wife and mother leaves little opportunity for earnings, in fact Nora did tricks and begged her husband for what little money he gave her. While many critics condemn Torvald’s treatment of Nora, in reality he was no different from any other man during this time period. When their finances were minimal he did whatever it took to take care of his family, working day and night almost to the point of death. For that reason, Nora showed her love for Torvald by securing a loan in order to take a trip to Italy for his treatment and recovery. In doing so, Nora needed to work odd jobs to repay the loan while keeping it a secret from her husband.

    Read More

  • Gender Role In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    1338 Words  | 6 Pages

    Since the dawn of time, a person 's gender has been an essential component of determining what roles each gender is to assume in life. Woman have frequently been viewed as the submissive or weaker gender, only to be useful in the home, who are not capable of making it in a man 's world, who are not allowed the same rights and privileges as their male counterparts. Men, on the other hand, have always been viewed as the dominant or stronger gender, the one who’s job it is to be the provider, the one who makes all the important decisions for his family. In Henrik Ibsen 's A Doll 's House, these assumed gender positions are upheld to the highest degree throughout the majority of the play, and not dismantled until the pivotal ending when Nora makes her stance on this lifestyle very clear.

    Read More

  • A Doll's House Breaking Free Analysis

    1418 Words  | 6 Pages

    Torvald tells her that Nora has a duty as a mother and a wife but Nora tells him that “she is an individual”, showing that she is finally putting herself on par with Torvald, and no longer allowing Torvald to control her, but instead she is trying to gain independence and liberation from social norms in order to break free from the “Doll’s House.” She tells him that she must leave him, because “for eight years [she’d] been living with a stranger”, emphasising how there was never any proper communication and mutual understanding between them, and hence no proper marriage, as she didn’t actually know what his true character was like up until that night, as she was convinced all along that Torvald would be the man to take everything upon

    Read More

  • Emotions In Ibsen's Play

    1499 Words  | 6 Pages

    He thought that when Nora had saved him she had done two terrible things: the first – threatened his image by breaking the law due to which his reputation in society would jeopardised and he could lose his promotion; the second being her undermining his sense of self – worth by helping him. During this time, the emotions of rage and shock had taken over Torvald and had made him insult and criticize Nora. “You’ve completely wrecked my happiness, you’ve ruined my whole future! ... And I’m brought so pitifully low all because of a shiftless woman!” (Ibsen 221)

    Read More

  • Nora As A Passive Character In A Doll's House

    1532 Words  | 7 Pages

    However, we now see Nora showing a more adult attitude by stating “I’m a human being” in order to get across the fact that she wants to be treated as an equal and that she is done being an object and in particular a doll. Towards the end of the play we see another sense of irony which is the fact that once Nora brings out her true self and sits Torvald down to tell him the truth, he is completely new to this side of Nora and as a result is shocked. However, with Torvald still wearing his costume from the party, this is a reprsentation of the artificial world he lives in whereby `Nora is his doll, but by confronting him, he realizes that she is not the Nora he thought she was, making him realise that his world is a facade, and that just like Nora, he too, is nothing more than a doll in a pretend

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Freedom In A Doll's House And A Rose For Emily

    666 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nora is a married woman and has children to take care of. She really has little freedom because of the way Torvald treats her. She is not even I feel as if deep down she knows she is not free and wants something more in her life then to be a entertaining puppet for Torvald. She realizes at the end of the story that Torvald is not good to her because of the way he acted when she told him about forging the signature. When Torvald called her a criminal and other harsh words she realized that she had no true love from Torvald and wanted to be free from him.

    Read More

  • What Is A Literary Argument For A Doll's House

    1319 Words  | 6 Pages

    Literary Argument Paper A Doll House is an 1879 play written by Henrik Ibsen that observes a few evenings within the household of Torvald and Nora Helmer. In A Doll House many different themes of traditional gender roles and marriage are explored throughout the play. Questions are raised on if the ways the events unfold are acceptable. At the end of A Doll House the main character Nora leaves her husband Torvald due to her realization that they are not in love and that she has been living with a stranger all these years.

    Read More

  • Social Expectations In A Doll's House

    759 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, the three-act play, set in 19th century Norway, explores the progress of Nora’s marriage as she attempts to hide her debt and forgery from her husband. Ibsen conveyed social commentary on gender roles and societal expectations, a topic still in controversy, through the use of symbolism, irony, and dramatic elements. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen presents the problems associated with the position of women in a man’s world of business as his central focus, even if other social or individual problems become more prominent as the play progresses.

    Read More

  • Social Class In A Doll's House

    958 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ibsen’s play A Doll 's House, written in 1879, examines the importance of social class and the expectations that follow. A Doll’s House tells the story of married couple, Torvald and Nora Helmer who strive to fulfill social expectation. However, the ending is known to be a shock for some, as roles reverse and Nora comes to realize that she has been mistreated like a doll throughout the whole marriage. Throughout A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, doll 's and the dolls house are symbolic of how Nora is a submissive wife controlled and dominated by Torvald, and both are repressed by societal standards.

    Read More

  • Injustice In A Doll's House

    828 Words  | 4 Pages

    Did you know that there is injustice in the play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen? The men in A Doll’s House treat women differently than how they treat other men. To society at the time men were above women. This idea is supported by the way that Nora is treated like a child by her husband Torvald, the way Nora has to follow all her husband’s decisions, during that time period women didn 't typically have a job or education. When all of the evidence is presented the reader can, therefore, decided whether or not they agree that women are treated very unjustly compared to men.

    Read More

  • How Does Nora Change At The End Of The Play

    174 Words  | 1 Pages

    expect their women to act. Through Nora you can see how a man in this period would have seen his wife. Nora shows how the male dominated culture in this era made wives dependent on their husbands and how they saw their wives as possessions. Nora shows her place or gender role when she flirts with her husband to get what she wants. Even though she is only pretending in order to fit into Torvald’s facade, it seems to meet Torvald’s expectations of her.

    Read More

  • A Doll's House Psychoanalytic Analysis

    820 Words  | 4 Pages

    A Psychoanalytical Approach to A Doll’s House Sigmund Freud, a well known psychologist, argues that childhood experience influences adult life in the pursuit of happiness. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is a prime example of Freud’s theory as the protagonist, Nora, regresses to her past childlike habits of happiness within a voiceless marriage. Nora is limited to mental developmental growth because she is fixated in an adolescent state. In order for Nora to truly find her identity in the end, her illusions of happiness must be shattered.

    Read More

  • A Doll's House Character Analysis

    1384 Words  | 6 Pages

    The play begins with Nora being portrayed as a self-indulgent and whimsical woman with childlike qualities. After the porter asks Nora for “a shilling”, (Ibsen, p.23) she tips him over-generously with a pound, directing him to “keep it,” (p.23) giving the audience the impression that Nora does not know the value of money, much like a child would not. Her immature extravagance is recognized through her desire to spend Torvald’s higher salary right away, even though it will not be received for another three months. His

    Read More

  • Metaphors In A Doll House

    1567 Words  | 7 Pages

    In 1880s, women in America were trapped by their family because of the culture that they were living in. They loved their family and husband, but meanwhile, they had hard time suffering in same patterns that women in United States always had. With their limited rights, women hoped liberation from their family because they were entirely complaisant to their husband. Therefore, women were in conflicting directions by two compelling forces, their responsibility and pressure. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen uses metaphors of a doll’s house and irony conversation between Nora and Torvald to emphasize reality versus appearance in order to convey that the Victorian Era women were discriminated because of gender and forced to make irrational decision by inequity society.

    Read More

More about A Doll's House Psychoanalysis

Open Document