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Role Of Women In A Doll's House

1494 Words6 Pages

Madison Gross
1/22/18
A Doll’s House Essay
Reed
A Doll’s House: Nora Helmer’s Struggle
The play A Doll’s House was written by Henrik Ibsen and is a thought-provoking play with numerous themes that play a huge role in the story of a husband and wife. It examines the reasons for a wife’s decision to leave her marriage and her children. A Doll’s House portrays the story of the husband Torvald and the wife Nora’s struggles in life. A recurring motif in the play is the house and the role that it has in the plot. The title reveals the central conflict. The house represents the perfect place for a husband and wife from the outside, but as the play goes , we see the change that occurs inside. Another major theme is the role of women in this 19th century novel pertaining to Nora and her society. Nora, a traditional wife, and her husband, Torvald Helmer have a very conventional marriage. Torvald is a traditional man and plays his role in the marriage to lead and protect his family. He has the power in the family (as most men did during that time), but he may not be as powerful as he looks or acts. Krogstad, a foil character for Nora, feels powerless and sympathizes with Nora’s plight. He is both a danger to Nora, but also keeps her from harm in the end. He is a very similar character to Nora as they have both been wronged by society and have committed the same acts of fraud, which is against the law.
Ibsen explores the theme of women and power in nearly every scene. Torvald said,

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