A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (1879)
This is play mainly focuses on women's rights and female independence. The main character, Nora get's herself into a lot of debt which she hides from her husband Torvald. She is lent the money illgally from her father for Nora and Torvald's trip to Italy and she has been slowly working the debt off. Krongstad is a low level employee who works for Torvald and later reveals he was the anonymous donor to Nora. Krongstad asks Nora to help him maintain his position at work and when Nora refuses he threatens to tell Torvald about her debt. After much stress, Nora eventually decides to tell Torvald herself through a letter, he is outraged however Nora decides to leave him which is incredibly unusual in the time that the play is set.
Struggle for identity
- Diminishing of women, Torvald refers to Nora as his "little squirell" and "little lark", he treats her like a child and is very possessive in the marriage.
- Gender roles, women have to stay at home and look after the children while men work. Women are meant to be reserved and hold back, Nora challenges this as she plays a very flirtatious and disobedient character.
- Power-men have the power in relationships, men control the money and the women.
- The play is literally called 'A Doll's House' women are meant to remain quiet and unheard whilst men control them
Context
The play is set in the 1800's therefore this was a long time before feminist movements in the 1970's. However there is always strong and powerful females throughout the years it was just very difficult to step out due to the restrains from society. It was very powerful when Nora walked out at the end of the play as she was confident to leave him and even her children, which is unusual as women were meant to stay at home and look after the children. Nora liked to be the one to spend the money, and by paying her debt off she is becoming independent. Ibsen is pointing out the flowering of female equality and that it can happen.
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