The Theme of Feminism in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House...

This paper will analyze the theme of the dependent women in this play. In order to do this I will discuss the following subject area. These subject areas are: female passivity; her economic and social dependence, and her dependence through her children. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen argues that a dependent woman will be passive and unwilling to speak her mind. She will not try to understand the abstract reality of life, unless it contain to her lifestyle at home. Instead she will let the title of her marriage suppress her. She will lose sight of finding her own independence and instead become a doll living in a house. Nora, the protagonist of the play has all of these qualities Nora’s Passivity is clearly seen in the opening of the play.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Helmer cant bear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 2 Scene 1). Everything thing is done by his standards. He also doesn’t allow her to have very much freedom. He doesn’t leave decisions to Nora. We see this when they talk about what Nora is going to where and do for the ball. Nora and Helmer’s marriage is based on deception and lies on Nora’s part. Using deception and lies also shows her passivity in her life. She rather lies about a small snack than openly confront her husband. She rather gives him a false of dominance in the relationship. We can tie Nora’s reason for lying as a response to Helmer’s effort to rule and control Nora. An example of this would be with the macaroons. â€Å"Putting the macaroon bag in her pocket and wiped her mouth† (Act 1 Scene 1). Ibsen infers that Nora is hiding the macaroons from Helmer because he scorns the fact that she is spending money on simple treats like candy. â€Å"Hasn’t nibbled some pastry?† (Act 1Sence 1). When Helmer finally confronts Nora about the macaroons, he calls her some ridiculous name like â€Å"My Sweet tooth† (Act 1 Scene 1). His patronizing her dictates her silent behavior; her submissive voice never to be heard as she makes it through this m arriage with him. To Helmer, Nora is like a pet that he’s taught to be obedient and to do tricks for him. This is where you see that Helmer thinks himself to be superior to Nora because he is a man, and Nora is a woman. Nora’s Passivity is also seen in the way that she talks to Helmer. When Nora speaks toShow MoreRelatedBibo1025 Words   |  5 Pagesbut students need 10 for the final paper. Feminism Fiction Brunnemer, Kristin. Sexuality in Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House. In Bloom, Harold, ed. Human Sexuality, Blooms Literary Themes. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2009. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. In this article, Kristin Brunnemer explores writer Henrik Ibsen and the transformation of Nora, the main character in Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† (Brunnemer 1). There is much debate overRead MoreEssay about The Role of Realism in Ibsens, A Dolls House737 Words   |  3 PagesIs â€Å"A Doll’s House† simply another text in which the composer questions the ideals of his society? Or is it advocating the rights of women as individuals, perhaps a pioneer in feminist literature? One may argue that â€Å"A Doll’s House† is nothing more than a product of Henrik Ibsen’s examination of his contemporary society’s values and morals, specifically those of the bourgeois class. But Ibsen does more than simply reflect upon these values and morals, and rather uses the setting of a middleclassRead MoreHenrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House Essay example1182 Words   |  5 Pages Phylogeny versus misogyny, arguable one of the greatest binary oppositions in a work of literature, is present in Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 Norwegian play A Doll’s House. 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