European Society and the Individual in Ibsens A Dolls House.

Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, transcends socio-cultural barriers by delineating the fundamental importance of women in a dominantly patriarchal society. The fixation on wealth, in every aspect of the play, details the values, which are synonymous with ideals of having “not just all one needs, but lots of money, lots”.

This emphasis on image, and honour, (for Torvald) comes at the expense of true happiness, and true love for Nora, which is defined at the climax of the play, when Nora is described as a “dolly-wife, just as (she) used to be daddys dolly-baby.”

Similarly the concurrent exploration of freedom (for Nora) is eventually defined through each act, to eventuate an epiphonic realisation of her husband, and the society in which she lives.

Throughout the play, Nora is dismissed by Torvald, and given pet names such as “skylark”, “squirrelkin”, “spendthrift”, and perhaps most disturbingly, “feath

Torvald: “All you can. That’s right. The whole trouble is, you cant”

Though some critics imply that Nora’s manipulation of Torvald is malicious, it is clear from the constraints placed upon women by their 19th century sociological value system that this subtle manipulation was the only way for Nora to obtain any kind of independence.

Through a façade of ignorance (“what do I care about silly old society”) Nora fundamentally transforms from a “babe in arms” to an unconstrained “songbird” free from its metaphoric cage.

Some topics in this essay:
Dolls House, Ironically Torvald’s, Torvald Nora, House Ibsen’s, , dolls house, 19th century, patriarchal values, socio-cultural barriers, throughout play, play nora,