Women In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

The way women are portrayed in the world has vastly changed throughout generations, especially since the Victorian Era. In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen introduces the unfavorable role of women in the 19th century society through his doll metaphor, played out in Nora’s sudden dissatisfaction for her husband and her home. Numerous critics agree, “The focus of the play is specifically to elucidate how certain actions are carried out in opposition to general gender norms, not least norms that include dogmas of an essentialist kind” (Langås 156). Back in the Victorian Era, women had few to no rights, endured their husband’s control, and were significantly unequal to men. In a male-dominated society, Nora is treated as if she is a doll and a child, where she has no opinions or identity of her own. “…Ibsen accordingly underscores the difference between man and woman: ‘There are two kinds of spiritual laws, two kinds …show more content…
“Since its very first performance and for more than a century, A Doll’s House has for its critics, scholars and beholders raised the inevitable question: ‘Where did Nora go?’” (Langås 148). Several critics believe that Nora is a true heroine, however, others believe that it was cruel of her to leave her children behind, even though what she did was emotionally audacious. Nora was not only a character in a play, but a symbol of the social revolution happening during that time period for women. Overall, “Nora's struggle for recognition as a human being is rightly considered an exemplary case of women's struggle for political and social rights” (Moi 257). She appeared in the beginning of the play as a character that was childish and money hungry, but as the play ends, she comes out knowing what she wants and strong willed. Ibsen demonstrates how women are equally relevant in society, as well as a women’s strong