A Doll 's House By Henrik Ibsen Essay

During the Victorian period, women were expected to follow the culture and social norms of a man. Men had the intellectual strength to dominate society by making all of the decisions concerning economics, politics, and family affairs. The gender roles placed women in the kitchen cleaning and serving hot meals. The majority of the women were not content with their lifestyle, however they had to rely on their husbands for economic support. The literary work, “A Doll’s House,” written by Henrik Ibsen, takes place in Norway during the 1870’s. In the play, Ibsen sets Nora in a Victorian period to show readers how women did not have access to their freedom. Gender plays a pivotal role in the play because it demonstrates how men had the power to control and shape their wives. In “A Doll’s House”, Henrik Ibsen captures the minimal role of women in Victorian society through his doll motif, played out in Nora’s sudden disgust for her home. In the first act Nora is seen as Torvald’s possession. Torvald will refer to his wife as “my little squirrel”, “spendthrift”, or “my little lark.” Bought, you say? All that there? Has the little spendthrift been out throwing money around again” (Ibsen, 851)? Torvald feels that Nora is not mature enough to manage his finances. When Torvald gives Nora money, he worries about Nora spending his money on childish or useless items such as candy or pastries. Torvald is a man who tries to maintain his social appearance and finances. However, Torvald…