Women have been fighting for fair treatment and opportunities throughout the course of history and even now, the issue of equal rights is still unresolved in full, let alone position of women a century ago. A male-dominated society imposed certain rules on women’s social status, jobs they could do and even their behavior. There were strict stereotypes as to how women were supposed to dress, speak, study, think etc. A perfect wife had to be modest, obedient, and hard working. Certainly, such limitations of a woman’s free will could not go unpunished. Sometimes, constant oppression, humiliation, and ignorance resulted in terrible crimes as described in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”, while on other occasions, men’s failure to appreciate desperate
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Nora could not get a loan being a woman. She needed the signature of either her father or her husband. She was a grown married woman and still was treated like a child, incapable of being responsible for any financial affairs without approval of a male member of the family. When describing her work experience, Nora confessed to her friend that irrespective of being extremely tired due to secret work, “it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man” (Ibsen 9). In general, Nora was brought up as a dependent subordinate person. However, it was not an exception. Every woman had her place both in society and in a family. The range of duties and possibilities of any woman is aptly described by Mrs. Hale in Glaspell’s “Trifles”: “We all go through the same things – it’s all just a different kind of the same thing” (cited in Barlow 84). Although men seemed to be aware that marriage is based on teamwork and common efforts, as Torvald told his wife: “…we’ll share it, Nora, as man and wife. That is how it should be” (Ibsen 23), their words were not implemented in actions. Duties were strictly divided into male and female, and women were not allowed into the male realm under no
Nora could not get a loan being a woman. She needed the signature of either her father or her husband. She was a grown married woman and still was treated like a child, incapable of being responsible for any financial affairs without approval of a male member of the family. When describing her work experience, Nora confessed to her friend that irrespective of being extremely tired due to secret work, “it was splendid to work in that way and earn money. I almost felt as if I was a man” (Ibsen 9). In general, Nora was brought up as a dependent subordinate person. However, it was not an exception. Every woman had her place both in society and in a family. The range of duties and possibilities of any woman is aptly described by Mrs. Hale in Glaspell’s “Trifles”: “We all go through the same things – it’s all just a different kind of the same thing” (cited in Barlow 84). Although men seemed to be aware that marriage is based on teamwork and common efforts, as Torvald told his wife: “…we’ll share it, Nora, as man and wife. That is how it should be” (Ibsen 23), their words were not implemented in actions. Duties were strictly divided into male and female, and women were not allowed into the male realm under no