What Is The Structure Of A Doll House By Henrik Ibsen

Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian author who was considered an avid feminism supporter, was mainly known for his controversial writing style. His complex structure and writing style was portrayed in is his most popular play A Doll House, which was written in 1897, a time in which women 's rights was low to non-existent. The play is mainly about the relationship of a couple; the husband Torvald Helmer a shallow businessman that believes in a traditional husband takes care of wife cliché. Torvalds wife is Nora Helmer a calm and naïve housewife who develops to become a strong and independent woman. Nora’s father, who’s name isn’t stated and is also rarely noted, but ultimately leads to Nora leaving her husband in a time in history where something like …show more content…
Ibsen’s use of those pet names is significant due to the fact that it shows how Helmer and Nora have a father- daughter relationship rather than a husband - wife relationship. As the play advances there’s another glimpse of the father and daughter relationship when Helmer scolds Nora for her spending habits because they have “ made a brave stand up to now, the two of us and we’ll go right on like that the little while [they] have to (44)”. As the story shifts, Nora realizes that her relationship with her father, which shows how significant her father is, was the foundation of all their conflicts. Nora finally realizes this, saying she’s “getting out of [her] costume (107)” and “we’ve never exchanged a serious word on any serious thing (109)”. She then says she “went from papas hands into yours (109)”. Ibsen’s diction on this quote shows the almost child-like role Nora has throughout the …show more content…
Nora’s father changed her expectations of what a man should provide, even though during that time women were supposed to depend on men. Nora then reasserts my point by saying “You arranged everything to your own taste, and so I got the same taste as you – or I pretended to” (109). When Ibsen says “things” he’s referring to their financial situation and how Helmer isn’t willing to give into Nora’s needs. Earlier in the play as Nora encountered Dr. Rank “who would gladly give up [his] life for her” (83). Nora knew Rank would do anything for her, which is why she entertained the original option to leave Torvald. And even earlier in the play Torvald claims Nora is “frivolous, and it was his duty as a man not to indulge [her]” (54) this mindset that Helmer established is what sparks the breakup of their