As individuals of society, we have all attempted to fall under certain ideals that society has established, but by trying to follow the belief of the masses, it has blurred the distinct line between who a person is and who society wants them to be. In both the novels Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and A Doll’s House, the main characters exemplify an individual’s clash with the expectations and standards of society that serves as a hindrance towards the character’s search towards self-identity.
Victorian society can be described as having low-tolerance and a strict moral code of conduct. As both novels takes place in the Victorian era, there is a heavy emphasis on an individual 's reputation and public image. They were well known for being uptight …show more content…
Jekyll conflicts with the preservation of his reputation and internal battle between good and evil when he begins to understand that “man is not truly one, but truly two”(125). Meanwhile, Nora struggles with living under a male figure’s shadow, “[existing] merely to perform tricks” (76) and sacrificing her honor and duty to herself as “hundreds of thousands of women have done” (80). Towards the end of the novel, Nora experiences an awakening in the need to distance herself from being seen as simply as a possession rather than a human being in addition to the importance of equality in relationships as she says “there must be perfect freedom on both sides” (81). In contrast, Jekyll fights an internal battle over the superiority between good and evil while Nora faces an external problem being trapped by traditional gender …show more content…
In A Doll 's House, Nora is introduced as a childish wife who loves money and is looked down upon by her husband, Torvald. “But Nora, Nora is not so silly as you think. We have not been in a position for me to waste money. We have both had to work.”(12). Through her statement, Nora reveals that she knows what she is doing which proves that everything she does in front of Torvald is all an act. Torvald sees Nora as an incapable woman and much less so a spendthrift when in fact she can work and even understands the importance of money. This shows that Nora always had a different side to her but it was always hidden behind the facade she creates in front of Torvald. Nora feels trapped around Torvald as she was always treated like a child by him. When she was able to borrow money without any man’s consent when Torvald was ill, it became her “secret, which has been [her] joy and pride…” (27) showing that she was always proud of her accomplishment despite manipulating Krogstad and her father in the process. By doing so, Nora becomes a step closer into finding her true capabilities and learning what she felt was missing throughout her whole marriage, love and freedom. This leads Nora into leaving her husband and children for freedom from her husband’s manipulation. Doctor Jekyll, on the other hand, also searches for freedom by creating Hyde. His social
Victorian society can be described as having low-tolerance and a strict moral code of conduct. As both novels takes place in the Victorian era, there is a heavy emphasis on an individual 's reputation and public image. They were well known for being uptight …show more content…
Jekyll conflicts with the preservation of his reputation and internal battle between good and evil when he begins to understand that “man is not truly one, but truly two”(125). Meanwhile, Nora struggles with living under a male figure’s shadow, “[existing] merely to perform tricks” (76) and sacrificing her honor and duty to herself as “hundreds of thousands of women have done” (80). Towards the end of the novel, Nora experiences an awakening in the need to distance herself from being seen as simply as a possession rather than a human being in addition to the importance of equality in relationships as she says “there must be perfect freedom on both sides” (81). In contrast, Jekyll fights an internal battle over the superiority between good and evil while Nora faces an external problem being trapped by traditional gender …show more content…
In A Doll 's House, Nora is introduced as a childish wife who loves money and is looked down upon by her husband, Torvald. “But Nora, Nora is not so silly as you think. We have not been in a position for me to waste money. We have both had to work.”(12). Through her statement, Nora reveals that she knows what she is doing which proves that everything she does in front of Torvald is all an act. Torvald sees Nora as an incapable woman and much less so a spendthrift when in fact she can work and even understands the importance of money. This shows that Nora always had a different side to her but it was always hidden behind the facade she creates in front of Torvald. Nora feels trapped around Torvald as she was always treated like a child by him. When she was able to borrow money without any man’s consent when Torvald was ill, it became her “secret, which has been [her] joy and pride…” (27) showing that she was always proud of her accomplishment despite manipulating Krogstad and her father in the process. By doing so, Nora becomes a step closer into finding her true capabilities and learning what she felt was missing throughout her whole marriage, love and freedom. This leads Nora into leaving her husband and children for freedom from her husband’s manipulation. Doctor Jekyll, on the other hand, also searches for freedom by creating Hyde. His social