A Doll's House Gender Analysis

A gender role is defined as a role learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms. In the recent years, the roles of men and women have changed rapidly, especially in Western societies. Women have more independence, financial security, and more opportunities in the professional world. Unfortunately, this was not the case in the nineteenth century. Social expectations and obligations of both men and women were very different. In fact, one author who successfully examines the role of men and women in the late 1800’s is Henrik Ibsen, who wrote a great novel, titled “A Doll’s House”. He gives the reader an insight into a couple’s life and the constant conflict they face about their roles. Torvald, who is one of the main characters, is portrayed as a powerful man, who is financially independent and keeps full control of his wife. His wife Nora, on the other hand, is portrayed as a powerless wife, who depends on her husband financially and struggles to be a perfect woman.
In the novel, Torvald is portrayed as a powerful man and a controlling husband. We learn that he’s promoted to become a bank manager, which is considered to be a very good paying position. Since his wife doesn’t work, he has full control of their finances. As a husband, he …show more content…
Their family looked happy and perfect on the outside. Both the husband and the wife knew their social roles and expectations. Torvald was portrayed as a powerful husband who controlled his wife socially and financially. Nora, on the other hand, was portrayed as a powerless wife, who depended on her husband for almost everything. Of course, it’s not hard to learn that she struggled with her role and understood how unhappy she was toward the end of the novel. She realized that she had to leave her marriage in order to gain independence and respect that she