In an ever-changing world where society is never satisfied, the issues that matter the most are constantly changing and shifting. Topics that are considered taboo will be looked at from a distance until enough people join together to make a statement. In the play “A Doll House” by Henrik Ibsen there are multiple themes that, at the time, people wanted to ignore and move on as if there was never a problem with the way people were being treated. Ibsen’s play featured two prominent themes, gender equality and idealism. These two topics are heavily intertwined throughout the play and their controversial statues lead to ripples in the social standard once believed to be true. The issue of gender equality is evident between the protagonist, Nora,
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In today’s society, the ideal woman is expected to be, “well-read and intelligent but also modest, gentle, humble and tender, though none of them is ostentatious or vain about their knowledge” (Bild 15). When this play was written women were not allowed to go to school and had little opportunity to learn about things outside of the house. If women were too affluent on any topic and demonstrated their knowledge they could be accused of pedantry. This idea demeaned women and made the ideal woman subordinate and insipid. Nora describes herself by saying, “Your squirrel would scamper about and do tricks… Your lark would be singing high and low in every room” (Ibsen 216). Helmer had treated Nora like a pet for the entirety of their relationship so she was willing to appease him by doing anything he asked of her. In Helmer’s mind Nora was the ideal wife and mother because she entertained the children and did not question his decisions on major topics leaving him as the head of the family. When Nora tells Mrs. Linde of her ventures to repay Krogstad she explains that she, “found other ways of making money . . .But it was still wonderful fun, sitting and working like that, earning money. It was almost like being a man” (Ibsen 196). During the play Nora makes it clear that she does not want Helmer to find out about the money or her working for any reason. This is because Helmer’s ideal family is totally, completely reliant on him. With Nora working for herself Helmer was no longer the sole provider for everyone in the family and that would have infuriated him along with making him feel inferior to his previous
In today’s society, the ideal woman is expected to be, “well-read and intelligent but also modest, gentle, humble and tender, though none of them is ostentatious or vain about their knowledge” (Bild 15). When this play was written women were not allowed to go to school and had little opportunity to learn about things outside of the house. If women were too affluent on any topic and demonstrated their knowledge they could be accused of pedantry. This idea demeaned women and made the ideal woman subordinate and insipid. Nora describes herself by saying, “Your squirrel would scamper about and do tricks… Your lark would be singing high and low in every room” (Ibsen 216). Helmer had treated Nora like a pet for the entirety of their relationship so she was willing to appease him by doing anything he asked of her. In Helmer’s mind Nora was the ideal wife and mother because she entertained the children and did not question his decisions on major topics leaving him as the head of the family. When Nora tells Mrs. Linde of her ventures to repay Krogstad she explains that she, “found other ways of making money . . .But it was still wonderful fun, sitting and working like that, earning money. It was almost like being a man” (Ibsen 196). During the play Nora makes it clear that she does not want Helmer to find out about the money or her working for any reason. This is because Helmer’s ideal family is totally, completely reliant on him. With Nora working for herself Helmer was no longer the sole provider for everyone in the family and that would have infuriated him along with making him feel inferior to his previous