Born in Skien, Norway on March 20, 1828, Henrik Ibsen has written some famous works such as the plays A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler (Biography.com). Both plays were written in the late 1800s, a time period where gender roles were clearly defined. Education wise, a woman would attend school to gain knowledge of “music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages….; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions…” (Hughes). In terms of marriage and sexuality, women of this time period were thought to desire marriage to become mothers and housewives rather than for sexual or emotional satisfaction, and to marry a man who earns enough money
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Ibsen shows this through the behaviors and actions of each character and how they work off of one another. To viewers of the time period both of these plays were released, some may find it empowering and others not. A Doll’s House seems more empowering to the women audience than the men due to its dramatic ending. Instead of acting like a “woman” should, Nora went against the norms and stood up for herself and no longer let herself be a “doll.” This caused quite a conflict with certain audiences, finding it controversial that Ibsen created an alternative ending to the play to suit others. In this alternative ending, Nora stays with Torvald, only for the children so they aren’t motherless and doesn’t make a person out of herself. Hedda Gabler seems less controversial to the eye but the main character, Hedda, seems to speak the truth about women during her time period. She married a man for his stability and income, not because she loved him and many other women were exactly in Hedda’s shoes. Feeling trapped, Hedda ends her life to escape and save her freedom. Many female audiences deep down may be able to connect with this play but not express it because of their husbands being right next to them, being the dominate and superior one, that all they can do is bite their tongue and agree with the men. The play could go both ways with men. Either men will understand the women’s position or
Ibsen shows this through the behaviors and actions of each character and how they work off of one another. To viewers of the time period both of these plays were released, some may find it empowering and others not. A Doll’s House seems more empowering to the women audience than the men due to its dramatic ending. Instead of acting like a “woman” should, Nora went against the norms and stood up for herself and no longer let herself be a “doll.” This caused quite a conflict with certain audiences, finding it controversial that Ibsen created an alternative ending to the play to suit others. In this alternative ending, Nora stays with Torvald, only for the children so they aren’t motherless and doesn’t make a person out of herself. Hedda Gabler seems less controversial to the eye but the main character, Hedda, seems to speak the truth about women during her time period. She married a man for his stability and income, not because she loved him and many other women were exactly in Hedda’s shoes. Feeling trapped, Hedda ends her life to escape and save her freedom. Many female audiences deep down may be able to connect with this play but not express it because of their husbands being right next to them, being the dominate and superior one, that all they can do is bite their tongue and agree with the men. The play could go both ways with men. Either men will understand the women’s position or