Both, Ibsen and Stenson, challenge the audience’s expectations of marriage through the supporting characters. Both, Nora and the Narrator, have little control over their lives and the family’s finances due to their dominating husbands whom embody the views and values of the 1800s. Both husbands, Torvald of A Doll’s House and John of The Yellow Wallpaper undermine their wives and patronize them by calling them childish names. John calls the Narrator, ‘blessed little goose’ and similarly Torvald uses many pet names such as ‘Skylark’ and ‘Songbird’ for Nora, clearing illustrating to the audience their dominance in the households. Ibsen places Torvald as the authoritarian figure of the Helmer residence ultimately highlighting his patriarchal dominance
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Torvald has ‘forbidden’ macaroons from the household as ‘he’s afraid they’ll ruin [Nora’s] teeth.’ However, the audience observe Nora, standing near the door as ‘she takes from her pocket a bag of macaroons and eats a couple,’ and upon hearing Torvald approaching Nora, ‘pops the bags of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.’ Through the dramatic irony, Ibsen illustrates Nora’s devious actions which foreshadows her deceit with the loan. Thus, Ibsen uses the macaroons to symbolise Nora’s defiance of Torvalds strict household rules. Correspondingly, Stenson uses the Narrator’s journal entries as a symbol for her own empowerment and self-expression as a therapeutic outlet for her emotions. As part of her rest cure, the Narrator has been forbidden to write, however she continues to do so ‘in spite of them’ referring to John, her brother and the maid, as the ‘dead paper is a great relief to my mind.’ As John continues to ignore her deteriorating mental state and dismisses her ‘silly fancies’ regarding the wallpaper, the Narrator continues to challenge her oppressors by expressing her thoughts and feelings to the audience by writing. In addition to the symbols, both authors use the ending of the texts to explore the women overcoming their oppressors, ultimately challenging the social conventions and expectations. Ibsen uses the shattering of ‘the miracle’ as
Torvald has ‘forbidden’ macaroons from the household as ‘he’s afraid they’ll ruin [Nora’s] teeth.’ However, the audience observe Nora, standing near the door as ‘she takes from her pocket a bag of macaroons and eats a couple,’ and upon hearing Torvald approaching Nora, ‘pops the bags of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.’ Through the dramatic irony, Ibsen illustrates Nora’s devious actions which foreshadows her deceit with the loan. Thus, Ibsen uses the macaroons to symbolise Nora’s defiance of Torvalds strict household rules. Correspondingly, Stenson uses the Narrator’s journal entries as a symbol for her own empowerment and self-expression as a therapeutic outlet for her emotions. As part of her rest cure, the Narrator has been forbidden to write, however she continues to do so ‘in spite of them’ referring to John, her brother and the maid, as the ‘dead paper is a great relief to my mind.’ As John continues to ignore her deteriorating mental state and dismisses her ‘silly fancies’ regarding the wallpaper, the Narrator continues to challenge her oppressors by expressing her thoughts and feelings to the audience by writing. In addition to the symbols, both authors use the ending of the texts to explore the women overcoming their oppressors, ultimately challenging the social conventions and expectations. Ibsen uses the shattering of ‘the miracle’ as