A Doll's House
Tiffany Golden
Jane Howell
A Doll's House
English 112 (M,W 7:15- 9:55)
12/06/04
Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House is a problem play. The goal of a problem play is to make its viewers aware of problems in society (Meyer 1582). In A Doll's house, Ibsen wishes to awaken people to the need to question established beliefs and institutions. The goal is to attain freedom and truth in ones life.
The play takes place during the Victorian period. It was expected for a woman to obey her husband regardless of her own wishes. Ibsen makes his audience stop and think if a man's authority in his marriage and his home should be so absolute.
Helmer. Wasn't that a happy thought of mine, now?
Nora. Splendid! But don't you think it is nice of me, too, to do as you wish?
Helmer. Nice?-because you do as your husband wishes? Well, well you little rogue, I am sure you did not mean it in that way.
Nora is stating that she is being nice to her husband by doing what he wants her to do. Helmer surprised by this comment. His reaction is that a woman is always suppose to do what her husband wants her to do therefore she isn't doing him a favor but she is doing what she is suppose to do. Ibsen's Victorian audience would have been as equally shocked as Helmer is. Nora is saying that she has a right to decide to do what she wishes, and when she sides with what her husband's wishes, she is being nice and giving into him. Thus, Ibsen makes his audience stop and think about the husband's authority in his marriage and home.
Ibsen wants his audience to question a husband's authority in his marriage and home. "So explosive was the message of a Doll's house- that a marriage was not sacrosanct, that a man's authority in his home should be challenged (Meyer 455)." Her actions and dialog brought into question the established ideas about marriage and a man's authority. Sacrosanct means secured by a religious...
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