The struggles which women have in their daily life are real and universal. Females have been perceived as the subordinate of males who control societies. The role of ladies has always been to follow what the men say, and this has trapped communities in a patriarchal system. In their education, domestic and social life, they face many challenges (Fitriyani, 2016). There is a need for communities to talk about these struggles and help in ending any discrimination against womankind. In “A Doll’s House”-, Nora spends most of her life living up to societal expectations. However, as part one of the play draws to an end, she realizes the worth of her life. Fitriyani (2016) asserts that Nora is determined to learn all the rules of this world that infantilized and made her ignorant. The decision to leave her husband to discover herself is intense, but there was a need to make such a move.
It is clear that Nora was successful in her mission to self-discovery. During the years Nora was married to Torvald Helmer, she had no choice but to follow all the rules which were made by Torvald. She was expected to concur with her husband on all matters, and this made it extremely difficult for her to maintain her individuality while still married. Whereas living with Mr. Helmer, Nora had no chance to grow her personality and skills for her further self-development (Fitriyani, 2016). Deciding to leave her partner could be wrong if viewed from a particular perspective because she is supposed to be dedicated to her marriage. However, she had the right to discover herself, boost her skills, knowledge, abilities, and confidence that will lead her to a new chapter in life. Redeemable characters realize that they are wrong in their doing, and as a result, they try to make amend (Fitriyani, 2016). Nora Helmer faked a signature to take a loan, which was wrong. However, she never denied that but rather took responsibility to pay the debt herself, her act shows clearly that she is a redeemable character. Indeed, several lessons can be learned about our relationships through Nora and her plight. The lessons include mastering the art of selflessness, the need to let ourselves or our partners grow in all dimensions and lastly, that compromise is necessary at some point in our lives.
In conclusion, living in a patriarchal society has made it difficult for women to show their abilities or skills. This system should be discouraged by all means because it is conservative. Just as Nora, women require awakening to live not just as the society expects of them but rather to their full potential. There is a need to learn not to conform to societal expectations and therefore Nora’s decision to leave her marriage is justifiable.
Reference
Fitriyani, A. (2016). Various Social Motives Influencing Nora’s Complex Behavior as Seen in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: A Socio-Psychological Analysis (Doctoral Dissertation, Thesis S1. Yogyakarta: English Education Department Student. Languages and Arts Faculty. Yogyakarta State University).