Literature has always been used to mirror society; thus, the changes that occurred in women’s stance can be learned through literary representations. The main characters of all three plays, Nora, Eliza, and Cate, reflect greatly on the similarities in terms of a rigid stance of a woman in a patriarchal society. The interconnections between these three plays represent the role of women and their deprivation of it in different settings.
Since its publication, “A Doll’s House” has been interpreted from various feminist perspectives. The play’s characters are shown to allude to the societal framework of gender roles and the ideal female figure. In the framework of society and her husband, the protagonist, Mrs. Nora Helmer, is tied to the shackles of societal conventions and standards in a dollhouse erected by her husband. She later develops a process of self-realization and consciousness as a result of several occurrences, after which she defies preset norms and standards – “I am a reasonable human being” (Ibsen 71). “Pygmalion,” by the well-known British writer Bernard Shaw, is a representative drama. “Pygmalion” also depicts the development of women, but with the man’s role as God in the process. A lady is shown here as a test subject who is altered and recreated by a man. “Blasted,” being the creature of Sarah Kane, represents how rape incidents in the modern world reveal, intensify, and perpetuate the maldistribution of power between men and women.
The goal of all three plays is to trace the places of women in the mandated social roles and ideal forms imposed by the social structure of the period. The alteration of women’s identities via the passage of varied but effective events in their milieu, where patriarchy functions in full force, is a common thread throughout both plays. Nora from “A Doll’s House,” Eliza from “Pygmalion,” and Cate from “Blasted” are altered to gain self-respect and confidence in following their male ‘supervisors.’ Nora’s husband (Torvald) and Eliza’s professor (Higgins) are presented in this role denying the women their rightful place in the family and society. In the case of Cate, her abuser (Ian) not only rejects her place in society, but he also abuses it both physically and verbally.
Nora and Eliza might be viewed as ideal female icons depending on their status as nice or bad women. The idealization of decent women as attractive figures with polite speech and subservient behavior who fulfill their responsibilities to their families and society can be found in both plays. Nora is presented as a decent lady who is constantly attached to the home, moves according to her husband’s wishes, and is always willing to sacrifice herself for the family. Eliza is portrayed as a rebellious heroine who exercises her will to some extent throughout her life.
Through characterization, authors attempted to represent the social structure of their day. “A Doll’s House” references girls’ doll play and how women are seen as dolls and treated like dolls, as Torvald’s relationship with Nora demonstrates. In “Pygmalion,” referring to the old Greek myth of a sculptor carving a statue and bringing her to life, Professor Higgins transforms a rough and “unpolished girl with a sad voice” (Shaw 6) into a beautiful duchess. “Blasted”, in its turn, points out the process of rape in its every dimension, intending to “blast the person” (Kane 34) from the inside.
There are several interconnections between the three women, for example, the fact that they both suffer at the hands of men, albeit in different circumstances and scenarios. All of them are confronted with severe experiences and harsh truths of life and learn from them. This training causes a change in their personalities, and they grow into contemporary independent women who are capable of self-control and have enough self-assurance to function in society. The majority of the topics overlap; however one common thread that runs across plays is women’s fight to prove their presence in society.
Works Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. A&C Black, 2008.
Kane, Sarah. Sarah Kane: Complete Plays: Blasted; Phaedra’s Love; Cleansed; Crave; 4.48 Psychosis; Skin. A&C Black, 2001.
Shaw, Bernard. Pygmalion: A Play. Denton & White, 1912.