Many literary works assess various aspects of life, and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll‘s House explores important social matters. Ibsen was born on the southeast coast of Norway, and his childhood was not particularly easy (Gundersen). His parents were relatively affluent and had five children, with Henrik being the oldest son (Gundersen). However, the future author’s family was thrown into poverty when he was eight years old, and at fifteen, he had to quit school and find a job to support the household (Gundersen). Ibsen had faced considerable hardships before finishing his first play Catiline and writing A Doll’s House, one of his most prominent creations (Gundersen). In his A Doll’s House, Ibsen examines social restrictions on gender roles by showing what is expected of and permitted to women and men through the examples of the protagonist and her husband.
To comprehend the theme of gender differences in A Doll’s House, one must know the play. The narrative follows the story of Nora Helmer, a cheerful woman with a husband, Torvald, and three children, living in a house furnished “comfortably and tastefully” (Ibsen 5). The setting is the family’s home during Christmas, but the Helmers are visited by people interested in matters other than the holiday (Ibsen 5). The first guest is Mrs. Linde, a widow and Nora’s “school friend”, hoping to find an occupation with the support of the protagonist’s spouse (Ibsen 26). Another caller is a man named Krogstad, from whom Nora had borrowed “two hundred and fifty pounds” when her husband was ill and who is soon to be fired by Torvald (Ibsen 33). The storyline revolves around Krogstad threatening Nora to help him keep his job and Mrs. Linde assisting Nora in resolving the situation. In the end, Torvald learns the truth, but Nora decides to leave him when she realizes her husband’s unwillingness to protect her (Ibsen 95). Overall, although the play is moderately short, it raises important discussions.
A Doll’s House shows restrictions on gender roles by demonstrating the views of Nora’s spouse. Torvald regards Nora like a child rather than a wife and repeatedly calls her such gentle but condescending names as “little squirrel” and “little featherhead” (Ibsen 6). Torvald believes that “before all else,” a woman is “a wife and a mother” but not a “reasonable human being” (Ibsen 41). He thinks that men should be protectors and that a male person must “take everything upon” himself (Ibsen 53). Torvald states that “there is something so incredibly sweet and satisfying” in a man forgiving his wife and claims that a woman is attractive when she is “helpless” (Ibsen 92). Nora suggests that those are not simply Torvald’s opinions because “most people would think him right” (Ibsen 96). Accordingly, Torvald and the society he belongs to think that men should be mighty providers, whereas women must be compliant keepers of the hearth.
Furthermore, the play illustrates gender differences by portraying Nora’s experiences. The protagonist remarks that she was never allowed to think for herself because all her views were suggested “first by papa and then by” her husband (Ibsen 94). Nora has always “existed merely to perform tricks” for others without being permitted to do what she wanted (Ibsen 94). For instance, Nora states that “working and earning money” as men do brings her “a tremendous pleasure” (Ibsen 21). However, female individuals are not encouraged to be providers, and “a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent” even when she needs to save her family (Ibsen 19). Accordingly, Nora was led to believe that women must satisfy others while men can be proud breadwinners.
To summarize, A Doll’s House examines social restrictions on gender roles by demonstrating Torvald’s possibilities and Nora’s constraints. Torvald symbolizes male persons who can work, earn money, and control their families. Nora represents female individuals expected to be obedient to men, tend to children, and behave to please others. While men are anticipated to make decisions and act proudly, women must be helpless and caring. Accordingly, the former become puppeteers, while the latter turn into dolls in their own houses.
Works Cited
Gundersen, Mathew Paul. “The Story of Henrik Ibsen.” Life in Norway, 2018.
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Open Road Media, 2017.