Book/Play: “A Doll’s House”

April 17, 2010

I remember reading we had to read this book called “A Doll’s House” by Henrick Ibsen last semester in my English class and how it portrays the typical gender roles within a family. “A Doll’s House” is a play in the 1950s and is about a family and its main character Nora who is not content with her role in her marriage. Nora is the loving mother and wife acting exactly how she is supposed to, making it look like they have the perfect little family. Her husband was the provider who worked a lot; by providing his family with money he believed he was the perfect husband to Nora. Both man and woman have defined roles throughout the play.

It is obvious that there was no real love between Nora and her husband Torvald and that their relationship was that what society expected; Nora does not and is not allowed to work, the children are well behaved with the help from a nanny and her Torvald provides her with money and basically treats her like a doll. Because the maid does most of the “housewife” work it leaves Nora wondering what it would be like outside of the house. Nora does not show how she really feels to anyone because what she has is supposed to be what every other girl is dreaming of. Nora wanted to know what it was like to work and make money, however, he status in society prevented her from doing so. We can relate this to the public and private spheres that we have discussed in class; it is obvious that Nora is living in the private sphere as she stays at home wondering what it would be like in the outside world while Torvald is living in the public sphere working all day and taking care of the bills.

What is also interesting is that this family has a (African American) maid who takes care of the children and house chores the majority of the time; she was doing most of the chores that a typical housewife does. She is not really mentioned a lot in the book but enough to know that she is a minority who does not have enough money to take care of her own daughter who she writes regularly. It is clear that working as a maid is her best option to provide for herself because of her skin color.

Lastly, there is no equality between men and women; their roles are so defined that it is all about what society wants; breaking this gender role can have major consequences. Nora basically slams the door closed on her and Torvald’s marriage; she decides she wants to leave her role as a mother and wife and learn what it is like to work and make money. What is interesting is that Torvald is very upset with what the community will think of them. You would think he would be upset with the fact that his wife is leaving him. Instead he is more concerned with the embarrassment he will have to deal with and how bad she make him look.

dollhouse

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