Silence In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

1541 Words4 Pages

Communication is key in all interactions between people. It is necessary in all factors of life, as without it, there would be no understanding the needs of others. Honest and open communication is essential in an intimate relationship, as it builds trust and growth and deepens the bond between a couple. There are moments when silence is the best method to get a message across and there are moments when speaking openly is, but the best method cannot be determined without the couple honestly communicating with each other and figuring out what works the best for them. Not be forthcoming about what one expects or needs from the relationship marks its downfall as it cannot be expected that the other partner knows what is wanted without it being …show more content…

The quote “saying nothing… sometimes says the most” by Emily Dickenson's comes to mind when describing the role of silence in an intimate relationship that lacks communication because the silence shows to be an indicator of problems within it. In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen describes the relationship of a married couple, Nora and Torvald Helmer, whose marriage falls apart. When Torvald falls ill early in their marriage, Nora forges her father’s signature in order to get a loan so that they could pay for a trip to Italy as their doctor prescribed warm weather as the cure to his illness. In order to protect her husband’s fragile ego and pride, …show more content…

As seen in the relationship between Hetty Sorel and Captain Arthur Donnithorne in Adam Bede. Hetty Sorrel is a beautiful young woman that lives with her relatives. Being so beautiful, she captures the attention of Adam Bede, an honest well-respected man of her community. Adam is completely enamored by Hetty and believing that her beauty must be a reflection of her personality asks for her hand. As a person’s physical appearance is not an accurate measure of a person’s character, Adam’s perception of Hetty proves to be false. Being aware of the power her beauty gives her, Hetty is an extremely vain woman that believes she is entitled to riches and splendor, so when Captain Arthur Donnithorne takes over and becomes the man in power, she sets her eyes on him. Hetty develops a fascination with Arthur and the life that she would have being his wife. Her beauty captures his attention as well, but he tries to avoid acting on it as he is aware that because of their differing social positions, nothing would result from entertaining his attraction. “To flirt with Hetty was a very different affair from flirting with a pretty girl of his own station… no gentleman, out of a ballad, could marry a farmer’s niece” (Elliot 13:17-18). However, he cannot hold himself back enough and continuously flirts with her and feeds

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