The Function of Different Settings in A Doll's House and Twelfth Night

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The Function of Different Settings in A Doll's House and Twelfth Night

The setting comparison and deliberation in this essay is between Henric Ibsen's "A Doll's House" and William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night". "A Doll's House" deals with the social life and duty, the woman's proper place and role within the family and the society. "Twelfth Night" is about illusion, deception, disguises, madness, and the extraordinary things that love will cause us to do and to see.

The plot of the "Twelfth Night" takes place in Illyria, the unreal, fairy-land, the land of illusions and dreams. The beauty and the lighthearted atmosphere of Illyria influence the characters of the play. Orsino, Duke of Illyria, doesn't care about his country's concerns. The only thing that interests him is his love for Olivia, he listens to the music and dreams about her.

When Viola comes to the sea-coast of Illyria, she is also influenced by its special atmosphere. Seeking for adventures, she disguises herself as a young man and falls in love with Orsino. Her actions are not applicable for a woman of the Elizabethan period, who couldn't travel alone, but only with a chaperon.

Woman's mobility as well as her status and rights were very restricted. The only "way out" for her was

marriage.

In "A Doll's House" Italy symbolizes the good, but false image of Nora's life and Norway ymbolizes

the reality. In the first act Nora is seemed to be under total control of her husband. She can do what she wants only in his absence, which points to the similarity in family values and norms in both periods. When she demonstrates a lack of reverence for money, Helmer responds: "Nora, Nora, you are a woman!". This statement shows his bias when it co...

... middle of paper ...

.... On the other hand, doors are the ones that keep him away from revealing the secret of Nora's crime.

In the "Twelfth Night" Olivia also tries to keep in secret her love for Viola/Cesario by closing the garden's door ["Let the garden door be shut, and leave me to my hearing." (Act 3, scene 1)], because of her mourning for recently dead brother and Cesario's lower status. It wasn't socially accepted for a noble lady to marry somebody from the lower class in that period. After Krogstad's visit, Nora also fears not to be socially accepted.

The setting of these plays shows us various cultural values and society norms in the Elizabethan period and in the modern one. Settings also enable the various interpretations and better understanding of the devices and images, reveal and develops the relationship between the characters, show their feelings and concerns.

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