A Doll's House Breaking The Norm Essay

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In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, a character’s thoughts are shown through their actions. At the beginning of the play, “the norm” is portrayed in a family of five where the mother has two jobs; to care for her children and husband, and the house. Although this might seem like any other housewife’s life, it has a lot more to it than readers originally thought. Mothers are trapped in this concept of having to satisfy their husbands at all times even if it means they have to do what they don’t want to. Back in 1920s, the thought of contradicting a man was unacceptable and the idea of divorce was just unimaginable. Ibsen has one purpose, and that is to emphasize what women in the 1920s went through, their feelings and thoughts as well as the …show more content…

For example, a time she opened up to how she really feels to her friends, Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde was when Torvald wasn’t home, meanwhile eating macaroons, “There is just one thing in the world now that I should dearly love to do” (Nora Act I). Both Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde were in shock after hearing what Nora really wanted to say, but they kept quiet because that is what “the norm” was made to be. Nora says what Torvald wants to hear, never what she really wants to say. Nora also tends to hide her true feelings. When Mrs. Linde was over Nora and Helmer’s home, Nora expressed a feeling of worry and anxiety. However, as soon as Helmer walked in, Nora switched all her emotions around and instead of worried and anxious, she seemed happy and excited to see her husband. Although that is very uncommon for people to do nowadays, it was told to be Nora’s obligation. She hides everything from her husband as clearly seen… “Hush! there's Torvald come home. Do you mind going in to the children for the present? Torvald can't bear to see dressmaking going on. Let Anne help you” (Nora Act II). This sentence shows that clearly Nora is not comfortable talking about her personal problems with her husband; thus illustrating she is not in a healthy

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