Critical Lens Essay On A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

In the play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, several literary lenses can be used to better help understand the storyline. The most prominent lens used throughout this play is gender. It plays a large role in the story A Doll’s House. Nora, the protagonist is faced with many challenges because of the normalities of 19th century society. She must overcome these difficulties throughout the play. Since the play took place in the 19th century the role of women was limited to housework, raising children, and meeting their husbands commands.“Marriage was described as 'legalised prostitution' or slavery. The protagonists had a sense of being pioneers, participating in journeys or quests. However, most female rebels became utterly weary and disillusioned and were doomed to failure.” (Forward). Nora is a perfect example of a women from that time period, having to live under their husbands supervision and obey orders. Her husband called her names that undermined

In the nineteenth century, female independence was considered unimaginable and was deemed as wrong. Nora’s desire to leave her home life was obvious throughout the play, but she had constant doubts. The slam of the door, in the last scene, is very significant because a woman walking out on her family was such a rare occurrence.”To desert your home,your husband and your children!And don’t you consider what people will say.”(807). As said before,Torvald seemed extremely worried over how his peers would view him as a divorcé. Torvald is simply “preoccupied with work and money leading to a reduction of values from a moral to a material plane” (Literary Resource Center). Though, Torvald’s worries were not uncommon, many men upper class men were expected to have happy family lives. In the nineteenth century, women were not expected to make a living, providing for their families was a responsibility left for the man of the