Ibsen's A Doll's House being Dated

Ibsen's A Doll's House being Dated

To answer the above, one needs to be aware of when the drama was first

written (1879) and how audiences were shocked at Ibsen's radical

perception of the social roles of husband and wife in middle class

society at that time.

The role of middle class women at that time was simple, they bore

children and kept house in a very clear manner, albeit with the aid of

a housekeeper or maid. They were subservient to men and were

considered accoutrements and playthings. This comes across very

strongly in the manner that Torvald Helmer addresses Nora.

The main thrust of the play has a lot to do with gender relations in

modern society. It offers us, in the actions of Nora, a strengthening

of the view of women struggling to overcome a society governed wholly

by men resistant to change. Although this has changed dramatically

since, there are still many corners of society nowadays that still

cling to this belief and ethic. What was radical the case of this play

was that Ibsen chose to bring this into the open.

My first impression of Nora was that she was a shallow figure, that

she was a selfish, self indulgent manipulative person with not a care

in the world. We see as the play progresses that this is not the case

and her personality changes to reveal someone very different. The will

to 'do right' by her husband becomes evident as the play unfolds.

We learn that life then was very much the same as today, in that

middle class life was, in the main, affluent and agreeable, but only

for those that could operate within it successfully. For those who

couldn't life was brutal and unforgiving. We see that the Helmers are

looking forward to life being even more comfortable once Torv...

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...n truly happy, she had only

experienced fun. That she had finally lost her love for him because of

his reaction to Krogstadt's letter outlining the dishonesty in

obtaining the loan. 'No man can be expected to sacrifice his honour,

even for the person he loves' he exclaims. 'Millions of women have'

she retorts. She leaves, the play closes.

What I gather from the play, the only clue to the age is that of some

of the dialogue. I don't think the theme is dated at all. Consider,

the need for social standing, still as potent today as then. Consider

the political manoeuvrings, surrounding position in the workplace,

very much still in place today. Consider the power of seduction and

finally, the strength of character a woman needs to stand up for what

she feels is right even to her own detriment. Very powerful, very

thought provoking and very, very enjoyable.