Inauthentic Identity In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

“A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen shocked 19th century Europe with it controversially gutsy ideas. In this play Ibsen tackles women 's rights as a matter of importance, yet throughout this time period it was neglected. Ibsen acknowledges the fact that in 19th century life the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and care for her husband. Nora Helmer is the main character in A Doll House, who plays a typical woman from the time period and is portrayed as a victim. The common denominator in many of Ibsen 's dramas is his interest in individuals struggling for an authentic identity in the face of tyrannical society. This often results in his characters ' being divided between a sense of duty to themselves and their responsibility to others. All of the aspects of this can be applied to the play A Doll House, in Nora Helmer 's character, who throughout much of the play is oppressed, presents an inauthentic identity to the audience and throughout the play attempts to discovery her authentic identity.

Nora is oppressed by a variety of social moral codes. Ibsen in his "A Doll 's House" depicts the role of women as subordinate in order to emphasize their role in society. Nora is smothered by the manipulation fromher husband Torvald. He has a very typical role in society. Torvald is a crude bank manager. With his job as his main priority he retains many responsibilities. He often treats his wife as if she is one of these responsibilities or better yet a burden. Torvald is very authoritative and puts his appearance, both social and physical, ahead of his wife that he supposedly loves. Torvald is a man that is more worried about his honor and reputation, for caring little about his wife 's