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Woman oppresion in literature
Women's oppression in literature
Ibsens view of women thesis
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The mid-nineteenth century also referred to as the “Victorian Age, taking from the name of England's Queen Victoria who ruled for over 60 years” (Radek) revealed that women were faced with many adversities that appeared to have delayed their true aptitudes. During this time period, women were also required to conform to the divine command of men and must find a husband or she would be derided by the social order. In the same way, women were also not allowed to follow a profession. Nevertheless, as time progress, women have experienced “realization”. This realization is the ability for one to understand their purpose or have a desire to be something more than their original state. Zealously, I believe that conflict can help a woman transcend to this ‘realization’. Regardless of the many disparities women have faced, it is apparent that the conflicts that women have experienced, allowed them to seek out there true identity and purpose. Moreover, this leads to what exactly is conflict. Conflict is considered to be the very essence of many literary works. Likewise, it is the momentum of happening and change and is very vital for delivering information and building characterization within the literary text. When conflict is conquered, it provides a greater sense of understanding and lessons to be learnt. Conflicts can be internal or external. Internal conflicts exist between the character and his/herself while external conflict exists between two characters or the environment. A modern play that demonstrates the transgression of a woman from the conflict she experience is in “The Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen wrote this particular work while living in Italy, which became a cornerstone in ‘realism’. It also brings ...
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...ed and open a constructive and transformative dialogue with Torvald! Nonetheless, this is where we see that their marriage truly is fraught with complications and trials. In the final analysis, the conflicts which ultimately destroy Nora's and Torvald's marriage stem from pride, unrequited love, and betrayal. Nora lies to her husband and betrays his trust in part because she loves him and wants to please him. Torvald cannot accept his wife's sacrifice in securing the loan that saved his life because, in desperation, she got the money illegally, and if the fact became known, it would be a blow to his pride. When Torvald will not defend his wife, it is the final betrayal of her love, and their marriage does not survive.
Works Cited
Damrosch, David and Pike L. David. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.
Lawall, Sarah,et al. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd ed. Volume A (slipcased). Norton, 2001. W.W. Norton and Company Inc. New York, NY.
Kadir, Djelal, Ursula K. Heise, David Damrosch, Sabry Hafez, and Pauline Yu. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Second ed. Vol. A-B. New York: Pearson, Longman, 2009. Print.
Puchner, Martin, , et al. The Norton Anthology of World Literature . Third. a. New York: W.W, Norton & Company, Inc., 2012. 230-331. Print.
Throughout her life Nora had spent her time pleasing the men around her, first her father and then Torvald. As the reality erupted that her marriage to Torvald was loveless and not salvageable, she ignored Torvald's demand that she not leave him. He even made attempts to sway her decision by insinuating they could go on in the house as brother and sister. Her need to be a valued human in society had prevailed over the dependent, frail, creature that once belonged to Torvald. She set out to find her independence in spite of the limitations that society had placed on women. Her displeasure had burned a path beyond her little, secure world and the burden of being a plaything was lifted.
At the beginning of the story Nora is very happy, and everything with her family is going great. Nora responds in joy when Torvald brings up all the extra money that he will bring to the family with his new job. But as the story goes on Nora says she is not just a “silly girl” as Torvald says she is. Torvald does not agree that she understands all the business details referring to debt that she incurred to take out a loan to preserve Torvald’s health. She thinks that if she knows all these things about business that she will think that Torvald will see her as an intelligent person that knows more than just being a wife. But the fact that she is willing to break the law just to show her courage for Torvalds health.
Torvald is the typical husband of the time of the play. He tries to control his wife and expect her to submit to him. He manipulates her through many different ways. First, he calls her pet names such as "little lark" (3) and "squirrel" (4) and speaks to her in a condescending tone, as if she is a child. He then tries to control her habits so he will not let her eat sweets or spend too much money. In fact, all the money she gets comes from him. He demands that she is subservient and treats her as almost a dog later on in the play. At the end, when Nora's secret is out, he lashes out at her and kicks her out of the house. When he wants her back after he realizes that he will no longer get into trouble for what she did, she does not want to come back, he finally realizes that she does not love him anymore and that his manipulation of her is over. This leaves him in a pickle because he now has to take care of his children without Nora, hardly a good position for him.
Conflict is apart of the model of society. It is a very common component of reality and also in stories and other forms literature. In stories, it adds sensation and stimulates the minds the people who are reading it. Characters can be in conflict with another character, an object, or themselves. When characters are having conflicts however it is more than just a mere disagreement but it is a situation in which the characters detect a threat to their physical, emotional, power and status well-being.
Torvald explained to Nora that keeping Krogstad on at the bank would appear to others that he is easily swayed by his wife. Torvald has also complained about Krogstad’s use of his first name at the bank. Of course, Torvald’s true feelings about his appearance come out explicitly during his fit of rage in the end. Torvald is excessively consumed with how others view him and has no moral objections to having his wife perform sultry dances in front of other men.
Damrosch, David and David L. Pike. The Longman Anthology of World Literature Second Edition. Pearson Education, Inc., 2009.
Torvald is the only one in the family who works and provides for his family who needs to survive in their lifestyle. Because of this, Nora must always go and ask for money from Torvald, hoping for his acceptance of her using his income. Nora also had no possessions to her name because when a woman got married, all her possessions were considered under the control of her new husband.... ... middle of paper ...
Domrosch, David. Longman Anthology of World Literature, The, Compact Edition. 1st Edition. Pearson College Div: Longman, 2007. Print.
Henrik Ibsen paints a sad picture of the sacrificial role of women throughout all social economical classes in his play “A Doll House”. The story is set in the late 19th century and all minor female characters had to overcome adversity to the expense of love, family and self-realization, in order to lead a comfortable life. While the main female protagonist Nora struggles with her increasingly troubled marriage, she soon realizes, she needs to change her life to be happy as the play climaxes. Her journey to self-discovery is achieved by the threat of her past crime and her oppressing husband, Torvald and the society he represents. The minor female characters exemplifying Nora’s ultimate sacrifice.
"But our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa's doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. That is what our marriage has been, Torvald." (491)
“A Doll’s House” is a play written by a Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen. The play was published in 1879, and is a literary piece that triggered almost vigorous reactions from the audience. Moreover, the play was considered Ibsen’s masterpiece and he was determined to provoke a reaction from the public. His intention was to bring awareness to the problem of gender roles in the 19th century society: the role of women who were used as decorations of the household. The title this play, “A Doll’s House”, foreshadows the play’s protagonist, Nora Helmer, and her role in the household. The title of the play suggests that Nora is a doll in her own home.