The Status of Women in A Doll's House Essay

A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen

Henrik Ibsens play A Doll House suggests that the status of woman throughout the Victorian era was one of submission, in which they were not given the same rights as their male counterparts. During the 1800s, women began to slowly become more independent; for instance, they were able to take on more responsibilities, such as entering traditionally male dominated work forces. However, this change was a gradual process. Just because it was becoming more acceptable for women to work in these fields, does not mean a woman could easily decide to get a job working alongside a man. In those times everything depended on class and social status. In A Doll's House Ibsen shows that middle class women are expected to exercise a prominent role in the household and nowhere else, bound completely to a life of domesticity. While this was satisfactory for some women of the time period, Ibsen shows that there are exceptions to the female stereotypethose who wanted more from life than mere servitude and were prepared to sacrifice social standing in return for autonomy. His character Nora is this sort of exceptional figure. She desires independence from the misogynistic society, but in reality, is limited in what she can accomplish.

Ibsen illustrates the plight of 19th century women through Noras character development. Throughout the play, she interacts with a number of different characters, each of whom represents a different social class. These characters are her husband Torvald, Dr. Rank the family physician, her best friend Mrs. Linde, and the antagonist Nil Krogstad. Since each of these characters have diverse social backgrounds, by having them interact with Noras character, Ibsen sets up a series of comparisons that exemplifies the struggles of women in that time period, allowing himself to advocate female equality.

The most important series of interactions in the play are between Nora and her husband. Their relationship creates the central conflict and tension within the drama. This conflict deals with the rights of women in and out of the household. As mentioned before, women were entitled to fewer rights than their male counterparts during this time period; for instance, Nora decides to barrow money so that she can take her unhealthy husband to Italy for recovery. However, she cannot because women were excluded from such financial privileges at that time. This exclusion does not stop her: she fraudulently takes out the loan in her deceased fathers name. The fact that she is forced to go about barrowing the money in an illegitimate manner shows that women were not thought of as responsible enough to handle finances.

Since Nora's well-intentioned action is considered illegal, it suggests that women have the power to choose which rules to follow at home, but exercise little authority in the business world, thus indicating Noras socially derived weakness. At first she does not realize that the rules outside her household also applied to her. This is evident when Nora borrows money from Krogstad (the only character more misogynistic than Noras husband), forging her fathers signature in belief that her act will be overlooked because of its virtuosity. In her opinion it was not a crime for a woman to do everything possible to save her husband. Later, in a meeting with Krogstad, she initially confronts the implications of a "lawful society," dealing with her dilemma by accepting an offer of bribery in order to keep her illegal ordeal a secret. She fails to see that the law does not take into account the motivation behind her forgery. Thus, her first encounter with rules outside of her "doll's house" results her realization that she is inexperienced with the real world due to her inferior role in society.

Furthermore, as Nora and Trovald interact throughout the play, it becomes apparent that he considers her lesser than himself. His diminutive opinion of her is best illustrated by the manner with which he addresses her. He constantly refers to her by pet names such as goose, squirrel, and lark (1381). By doing so, he reduces her figure to the stature of a mere animal. Through Trovalds demeaning addresses to Nora, Ibsen comments on the problematic nature of womens domestication, implying that most men reinforce traditional female stereotypes and thereby undervalue the potential of women. Although Nora and Trovalds relationship provides most of the dramas commentary on gender relations, Ibsen has her character interact with other male figures to depict different positions toward the expectations placed on women.

Though Trovald seriously underestimates his wife, as most married men of the time period did, the character Dr. Rank provides a counterexample. While Trovald is somewhat of a bigoted misogynist, Rank represents those men who believe that women deserve rights equal to those of the opposite gender. Rank is by no means an outspoken feminist but his conduct toward Nora suggests that he has egalitarian sympathies. In contrast to Trovald, Rank is kind to Nora and she recognizes this difference between her husband and the doctor; for example, when Nora talks to Rank about her husbands insistence that she should not eat too many macaroons, the doctor says that she had as much a right to eat delicacies as any man, including himself (1369).

In an exchange of dialogue with her closest companion in the play, Mrs. Linde, Nora expresses a preference toward the way Rank treats her as opposed to her husbands domineering tendencies:

Torvald loves me beyond words, and, as he puts it, hed like to keep me all to himself. For a long time hed almost be jealous if I even mentioned any of my old friends back homeBut with Dr. Rank I talk a lot about such things, because he likes hearing about them. (1380)

As the two women continue to converse, Mrs. Linde inquires if Rank was Noras possible admirer and benefactor, to which Nora does not give a satisfactory answer. Regardless, their conversation shows that Nora entertains notions about other men than her husband, Rank in particular because treats her more like a human-being than a house pet. Noras comparison between her husband and Dr. Rank leads her to conclude that there is the possibility of an alternative lifestyle for her.

Alongside Dr. Ranks influence, Mrs. Linde, an emancipated yet poor feminine figure, also contributes to Noras change. She does so in a number of ways. First, since Mrs. Linde is a disenfranchised widow, she shows Nora that women can exist outside of the patriarchy but at a pricepoverty. She reminds Nora of this ominous fact:

MRS. LINDE: He was well off, Id say. But the business was shaky, Nora. When he died, it all fell apart, and nothing was left.

NORA: And then?

MRS LINDE: Yes, so I had to scrape up a living with a little shop and a little teaching and whatever else I could find. The last three years have been like one endless workday without a rest for me. (1363)

As detailed in Mrs. Lindes testimony, if independent, a woman must suffer hardship in return, because they have no financial backing without a male benefactor. Since the two are best friends, Nora feels free to tell Mrs. Linde her most intimate fantasies, like Then Id sit here dreaming of a rich old gentleman who had fallen in love with me (1366). At times, Mrs. Linde considers Nora somewhat childish, criticizing her audacious financial conduct as irresponsible. Though Mrs. Linde denounces Noras aspirations toward independence, her stance as an autonomous women ultimately encourages Nora to decide in favor of separation at the dramas climax.

The play ends with a conversation between Nora and Travold about her borrowing money fraudulently. She originally believes that Travold will agree with her financial decision since it was for his wellbeing; however, he is disgusted and responds by calling her a number of derogatory terms, including hypocrite, liar and criminal (1402). After this offense, he tries to console her with pet names, but she responds with resentment, going so far as to state that she doesnt love him anymore. At this climactic point, she finally decides to sacrifice the comforts of a wealthy, male-dominated lifestyle in favor of her own independence.

Nora is not only important because she represents plights of womankind, but more so because she exemplifies how repressed womens rights were deprived. In the Victorian era, women were faced with restrictions similar to those that Noras character struggles to overcome in the play. By assuming the passive position in her marriage, she depicts the traditional expectations for women of the time period. However, Nora desires liberation, which prompts her to recognize that she is merely a doll trapped in a Dolls House. She decides to take her life into her own hands, seeking out individuality by stepping outside the customs of society to discontinue her role as a doll.