A Dolls House Critical Analysis - 1477 Words

In Henrik Ibsen’s controversial play, A Doll’s House, the audience witnesses Nora Helmer, a Norwegian housewife, struggle to hide a secret financial transaction from her husband, Torvald Helmer. At the conclusion of the play, Nora decides to leave Torvald and her children in order to find self-fulfillment. Throughout the play, Henrik Ibsen offers vivid criticism on the social expectations imposed upon women in Victorian-era society. Ibsen communicates this central message of the play by utilizing Nora’s dynamic character to demonstrate the necessity of freedom from societal bondage. In particular, Ibsen uses the macaroons and the tarantella dance throughout the play to provide greater depth to Nora’s character by presenting contrasting†¦show more content†¦In this context, the macaroons are symbolic of the many desires that Nora is forced to suppress due to Torvald’s wishes. The act of lying demonstrates Nora’s defiance of Torvald so that she may have what she desires, an act which is both thematically and symbolically important. Thus, having established a major element of the play’s plot, Ibsen further develops Nora’s character by later using the macaroons to express Nora’s cunningly nature. When Mrs. Linde and Dr. Rank arrives at the household, the latter is startled by the presence of the macaroons. He exclaims that, â€Å"Macaroons? Now, now! I thought they were forbidden here!† (Ibsen 166), to which Nora responds by stating that, â€Å"[T]hese are some that Kristina gave me.† (Ibsen 166). This obvious lie, apparent earlier in the play, shows the manner in which Nora deflects the accusation from herself to Mrs. Linde. The manner in which Nora reacts to Dr. Rank indicates the habitual nature of her lies. Throughout these parts of the plays, the macaroons serve show the rationale behind Nora’s lies as she attempts to gain access to this forbidden food. This closely parallels Nora’s rationale throughout the rest of the play as she attempts to hide her lies reg arding the secret loan she took from Niels Krogstad and her forged signature. The macaroons serve throughout the play as symbols of Nora’s childlike nature and her habitual lies, both done with the intention of accessing a forbiddenShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis of a Doll House1250 Words   |  5 PagesA Critical Analysis of A Doll House By Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen s background provided him the insight to write the play A Doll House. In Britannica Biographies, Ibsen s father lost his business and the family s financial stability when Ibsen was a young child. Because of the family s financial misfortunes, at the age of 15, Ibsen was forced to leave home and venture out on his own. He supported himself meagerly as an apothecary s apprentice and studied at night to prepare for universityRead MoreCritical Analysis Of A Dolls House1740 Words   |  7 PagesIbsen (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (1829-1906). Though his plays suggest otherwise, Ibsen revered the state of marriage, believing that it was possible for two people to travel through life as perfect, happy equals. A Doll s House is a three act play about a seemingly typical housewife who becomes disillusioned and dissatisfied with her condescending husband. Act One:Setting: It is important to note that the whole play takes place in one room and that until the last actRead MoreCritical Analysis Of A Dolls House1731 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"A Dolls House† A Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen first published â€Å"A doll’s house â€Å" in 1879. In this play Ibsen distinguished the state of marriage, believing that it was possible for two people to travel through life as perfect, happy equals. 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Unknowingly the hero or heroine solves the problem at the end of theRead More Essay on Lies and Self-realization in A Dolls House1162 Words   |  5 Pagesin A Dolls House    In Ibsens play,   A Dolls House,   the characters willingly exist in a situation of untruth or inadequate truth that conceals conflict.   Noras independent nature is in contradiction to the tyrannical authority of Torvald.   This conflict is concealed by the way they both hide their true selves from society, each other, and ultimately themselves.   Just like Nora and Torvald, every character in this play is trapped in a situation of untruth. A Dolls House, can be misinterpreted