Dolls House Essay

720 Words3 Pages
Expectations In today’s day and age women tend to take advantage of how lucky they are. Less than one hundred years ago women were treated like dolls. They lived in the shadow of their husbands, brothers, and fathers. They were not allowed to work, take charge, or do anything that didn’t involve being a housewife. Society had a certain expectation of women and if women deviated from that they were bound to be ruined for life. Hendrik Ibsen reveals to us in “A Doll’s House” just how strong one woman had to be in order to take charge of her own expectations and leave the expectations of others behind. In ‘A Doll’s house’ we are introduced to Nora who carries a great secret with her. The play takes place in the Helmer’s residence around 1870, a time in which a woman could not be herself since it was an exclusive male society. We learn that she has borrowed money from Mr. Krogstad without the knowledge of her husband Torvald. Mr. Krogstad threatens to reveal her secret to Nora’s husband when he fears he’s about the loose his job. Nora confides her situation to Mrs. Linde who convinces Krogstad to reconsider blackmailing Nora. Mrs. Linde however is convinced that the secret should be known to Torvald and tells Krogstad to inform him about the loan in a letter. When Torvald discovers Nora’s secret he is enraged and accuses her of ruining his life. Nora realizes that they have never loved each other and decided to leave Torvald and her children to become fully independent. Throughout this play there is a running theme of expectations. Nora’s expectations of her husband Torvald, and the expectations of woman in the late nineteen century society. Towards the end of the second act, Nora tells Mrs. Linde what would happen if Torvald were to find Mr. Krogstad’s letter. She says; “It’s the miracle now that’s going to take place.” (page 1279) Nora believes that her husband
Open Document