To What Extent Do the Surroundings in Ibsen’s ‘a Doll House’ Make Nora Realise Her Fate More Than in Hardy’s ‘Tess of the D’urberville’

1409 Words6 Pages
Ibsen wrote a verisimilitude play; ‘A Doll’s House’ in 1879, he set the play in one place, Nora’s home. Consequently, she realises that her problems don’t lie within herself but actually the environment she’s in. A home has many connotations of feeling safe, whereas in Nora’s feelings change as the play goes on. However, throughout the phases in Hardy’s picaresque novel ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ Hardy allows Tess to explore Wessex countryside and experience life therefore doesn’t have a real home. Nevertheless, Tess’ emotions change dependant on the environment, both Nora and Tess’ sentiments change due to the events that occur. At the beginning of Act One, Nora is making her entrance, the audience believe they’re being introduce to a woman with high status, she commands the maid to ‘Hide the Christmas tree’ The set would appear to be at Nora’s command. Her emotions towards her home were secure, happy as no tragic events had revealed themselves. Nora pays the porter twice the amount she was meant to presumably because she is infused with the Christmas spirit. Like the other houses in the Victorian era, her house is decorated according to her class. Nora personifies her house as being a friend that can keep her secrets, shown through stage directions “[puts the bag of macaroons in her coat and wipes her mouth]” the ‘wiping’ of her mouth symbolises the secret been presented to her house. It is argued by many critics that Nora is being guided by the environment as a child who doesn’t know much about the outside world; consequently she peruses the need to explore. Ibsen, however, has carefully constructed Nora so that her independence and farsightedness have always shown through her adolescent ignorance. The happiness is shown in ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’, Tess’ hometown is in Marlott. ‘A doll’s’ house was set in December, ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ is set in

More about To What Extent Do the Surroundings in Ibsen’s ‘a Doll House’ Make Nora Realise Her Fate More Than in Hardy’s ‘Tess of the D’urberville’

Open Document