Dolls House Doll\'s House Henrik

Dolls House

DOLL'S HOUSE

Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House' holds an unsurpassed place in the history of women's emancipation movement. The fact that it was a man who wrote this and not a woman lends it even further credibility since it highlights the truth that pain and anguish of women are not only felt by women themselves but by all perceptive empathetic individuals. The play appeared in 1879 when women were still completely suppressed and success of marriage was dependent on women's obedience, subservience and silence. It was in such times that Ibsen came forward with a completely refreshing viewpoint on the issue.

In Doll's House and several other plays like Ghosts and Pillars of Society, Ibsen made it clear that tradition is not necessarily beneficial to all and that convention may not exactly be based on the concept of human rights. It is interesting that this play is as much about the rights of humans for being humans as it is about rights of women. Though it is true that the play "was and is held to be about women's rights" (Bloom, 100), Ibsen himself gave it further scope when he said that, "to him it had been a question of "human rights." (Bloom, 101) in the same vein at one point in the play when Helmer reminds his wife Nora that, "Before all else, you are a wife and a mother," Nora very uncharacteristically replies with, "I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are -- or, at all events, that I must try and become one." This line accentuates the fact that this play was about rights, more about rights of women for being human beings and less about furthering any political agenda.

The fact that this play became one of the most well-known pieces of literature on the subject of women emancipation is undeniable. But this occurred precisely because the human being who was the victim in the play happened to be a female. Thus "Nora and her problem fall naturally into their place in the general scheme" (Downs, 139). For Ibsen, in his play, it was never women alone who were the victims but men and women both fell into that category. However his plays were essentially about right of people. However in this play nevertheless, the fact remains that "it is a woman who stands opposed to Society and that the issue here is joined with such perspicuous-ness and dramatic effectiveness, raised a particular interest at a time when the 'woman question' first attained general prominence." (Downs, 139)

The central character is that of Nora, a subdued woman who is happily married, or at least that's what she thinks in the beginning. As the events unfold, we learn that her happy marriage is nothing but a sham. Though her husband is a truly devoted family man, the respect that he should have for his spouse is missing and this is what breaks the Doll's house in the end. It would be wrong to assume that Trovald Helmer was a bad husband or father. He cared a lot about his family and was doing all that was in his power to provide for them. However as the play progresses, we realize that it is not just the traditional "looking out" for your family that counts, it is really love and respect for your spouse that makes a real marriage. Marriage is a sham if it is happening out of traditional duty. But when two people choose to live with each other because each one of them cares about the other, that's when it really matters. The sweet names that Helmer calls his wife are reduced to sweet nothings when it becomes clear that this man doesn't have the capacity to understand or forgive a minor mistake of his wife that was done purely for husband's well being. Ordinarily we expect spouses to stand by each other when one has committed a mistake but we expect even greater support and respect when mistake for made for other person's sake. But Helmer falters at that crucial moment and instead of supporting his wife, he is more worried about his image and reputation. This works as the final nail in the coffin as Nora decides to leave her house, which had been nothing but a fragile Doll's house all along. To this day, the play and its last scene serve as the most perfect statement on the desperate desire of a woman to be treated with respect and allowed freedom.

Schwarez (1975) stresses the significance of the last scene and eloquently captures the gist of the play when he writes: "Nora embodies the individualist alternative. In her, Ibsen depicts the full glory of a woman who finally finds herself in opposition to all social norms. The play ends with the dramatic sound of a door slamming shut. Nora walks away from the security of her household and from all traditionally sacred values of marriage and motherhood. She leaves to face an uncertain but compelling future of self-becoming." (p. 3)

With this play, the status of women in the nineteenth century gained extreme prominence. It was a time of quiet revolution for women as few authors came forth with rebellious elements in their plays. But the society in general wasn't very accepting of the change. They viewed the plays with quiet disapproval or gentle reserve since Nora's behavior was not considered the most appropriate reaction to the problem. (Griffin Wolff, 1994, p. 78) Older generation was more interested in upholding the tradition than allowing the youth to completely abandon it. Interestingly at the same time, there were some other authors who subscribed to the old school of thought and one of them was Henry Jones. Along with Arthur Wing Pinero, Jones was known for upholding women's role as decorative objects and endorsed it as the essence of femininity. To defend their "reductive treatment" of females, Jones cited flimsy "scientific" data: (Griffin Wolff, 1994: 78)

It is a physiological fact that throughout life a woman's brain and general anatomy is much nearer and more allied to a child's than a man's brain and anatomy.... My incessant protest is not against knocking down faulty human institutions, but against the folly... Of treating such primary instincts as sex, religion, and patriotism as if they were opinions, instead of being, as they are, impulses and emotions which we cannot root out, but must guide and control as best we may. (found in Wolff: 78)