A reaction paper to "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen

Essay by bigdawg89College, UndergraduateA-, October 2008

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After reading "A Dolls House" by Henrik Ibsen, I realized that just like life, Nora’s overt symptoms were simply a byproduct of a problem that lies much deeper than simple financial spontaneity. Torvald, a patronizing, and solely appearance-driven man sets up the relationship for failure from the beginning. The fact that he treats Nora like a child and almost as a toy is not only demeaning to anyone, but it is actually awful that any man could treat a woman that way. I do not believe that Nora is the one to blame for her problems with spending money. However, it is unfortunate that Nora forges a loan paper because she is looking for fulfillment through money. Obviously there is a void in the relationship, true love. Love is something that Torvald should have been giving Nora all along, instead he demeans her. Therefore, Nora looks to money to provide her the happiness and love that should be given to her by her husband.

This play appealed to me because I think it is wonderful that Ibsen spoke out so strongly in this play for the support of women’s rights. The theme of this play is the unjust sacrificial role of women. In the Victorian era, the man held the majority of power in a relationship, and was deemed with the more important role in society. Women, on the other hand, were expected to be acquiescent and dependent on men in all areas of their lives. I was shocked that women were not legally allowed to sign a legal document, such a personal loan without a man's signature. It must have been a huge issue for some strong willed women to fall into the position of full dependence on a man. I believe that Nora was one...