The Themes In The Dolls House

Henrik Ibsen wrote "A Doll's House" to portray the themes of gender bias, deception and lies also individualism Vs society in the community. Henrik Ibsen has used the main character, the protagonist, Nora to show the dominance of man over women in the 19th century. Nora from the very beginning was treated like a child by her domineering husband . Torvald Helmer, her husband, makes use of a childish and playful tone to talk to Nora which represents the relationship to be more like a father-daughter relationship rather than a husband-wife relationship.

Nora though serves as a good wife and good mother but she is never equal to her husband, Torvald, she is merely portrayed by Ibsen as an extra ordinary doll in the play "A Doll's house".Nora Helmer allows her husband Torvald to treat her like a child or a doll. Nora spends most of her time in the fear of Torvald behaving like a doll. From the beginning of the play Nora is played by Torvald's hand and is completely controlled by him.Ibsen creates Nora's stereotyped role which is like a doll and is always monitored by Torvald which in turn encourages her further to act as a toy. Torvald uses pet names like "little lark", "little squirrel", and "Little Miss Extravagant" throughout the play.

Torvald treats Nora like a cute little doll and which she approves of, she never defends her self as an individual. Nora continuously allowing Torvald to treat her like a pet makes the relationship more childish. Torvald Helmer restrains Nora with rules, much as a father would treat a child, forbidding her from having macaroons or other childlike pleasures.Later in the play it is seen that Torvald himself dresses Nora beautifully like a doll to perform the "tarantella".

Torvald does this just for his pleasure so that he can see his beautiful doll dance in front of him. Torvald again uses Nora as a doll. On the other hand Dr. Rank suggests Nora to be herself at the party. This is because Nora and Dr.

Rank share a relationship where they both act as equal individuals and Dr. Rank didn't want Nora to act as Torvald's doll.Towards the end of the play when Torvald gets to know about Nora's lying about the forging of the signatures. Nora thinks that Torvald loves her too much and would take all the blame on him. Nora says - "i wont have you taking all the blame on you". But Torvald replies calling Nora "a hypocrite","a liar" and a criminal.

This is when Nora breaks out of her dream and realizes that Torvald had been treating her like a "doll". This realization forces Nora to step into the real world and reject being treated like a doll. Nora then says "when I've left this world behind, you will be free". This portrays the awakening of Nora from her childish delusions.In the 19th century women did not realize that they were living in a cacoon.

Women were content living under a domineering suppression and did not go against the social norms. Girls were treated a mere property or rather toys. First under their father like a child and then with their husbands. Such in the case of Nora helmer who lived in the cast of her father and then later was still treated like a child by Torvald.

This is made clear by Torvald making pet names for Nora such as "little squirrel", and "Little Miss Extravagant".Nora in the end "takes off her fancy dress" in front of Helmer. By this strong action Nora becomes the "extra ordinary" doll in the doll's house. By this certain action Nora wants to show Torvald that she is no longer her doll. Nora is being dominated throughout the novel and is also treated like a child.

But in the end Nora Helmer goes against the social norms of the society and she acts like an individual. This action of Nora allows her to acquire dominance and control over Torvald.The word Doll is a metaphor used by Henrik Ibsen to show Nora's state of living and dominance of Torvald towards Nora. Nora realizes that her relationship with Torvald has never been a relationship of two equal individuals. Nora is always being treated like a doll or a mere toy. towards the end of the play Nora finally steps into the real world and realizes she cannot continue be the "doll" in a doll's house.

In order to break free from the authority she faced in her own house, Nora leaves Torvald and her three children. Leaving a home was not acceptable in the 19th century and that is why Nora was an extra ordinary doll. During that time a women was not certified to be an individual and always needed a man for living. being treated as a doll throughout her life and not being given equal rights Nora realizes that she had been oppressed by her husband and that now it was time to act as an individual breaking free from the norms of the society and her domineering husband.

A doll's house is a play based on Nora transforming from a suppressed Doll to a free individual.