The play "A Doll's House," by Henrik Isben, portrays the idea of moral corruption. The play is a serious drama about the middle class society in the 1800's where money and the law are very respected. Nora being the wife a of a banker has to handle her relationship with her kids as well as her husband who tries to maintain conrol of the family. This play becomes more of a self realization for Nora to stop being looked at as a "Doll" and more as someone on an equal level. At this time in Isben's life women were oppressed and did not hold the same status as men. The idea of the play is to bring women's lack of rights to the surface and prove a point to society. The characters in this play bring out the idea of moral corruption through the themes; Individual and Society, Duty to Oneself, and Appearance and Reality.
             In this play the theme Individual and Society plays an important role in understanding Nora's moral corruption. Torvald who has the power in the family, frequently tries to prove it. He keeps tight control of the family and also has the only key to their mailbox. Torvald represents society and the middle class rule. At the end of the play when Torvald is aware of what Nora did he is more willing to disown her to preserve his status in society. When Nora finds an ounce of strength, Torvald is the one who's true week identity comes out. Perhaps this is the authors way of saying that a change is occuring within the society. It also seems that in this play society's laws are what prevent people from expressing and seeing their true selves. While Nora is arguing with Krogstad about the law he tells her that the law takes no account of good motives, and she replies with, "Then they must be very bad laws!" Nora realizes that throughout her life she has lived in two households controlled by men, and has accepted church and society with out question. Her decision to leave comes from her self realization and the duty she mu...