Flaws in society evident in Henrik Ibsen's, A Doll's House
"A Doll's House...exploded like a bomb into contemporary life...ending not in reconciliation but in inexorable calamity. It pronounced a death sentence on accepted social ethics." What are the targets of Ibsen's criticism and what techniques does he use to expose the flaws in contemporary Norwegian society?"For whatever one's opinion of A Doll's House as a play may be, there can be no question of it's startling unconventionality." ('Flashes from the Footlights' Licensed Victuallers' Mirror, June 1889 ). Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, was unconventional in its themes and in the way in which they were presented. Ibsen questioned contemporary Norwegian society's conventional male and female roles, the morals of marriage and challenged all human beings, particularly females, to strive to be one's self and to be responsible for themselves. The tragedy he wrote also had technical originality. The characters were ordinary people, who spoke simple, everyday language and the play was a first in that it didn't have the traditional theatrical happy ending. It can be understood that this 1879 drama was excessively criticised by its audience.At the time the play was produced, Norwegian society was undergoing social and political reform. T
Ms Linde didn't marry the man she loved in order to marry a man with enough money to care for her ill mother and her younger brothers. The character of Ms Kristine Linde is an example of this. This verisimilitude gave the play social reality and the characters, psychological credibility. That is to take control of your life, whether you are male or female, and strive to be the person you wish to be. Ibsen knew his play would prompt chaos and as he wrote in a poem, "I have never been one for shifting pawns. This increases the complexity of the play and the social issues. Ibsen's exposure of the need for equality of women to men is part of a much deeper necessity, self-liberation. Ms Linde marries Nils Krogstad for love, despite his criminal record and low social status and Nora leaves her home, husband and children in search for the person she wishes to become. However this play, not intended to be a plea for woman's rights, but a call for all humans to be free, has made a significant contribution in constructing the society in which we live in today. Torvald Helmer is left with a choice. Techniques such as these means the play differs from the Romantic period, 'well-made' style play to be more like a 19th century Realistic play. This differed greatly to earlier plays in which the characters' speeches were rhymed. He may change his attitudes so that Nora and he may live together in a real marriage or he may continue as he is and fail to experience an equal relationship. Nora says to Torvald, "When I am gone from this world, you'll be free.
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Acceptance Essays
