Gender Inequality in

             The roles of men and women in the play, "A Doll's House", written by Henrik Ibsen, are very different compared to what they are now. According to Ibsen, "A woman cannot be herself in modern society. It is an exclusive male society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who asses female conduct" (pxli). The play was published in 1879, a time when there was an increasing concern with individual liberty and gender equality. Both Nora and Helmer are victims of society and their social roles as husband and wife, and tried to live according to convention by developing a marriage which is just an illusion and not reality. When Nora leaves behind her "doll house", she is opening the gate for the life of a woman, and by doing this she showed that a true bond between men and women is perfect freedom. The play shows an act of feminism.
             Ibsen effectively brings out the issue of gender equality in their society and marriage. The title of the play already gives away hidden meaning of how their marriage is about superficiality and how each doll is made to perform different social roles. "Our home has never been anything but a playroom" (p 98), clearly emphasizing that Nora and Helmer are living this false doll's life when Nora describes herself as her husband's doll and the children as her doll's. Helmer plays the father figure of the house and he gives Nora presents, with the expectation of being entertained in return. Nora knows that "it's much easier for a man to arrange these things than a woman" (p59) and according to Ibsen, "woman is judged by masculine law, as though she weren't a woman but a man...It is an exclusively male society with laws made by men...with judges who assesses female conduct from a male standpoint". (pg xli) Nora had committed forgery, and did it through the love for her husband to save his life, but had not realize...

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Gender Inequality in. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 09:34, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/99120.html