Ibsen’s ”A Doll’s House”, Book Review Example

On Ibsen’s A Doll’s House speaks of the oppression of the Norwegian women who were bound and gagged by the non-generous men of those times. The play is perhaps one of the most famous written that is portrayed in elementary, secondary and universities. These were most impressionable for the women of society for these times formed many unconventional parts of history that lasted for years to come. There is no doubt this play was a refuge to the humanitarian views of women who struggled for freedom against dehumanizing social obligations repeatedly invoked where they felt they had to fight to further their cause for political and social freedom. This play depicts the true form of feminist oppression and takes no view of previous romanticism plays of that time.  There was much controversy in the play when Nora decided to abandon her children then decided to return because she later decided her children needed her more than she needed her freedom. “Ibsen believed that women were best suited to be mothers and wives, but at the same time, he had an eye for injustice, and Helmer’s demeaning treatment of Nora was a common problem.” (A Doll’s House-Introduction). Isben illuminated the issue of women’s right though did not attempt to try to solve the demanding issues.

The play showed new drama to the presence of women’s rights. Isben focused on modern problems of the world in this play when he brought out these issues of women’s rights. “The idea that Nora had to forge her husband’s signature to a loan to save her father’s life was indispicable but it showed she had no rights in the marriage.” (A Doll’s House). She tells her story to Mrs. Linde in attempt to show she is an adult by showing she is capable of repaying a loan as an adult would do. “Unlike the petty bourgeois feminists who see the oppression of women as the inherent biological trait of men, Marxism understands that the root of women’s oppression lies not in biology, but in social conditions. (Sewell 2001). He further feels this apathetic behaviour is inherited but I do not necessarily believe this because oppression is a learned behaviour that is generated through time of social oppression.

When Torvald learns of the criminal act Nora has committed he becomes enraged and accuses her of being unfit as a mother and wife. She realizes he is not the loving husband she thought he to be. “Nora then decides to leave her husband and takes her children with her.” (A Doll’s House-Plot Summary). The thoughts of self-sacrifice from her husband all go away for she knows he would not go to jail for her anymore.

Torvald begs her to stay saying “perhaps the miracle of all miracles could happen and they could be united and he could change.” (A Doll’s House). Nora does not buy into that jargon and slams the door and goes away with the children. Torvald is left in disarray and feels there is no hope. He then loses control over her, the control he has had over her for years. He does not know how to behave but he longs for her and wants her back. She makes a choice for her freedom for once in her long miserable life.

It is with this step Nora took that she has made a stance for her and all women of those times to eliminate the oppression that women have felt for years in the Norwegian society. “Torvald discerns that he no longer wants to blackmail the Helmer family and wants his own family back after losing what is most precious to him.” (A Doll’s House). Women must take their share in the long oppression they suffered because they sat back for many years and endured the oppression at the hands of men without avail. It appears the original ending of the play was quite controversial for the times hence Isben was advised by his German agent to rewrite the ending of the play to suit the fancies of the general audience. Isben wanted to end the play with a realistic ending that would move the citizens to encourage the rights of women. Isben thought the new ending to be a mockery of what the feministic movement stood for and a ‘barbaric outrage in the history of the women’s movement’. The first debut was made at Palmers Theater in 1889 on Broadway in New York City, New York and from then on the play has been a hit ever since. Critics state the play was very scandalous because the institution of marriage was very sacred and the play portrayed marriage to be a simple desecration of religious, moral and social values. The new ending though proves worthy of Nora’s responsibilities to her husband and her children when she returns home to them after her short freedom. She finds her freedom is not as important to her as her children and husband are.

Works Cited

Isben, H. (1994) A Doll’s House New York, NY: Nick Hern Books

A Doll’s House Retrieved December 2, 2009 from, http://www.enotes.com/dolls-house

Sewell (2001) The Origin of Women’s Oppression Retrieved December 2, 2009 from, http://www.marxist.com/origins-womens-oppression.htm