Stereotypes In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

In a male-dominated world, women have to struggle against society-imposed identities. Within A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, Nora undergoes a journey of realization, leading her to believe that she must discover who she really is, not who society wants her to be. Nora begins the play portraying the image of a “trophy wife”, but as the play continues, she transforms into her own individual. Through Nora’s cognizance that she has been pretending to be someone she wasn’t, Ibsen displays that women, in a patriarchal society, must struggle with stereotypes, while still trying to be who they truly are. Oppression is a major reason behind why women are perceived in a certain way. Nora and Mrs. Linde stirred up controversy when Nora told her how she received the money to save Torvald’s life. (3. 148) This is due to the fact that woman aren’t supposed to borrow money without a man. The actuality of this is important because it demonstrates how men are placed above women, unequal treatment. Later in the play, Ibsen creates a scene, in which Torvald claims that he’ll be laughed at if he ever listened to a woman, let alone his wife. (2. 173) Similarly, in the story about Antigone, her uncle, Creon, refuses to show her any mercy because
When Torvald discovers that Krogstad is capable of exposing Nora’s forgery he states, “From now on, forget happiness. Not it’s just about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance.” (3. 206) By saying this, Torvald illuminates how essential it is to “save face”, even if it meant giving up both his and Nora’s happiness. This proves that women have to sacrifice a lot in order to appear perfect, when in reality their not. Likewise, in Antigone’s story, her sister, Ismene, would rather follow the law than honor her own brother. This demonstrates that looking superlative to others is prioritized higher than important things, such as family and