Henrik Ibsen Thesis Paper
Ibsen Paper
College English
Mrs. Wright
2/1/13
Jake Pratt
Life presents questions to every person that experiences it. Many of these question will forever remain unanswered. The social and psychological problems and questions that life throws at it attendants are stressed by one of the mid to late 1800 's best problem play authors, Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen spend most of his writing career exploring the human mind. He had a passion for the truth, and due to this he conveyed his thoughts through writing. His time period offered many scenarios for him to write about which still apply to today 's society. One of these scenarios is the societal roles that given to people. Ibsen stressed the importance of societal and gender roles in his writing, hoping to convey his messages of equality to his readers. Yes, life does create problems and questions for humans, but it is the humans who create problems amongst themselves by creating the concept of societal roles. Ibsen writes about the roles of women in his 1879 work, A Doll 's House. At the time of writing, women were seen as mainly subservient beings. However, Nora is unlike many other women of her time. She was a radical, she wanted something better. She felt belittled by Torvald by the way he talks to her. In that time, men were the dominant sex; society of that time showed that. Nora disagreed, though. She believed that, if anything, she should at least be treated as an equal by her own husband. This is where the criteria for a problem play comes into play, the exposition. Nora becomes impatient, she wants equality. Then the event is introduced to the story. Torvald is promoted, and he continues to belittle Nora. At this time, Krogstad blackmails Nora about the money that she used and the secrets she was hiding from her husband. In a conversation with Nora he says "Poor or not- if I introduce this paper in court, you 'll be judged according to the law" (Norton intro to Literature, p.2202). Nora is scared by this,
College English
Mrs. Wright
2/1/13
Jake Pratt
Life presents questions to every person that experiences it. Many of these question will forever remain unanswered. The social and psychological problems and questions that life throws at it attendants are stressed by one of the mid to late 1800 's best problem play authors, Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen spend most of his writing career exploring the human mind. He had a passion for the truth, and due to this he conveyed his thoughts through writing. His time period offered many scenarios for him to write about which still apply to today 's society. One of these scenarios is the societal roles that given to people. Ibsen stressed the importance of societal and gender roles in his writing, hoping to convey his messages of equality to his readers. Yes, life does create problems and questions for humans, but it is the humans who create problems amongst themselves by creating the concept of societal roles. Ibsen writes about the roles of women in his 1879 work, A Doll 's House. At the time of writing, women were seen as mainly subservient beings. However, Nora is unlike many other women of her time. She was a radical, she wanted something better. She felt belittled by Torvald by the way he talks to her. In that time, men were the dominant sex; society of that time showed that. Nora disagreed, though. She believed that, if anything, she should at least be treated as an equal by her own husband. This is where the criteria for a problem play comes into play, the exposition. Nora becomes impatient, she wants equality. Then the event is introduced to the story. Torvald is promoted, and he continues to belittle Nora. At this time, Krogstad blackmails Nora about the money that she used and the secrets she was hiding from her husband. In a conversation with Nora he says "Poor or not- if I introduce this paper in court, you 'll be judged according to the law" (Norton intro to Literature, p.2202). Nora is scared by this,
Cited: Goldman, Emma. "The Social Significance of the Modern Drama: A Doll 's House." The Social Significance of the Modern Drama: A Doll 's House. N.p., 02 July 2003. Web. 01 Feb. 2013. Ibsen, Henrik, and Arthur Miller. An Enemy of the People. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1951. Print. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll 's House. New York: Dover Publications, 1992. Print.