Gender Roles in a Doll's House - Essay Example

Gender roles in A Doll’s House From the very outset the reader can feel that this seemingly simple family drama may turn into a kind of tragedy whichmay arise some serious questions. The apparent love of the couple in the opening of the play is further exposed as a compromise relationship between man and wife governed by certain rules imposed by the male member of the family. The female member changes different roles according to will and choice of the male partner. Sometimes she is a chattering ‘skylark’, on the other she is a beautiful doll that is decorating the surroundings in which she lives. Gender roles have to be established from the beginning. One of the couple has to dominate the scene; the other should modify herself, sacrifice her inner desires and think only the welfare of the others. The story is set in the context of 19th Century Norwegian society where there are certain predetermined roles for different genders. Meyer (2008) reveals that the story also “ highlights the cultural conflicts” of the time (p 3). The traditional middle class morality based on the dominance of the male gender bases the institution of the family not on the feelings of love and affection rather it sees the welfare of the family institution in the form of certain established power relationships. Johnston(1989) also indicates that it takes family as a mini state where the authority has to go to some autocratic power. The base of this family institution is not democratic. Here one person has to be dominant—the rule maker who is to be followed by others. The writer presents the characters in stereotype form as should conform to the existing beliefs of the Norwegian society which believed in male dominance and gave the husband the role of breadwinner. The superiority of husband over his spouse is evident in the speech of Torvald and his chosen metaphor that represent women as weak or diminutive creature. The husband of the story has the right to impose any kind of sanctions on his wife. Siddall (2008) explains it in this way, “Gender in A Doll’s House is crucial to the plays meaning. Gender is simplified in order to define the marital roles: men work and women play; the husband is responsible and well-informed, while the wife as grown-up child decorates his life charmingly” (p 13). Woman as a weaker sex Nora has been described as ‘little squirrel’, ‘little skylark’. Such diminutive roles portray her as weaker sex. Torvald’ assumed notions about the fair sex make him believe that she is a weaker sex which always needs the protection of the male sex. Torvald also thinks that his wife is incapable of taking any serious responsibility outside her domain— house. She is a pretty doll and she should be confined to her home. She should think about the welfare of her home, husband and family. Woman as creature of home Mayer (2008) reflects that “Ibsen’s Nora Helmer is a doll trapped in her house, a condition underscored by the fact that all the play’s action takes place in her own living room. Repressed by a husband who expects her to fulfill her wifely and motherly roles under strict guidelines of morality and appearance” (p 3). Nora as typical spendthrift woman In first act Nora has been shown as a spendthrift woman who likes money to spend on dresses and shopping. She is even willing to indulge in debt to appease her hunger for shopping. Helmer seems to be wary of her indiscreet behavior. He exclaims, “Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?”(Act I ) But his efforts to stop her from spending money recklessly are futile as she wangles money from him every time. He helplessly remarks, “You always find some new way of wheedling money out of me, and, as soon as you have got it, it seems to melt in your hands. You never know where it has gone.” Helmer attributes this attitude to his gender traits and blurts out, “That is like a woman!” (Act I). When on his admonition Nora makes faces he endearingly consoles her and gives her more money. It seems that he inwardly encourages her spendthriftness as he thinks that it is typical of women. Nora as subservient wife to her husband Nora poses to be a docile wife who is ready to do anything for the pleasure of her husband. Her good wifely response “As you please, Torvald” can explain her efforts to assure loyalty,subservience to her husband through such behavior. She appearently expresses, “ I should not think of going against your wishes.”(Act I) These remarks appear to have pleased the ego of her husband who expected such obedience from a wife. Subservience to husband was a defined gender role in 19th Century society and this thing is also evident in Christine’s remarks when she says, “ No, a wife cannot borrow without her husbands consent ” (Act I). The women of that time had no permission to exercise financial autonomy. But this apparent subservience is also neutralized by her secret defiance of her husband’s commandments. According to Siddall (2008) “her private stock of macaroons indulges both a sweet tooth and a nascent impulse to defy Torvald’s orders”. A dutiful Wife Nora herself wallows in the attention that she is getting from her husband and encourages him to treat her so. She lovingly receives the pet names he has given to her. She loves to be called ‘little lark’ and ‘little squirrel’ of her husband. She seems to be happy with her role as a dutiful wife. Her duties demand that she should show all her concern to his family. She even had to neglect her father as her own husband was not well. She tells Christine, “ I was expecting little Ivars birth every day and I had my poor sick Torvald to look after. My dear, kind father—I never saw him again, Christine. That was the saddest time I have known since our marriage.”(Act I) Torvald as breadwinner Male roles are also quite pronounced. Husband is the breadwinner of the family so is Torvald who thinks that it is his duty to provide for his family. According to his typical male thinking of that time women have no role in family finances. They are just to maintain the household affairs. They need not worry to earn money for the sake of the family even the thought of his wife lending him money may hurt his male. Nora changed this role with Helmer when he was ill. She did sewing work in order to support for her family. But this sacrifice was taken for granted by Torvald and at the time of crisis he even forgot to acknowledge her selfless efforts for the family. Male ego versus female ego In the beginning of the play Nora herself justifies the domineering behavior of her husband and takes every measure not to hurt his manly sensibility. In Doll’s House Male ego supercedes female ego. The female had to take care of her spouse’s ego. Nora tells Christine, “And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now”. (Act 1) But Torvald’s masculine pride may be shaken by the revelation that during his illness the role of breadwinner was played by his seemingly weak and incorrigible wife. Paris (1997) seems to suggest that this thing might have hurt his masculine ego to a great extent. The main conflict that brought the family disaster was the conflict of egos. Torvald’s uncompromised attitude in the time of crisis brought about the ultimate breakup between the couple. When Nora realizes that Torvald is unwilling to support her due to his egotistic concerns about his repute, she is inwardly hurt and goes on to redefine her role. Torvald as a final authority on all issues He likes to see her engaged in her domestic affairs and feels quite a pleasure at her love and devotion for her family. But he takes all this for granted. He loves his wife but when she tries to assert herself, he gets offended and warns her to be in her limits. He is quite disgusted with the idea that he should change his opinion at the insistence of his wife. He says, “ Is it to get about now that the new manager has changed his mind at his wifes bidding” (Act II). To conclude it can be said that the play Doll’s House clearly show the complexities in matrimonial life caused by the predefined gender roles. The matrimonial bond is at the verge of breakage because of the dominant role of male who fails to probe into the inner self of his better half due to the misconceptions about gender roles. Works Cited "A Doll’s House Text." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. . Fisher, Jerilyn, and Ellen S. Silber. Women in Literature: Reading Through the Lens of Gender. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2003. Johnston, Brian. Text and Supertext in Ibsens Drama. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1989. Mayer, Laura Reis. A Teachers Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Henrik Ibsen’s Doll’s House. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2008. Nelson, Kristina. Criticism from the Heart. Lincoln, NE: IUniverse, 2005. Paris, Bernard J. Imagined human beings : a psychological approach to character and conflict in literature .New York: New York Univ. Press, 1997. Siddall,Stephen.Henrik Ibsen: A Dolls House. Tirril: Humanities-Ebooks, 2008. Read More