A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen - Research Paper Example

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen is a play that expresses family relations using diverse perspectives, for instance, the existence of oppression in the family. This is evident in the way it expresses feminism as a major theme, which displays how the society manipulates and misuses women through varied activities. The play is also asserts the significance of illustrating some of the key various social aspects like family acting as a basic social unit. Some activities that prove this unity encompasses communing in order to celebrate major events like Christmas and other essential holidays (Ibsen 7). Consequently, it is via these events where people while mingling embrace their effective roles based on genders evident in the play. In this play, the author significantly explores the aspect of feminism in the society with intention of creating senses of social equality in regards to both genders. In this play, act as recipients of both oppression and unfair treatment that makes them appear as men’s play objects. Ibsen illustrates aspect of mistreatment of women through one of the character Nora, where the male individual oppresses the female especially at the family level (Ibsen 24). Henrik exemplifies oppression on women in the society quite evident at various social, economic and political avenues. However, his focus is at family level where the male gender seems to assumes the top rank whereas are subjects almost close to the children they have given birth. Oppression against the female gender is also evident globally whereby despite the level of development of that given region women end up not receiving economic support. A. There exists a wide gender disparity in the delegation of employment opportunities as women receive little opportunities with minimal payment compared to males (Busch & Holst 1). As a result, they have no mediums to air their grievances that can help them to demand for liberation or champion the colleagues to embrace liberation. The play thus reveals oppression against women by illustrating the societal perception on women. For instance, the society perceives women as the secondary citizen according to the play, as she depends mostly on man for her survival and existence. According to the play, a woman should be inferior to a man, and her actions should not override the males’ decisions and actions. Parents play an important role in establishing the inferiority complex in the female’s childhood exposure. Nora’s father is an essential initiator of Nora’s perception of the male superiority since her childhood, thus she grew up with knowledge that the female has to be a male’s subject (Ibsen 104). The parents are important individuals in the emotional and mental development of their children. As a result, some mental attributes displayed by individuals at their mature age such as adolescent and youthful stage are as a result to their earlier exposure and experience experiences (Ibsen 106). This is evident in Nora earlier treatment by her farther, “He called me his doll-child and he played with just as I used to play with my doll” (Ibsen 106). Clear demonstration is evident in this article, B. “A study of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) demonstrates how the division of girls’ rights into separate entitlements for women and children obscures girls’ needs”. (Taefi 346). Acts of discrimination influences the girls to act inferior and subjects to men, thereby growing with the mentality that a man will always be superior. The mind-set impacted to Nora by her father while still a girl that makes her devoted loyal and obedient to her husband later in her life that makes her look like a slave before her husband.The play thus, displays the initial perception on women influenced by the females close associates such as their parents. In the current globe, there are reforms that have helped correct the relationship between the father and his daughter thereby creating equality in siblings’ treatment and perception by their parents. This change has also facilitated empowerment of the girl child both socially and emotionally. In the oppression of the women, the male-female relationship exhibits a sense of master-servant relation. Torvalds, Nora’s husband display a significant master-servant relation to his wife Nora, when the husband felt sick, Nora took the responsibility to look for money that enabled her husband-accessed medication and survived (Ibsen 24). Afterwards Nora cut down the domestic cost in order to have some money to settle the debt she borrowed for her husband’s medication,“It was to me that the doctor came and said to me that his life was in danger, I even hinted that he must raise a loan”(Ibsen 23). When the husband realizes about Nora’s source of fund that facilitated his medication, he expresses anger and disappointment towards Nora. Marriage has to be a source of social connection between the male and the female, lack of observance of the aspect of marriage such as gender disparity destabilise marriage. For instance, this articles demonstrates this, C. “Together they problematize the connections between intra- and extra-household gender relations, analyse changing masculinities and marriage, consider how women’s agency is deployed in reshaping marriage, and indicate a richer approach to understanding intrahousehold relations within particular contexts and temporal frames, and with fuller conceptions of breakdown positions and conjugal interdependencies (Jackson 8)”. It was necessary for the husband to show concern; instead, he expresses his displeasures towards Nora and her actions. As the head of the family, Torvalds should have expressed support and help to Nora in the settlement of debt, that was because of his medication. According to Torvalds, it was Nora’s responsibility to express concern and care at all cost in order to save his life. Women experiences different predicaments that enable them to realize their identity, thus struggling for liberation against their oppression by the male. After Nora’s husband discovers about Nora’s secrets, he is mean and only thinks about his reputation at work but not protecting his beloved wife. This is a significant indication that he had no love for his wife, as his focus was on the job (Ibsen 110). In addition, this act leads him to display an open confrontation towards Nora expressing his disappointments on what facilitated saving his life. From that incident, Nora realizes that Torvalds does not love her; in addition, this action is significant in enabling Nora realizes all the oppression she encountered from Torvalds. She expresses this by saying, “I must stand quite alone, if I am to understand myself and everything about me. It is for that reason that I cannot remain with you any longer (Ibsen 107). Realization of these oppressions is significant in enabling Nora liberate herself from the oppression and seek for freedom. The play is essential in expression of activities that enable women to identify their roles thus seeking for liberation. From the play, woman’s identity comes on during their encounter of different predicaments. Each individual has his or her essential roles and responsibilities that demands respect from everyone, for effective coexistence, it is thus important to respect and uphold each other’s dignity. Work cited Busch, Anne, and Elke Holst. Occupational sex segregation and management-level wages in Germany: What role does firm size play?. No. 444. SOEPpapers on multidisciplinary panel data research, 2012. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Rockville, Md: Serenity Publishers, 2009. Print. Jackson, Cecile. "Introduction: marriage, gender relations and social Change."Journal of Development Studies 48.1 (2012): 1-9. Taefi, Nura. "The synthesis of age and gender: Intersectionality, international human rights law and the marginalisation of the girl-child." The International Journal of Children's Rights 17.3 (2009): 345-376. Read More