The play “A Doll’s House,” written by Henrik Ibsen, is an interesting piece from the perspective of people’s struggles in society. Their challenges are presented by the need to comply with the norms in terms of appearance and behavior while neglecting their own desires and motivation. Thus, in the story, the main theme, which is the sacrificial role of female characters, is supported by the conflict of societal standards and personal intentions alongside symbolic elements.
The narrative clarifies the necessity for women to be victims in certain ways when telling about the issues Nora and Mrs. Linde face. The latter claims that her existence is “unspeakably empty” since all she has to think about is her family needs while having no chance to be with the man she loves (Ibsen 12). In turn, the former says that the necessity to conform is determined by men’s opinions of her as “incapable of anything really serious” (Ibsen 13).
Both characters share the same conflict, which is the requirement to comply with societal norms while neglecting themselves, underpinned by symbols. For example, Nora saying “doll is taken away from you” means the specified attitude of her husband (Ibsen 95). When leaving him, she explains the impossibility of living with a person who does not respect her, and this ending proves that this comparison defines the general perceptions of females in this piece.
In conclusion, the relation between the described conflict and the theme can be viewed as the dependence of the position of victims on societal norms. These components are connected by the inclusion of dolls as the symbols speaking of men’s attitudes towards women. Thus, the play effectively presents all these elements intertwined in the narrative to portray the link between the individual and collective needs that cannot be balanced.
Work Cited
Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Dodo Press, 2005.