A Dolls House - the Historical, Social, Cultural and Political Influences - Book Report/Review Example

A Doll’s House: the Historical, Social, Cultural and Political Influences Introduction: Plays are written for the audience of the times, and they canbe best interpreted in their social, political, historic and cultural context to a great extent. Ibsen is a Norwegian playwright born in 1828. Myers, his translator says that Ibsen had strong interest in socialist movements and had more power in his writing against various oppressions. “A Doll’s House” was staged in 1879 immediately attracting mixed responses from its audience and critics. The play had alternative endings to cater to the response of the 19th century Victorian audience. This paper places the play in a historical context and reviews the social, cultural and economic factors that influenced various aspects of the play, with special focus on their impact on Helmer’s character. Helmer in the Context: Firstly, situating the play within the immediate historic context of the playwright’s life history helps understand the influence of a real character named Laura Kieler who inspired Nora of “A Doll’s House” (Davis, 2004). Secondly, it is an undeniable truth that Ibsen had raised significant social, cultural and economic issues of his times in this play. When commenting on four of his plays including “A Doll’s House”, experts say: In the main there are four aspects of these plays that justify such a description: 1. They make problems in society the subject of debate. 2. They have a socio-critical perspective. 3. The action is in a contemporary setting. 4. They present everyday people and situations (“All about Ibsen”, 2005). In general, the play addresses the social and contemporary economic status of women to the shock of the Victorian audience. (Davis, 2004). Not only audience stand for the moral and cultural beliefs of the period, but the characters themselves, if the play is realistic. Victorian audience The play has a house-wife as the protagonist. The character is a typical wife and mother concerned about the health and well-being of her husband and children and the reputation of the family. At the outset, Nora seems to be obedient, subservient and indulged wife as Helmer thinks of her as no more than a ‘doll’ who can’t decide and act on its own like mature adults. The role of Nora can be best understood in the social context of Ibsen’s times, where women hardly had individuality but were, or rather expected to be, self-sacrificing. Also, it was undignified action for men to heed to their wife’s words as evident from Helmer’s horror at the very thought of people commenting on him if he retains Krogstad upon Nora’s words. This throws the play into Feminist reading. The social, cultural and economic characteristics of Ibsens’ period are well depicted in the play. To add to the list, women were either ignorant of the responsibilities attached to getting loans as they were the work of the men in the family. This explains why Nora is held responsible for two actions of hers: taking a loan without the knowledge of her husband and forging the signature of her father. Women were not economically independent as well as she had to depend on Helmer’s allowances. However, in the case of Mrs. Linde, a clear contrast in terms of freedom of decision making is seen. So, there was an acute difference in the roles of married and unmarried or single women in Ibsens’ period. Was divorce common? Possibly not, as Helmer prefers to rather hold on under pretensions of a married life, than to get separated from Nora. With special reference to Helmer’s character, turning to the play, various instances of his encounter with Nora, his attitude and behaviour testify to the fact that he is a typical man of Ibsen’s times with clear socio-cultural and economic influences on him. Helmer and Nora assume gender roles to highlight these factors of Ibsen’s times. More of a husband, Helmer expects his wife to be subservient and obedient. Of course, he takes care of her in all aspects, at least he considers so. He earns and provides her with all economic needs and above all a family and security. Nora is expected to obey him at any cost, even if it is at the expense of her simple desires like macaroons. The reason given is that it might spoil her teeth. This brings to surface yet another fact about the expectations of a man of position like Helmer in society. An attractive wife could have been one of the conventions. Yet another example is when Nora wants to stay back and enjoy the party, though she had her own reasons to detain Helmer a while from the letter box, while Helmer forces her back home, against her wishes. The key of the letter box being with Helmer is also a strong suggestion of the extent of power or freedom women enjoyed then. The sacrifice on the part of Nora is heavy. For example, the bold efforts to take a loan for the sake of her husband costs her so much than just money. Giving up macaroons seems simple but it is hinted throughout that they are nothing but her individuality, her desires and life as an individual which she is forced to camouflage for the society. Without Helmer, it would be difficult to delineate the significance of Nora’s role in the context of 19th century society. This is in contrast on the hand with Krogstad and Linde. But, Ibsen does not comment on the life of this couple after marriage, but it testifies that Ibsen does not criticise the social institution of marriage in itself with the original ending of the play, rather juxtaposes two women with different choices. Helmer though is just one of the three men characters in the play, has been given the critical role of playing the authentic man of 19th C. Last, but not the least, the social setting within the play, the Christmas time is very appropriate to explicate the meaning of love, family and marriage, as Christmas is a time for love, sharing and hope. With the dawn of a new year at the heels, the ending of the play can be interpreted in multiple ways in the given social cultural context. This draws to the economic implications the setting had towards the sale of the scripts of the play, as it is bound to have a significant emotional impact during this time of the year. Conclusion: Literature is a reflection of the society in Marxist terms, if the social, cultural, economic foundations or base are to be analysed. In the case of “A Doll’s House”, 19th century audience had widely different views of marriage, women and duty from the present. The play, its themes, characters when placed in such a context shows that women were the less privileged of the sexes according to Ibsen, but were considered well cared for by their husbands, if the economic needs were taken care of. However, their individuality was denied or simply the women were ignorant of such an entity. Helmer stands as an evidence for the beliefs of Ibsen’s period. Helmer is seen the dominant of the sexes, and was the convention then. The alternative ending suggested also is a strong evidence for this. Individuality was looked upon as rebellion on the part of married women. Bibliography Davis, Dena Michelle, “Only Connect”: A Journey of Teaching Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll House to Play Analysis Students. Master of Arts (Theatre), May 2004, 89 pp., 18 November 2009 < http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-4526:1> Ibsen, Henry. A Doll’s House. 2005. 18 Nov. 2009 http://www.sunbasinriders.org/ebooks/ibsen-adollshouse.pdf All About Ibsen. National Ibsen Committee 2001-2006. 15 Feb. 2005. 18 November 2009. Hanssen, Jens-Morten. “Ibsen and Realism” 2005. Ibsen.net. 18 Nov. 2009 Sever, Aysan. “Introduction” (n.d.). 18 Nov. 2009 Read More