Men often entrap females into oppressive roles in society. In Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House, Torvald Helmer treats his wife Nora as a doll; whereas in Ghosts, Pastor Manders believes Mrs. Alving should be a trophy wife and protect her dead husband's reputation. Both Torvald and Manders brainwash Nora and Mrs. Alving, respectively, to behave according to what their own expectations. Because Nora and Mrs. Alving are afraid to cross the expectations of Torvald and Manders, they both hide their true feelings, causing their pasts to creep up on them and forcing them to face reality.
Before her secret comes to light, Nora lives under the total control of her husband Torvald in which she does not truly understand herself or her family. Even when eating macaroons, Nora assures Torvald, "You know I could never think of going against you" (A Doll House 1242). Nora is a doll, a helpless little "lark", a "songbird", and over the course of their relationship, Nora has been molded into thinking......
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Approximate Word Count: 884
Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |