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One of A Doll's House: Secession From Society
One of A Doll's House's central theme is secession from society. It is
demonstrated by several of its characters breaking away from the social
standards of their time and acting on their own terms. No one character
demonstrates this better than Nora.
During the time in which the play took place society frowned upon women
asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they
supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure
everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions
were left to the males. Nora's first secession from society was when she
broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husbands treatment.
By doing this, she not only broke the law but she stepped away from the
role society had placed on her of being totally dependent on her husband.
She proved herself not to be helpless like Torvald implied: "you poor
helpless little creature!"
Nora's second secession from society was shown by her decision to leave
Torvald and her children. Society demanded that she take a place under her
husband. This is shown in the way Torvald spoke down to her saying things
like: "worries that you couldn't possibly help me with," and "Nora, Nora,
just like a woman." She is almost considered to be property of his:
"Mayn't I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to
no one but me -that's all my very own?" By walking out she takes a
position equal to her husband and brakes society's expectations. Nora also
brakes society's expectations of staying in a marriage since divorce was
frowned upon during that era. Her decision was a secession from all
expectations put on a woman and a wife by society.
Nora secessions are very deliberate and thought out. She knows what
society expects of her and continues to do what she feels is right despite
them. Her secessions are used by Ibsen to show faults of society. In the
first secession Ibsen illustrates that despite Nora doing the right thing
it is deemed wrong and not allowed by society because she is a woman.
While the forgery can be considered wrong, Ibsen is critical of the fact
that Nora is forced to forge. Ibsen is also critical of society's
expectations of a marriage. He illustrates this by showing how Nora is
forced to play a role than be herself and the eventual deterioration of the
marriage. Throughout the play Nora is looked down upon and treated as a
possession by her husband. She is something to please him and used for show.
He is looked upon as the provider and the decision maker. Society would
have deemed it a perfect marriage. Ibsen is critical of the fact that a
marriage lacked love and understanding, as shown by Torvald becoming angry
with Nora for taking the loan and saving him, would be consider as perfect.
A Doll's House's central theme of secession from society was made to be
critical of society's view on women and marriage. Ibsen used Nora's
secessions as an example to illustrate that society's expectations of a
woman's role in society and marriage were incorrect. Her decision to leave
was the exclamation point on his critical view of society.
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