Premium Essay

A Doll's House Symbolism

In:

Submitted By timefx1
Words 921
Pages 4
A Doll's House's Symbolism
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen was written in the late 1800’s and uses symbolism to get the writer’s ideas and descriptions across to the reader in greater detail. We will examine four of the writer’s uses of symbolism. The first is actually the title of the play and sets the stage for everything that transpires in the play. The second symbol is the Christmas tree that is brought into the first scene by Nora. The third use of symbolism that Ibsen uses is the macaroons that are only introduced in the first scene. Finally, the Tarantella can be interpreted as one of the most symbolic parts of the whole play.
The title of Henrik Ibsen’s play, “A Doll’s House,” is symbolic in itself. The doll in the play would be Nora. Nora is in a mindless role of a plaything that first belongs to her father and then to Torvald. Nora play’s her part in the life but secretly wants more and is constantly reminded of how little control over her own life she has. An example of this is that after 8 years of marriage and three children, Torvald Helmer wags his finger at Nora and asks “Hasn’t Miss Sweet-Tooth been breaking the rules in town today ?” (Ibsen, 1897, p.)_Torvald speaks to Nora as a parent would speak to child in a condescending tone throughout the play.
The title “A Doll’s House” is an ironic metaphor for what could be considered as more of a prison than a home for Nora who is really not expected to ever make decisions for herself or think for herself. In the last act Nora says that if perhaps your doll is taken away from you, indicating that he might learn to treat her with respect if she left him.
In public Nora is a doll and a plaything that is discounted for not having an original thought. If one considers the fact that she financed the trip to Italy to save her husband’s life with the loan she took then her jail becomes more unbearable for

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

A Doll's House Symbolism Essay

...Throughout A Doll’s House, the use of symbolism is present. Through Torvald’s actions, the reader develops a clear understanding of Nora and Torvald’s relationship and thus developing theme. He treats her as if she is a child, but Nora doesn’t act upon this until the end of the play. This may be due to the constant reminder of her secret bank loan, which affects her attitude and interaction with her husband. Although not typically considered as imagery, stage directions are helpful to the reader as they provide visual information that the reader can use to help set the setting. Without prior knowledge of the play, the title seems odd, but as the story unfolds, the title becomes clearly connected to the plot and theme of the story. Through the...

Words: 1723 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

The Use of Symbolism Inhenrick Ibsen’s Play, “a Doll’s House”

...The Use of Symbolism inHenrick Ibsen’s Play, “A Doll’s House” Henrick Ibsen has outdone himself in his play “A Doll’s House”. Ibsen has refined and fine-tuned the taste and view of his plays with the use of different techniques, among them being Symbolism. Symbolism is among the most common techniques used in drama. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas and qualities, in an artistic and poetic style. It uses images, and indirect suggestions to express mystical ideas, emotions, suggestions and states of mind. Symbolism adds another layer of meaning to the meaning of script writing. While the clear, obvious meaning lies on the surface, symbolism is mostly hidden from the “front row” and it usually lies deeper than it seems. Ibsen utilizes symbolism in the play “A Doll’s House” with the purpose of revealing a certain character. In Nora’s character, Ibsen says that he used symbolism to develop her character and in the end the character’s qualities were incredibly outstanding that even the critics said it was an outstanding move. The play, “A Doll’s House,” revolves around the life of the two Main characters; TorvaldHelmer and his wife, Nora Helmer. They live in a “Doll looking House”, as it is symbolically represented by Ibsen. The play’ tittle, “A Doll’s House,” also symbolizes that all the people that live in Torvalds residence are “dolls.” Torvald plays with them when he pleases and ignores them when he has work to do or something else in his mind("Henrik Ibsen's...

Words: 2290 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

A Doll's House

...A Doll’s House – Being More Than Just A Doll June 15, 2015 Dr. Ozichi Alimole A Doll’s House – Being More Than Just A Doll In A Doll’s House, Ibsen uses many literary conventions such as realism and symbolism to convey his message about marital inequality and the rights of individuals. His play is powerful, requiring imagination on the part of both the author and reader to experience wholly. Additionally he very effectively shows the conservative way in which women were treated and expected to behave, as well as the consequences for standing alone or taking action. In addition to feeling that Mr. Ibsen’s depiction of marriage in 1870’s Norway was likely very relatable for women I also agreed with a description of A Doll’s House in his biography where it says: This 1879 play set tongues a-wagging throughout Europe for exploration of Nora's struggle with the traditional roles of wife and mother and her own need for self-exploration. Once again, Ibsen had questioned the accepted social practices of the times, surprising his audiences and stirring up debate. (“Ibsen,” n.d., para. 9) He uses realism in delivering his ideas as evidenced by the fact that there are limited numbers of similes and a dearth of flowery language, and in capturing a subject that is accepted as an every day norm ("Realism," n.d., para. 4). The effect this has is to cast a fairly strict tone, one free from enhancement with a very matter of fact representation. The strong social criticism issued...

Words: 1016 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

A Dolls House Essay

...“Ibsen’s Nora is a perfect vehicle for an exploration of self-determination, as she embodies the repression of women, as well as the suffocating bourgeois life style” A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen portrays a metaphoric life of individuals confined in a “doll’s house”. The text, written by Henrik Ibsen, produces a point of view seen in the society at the time, where women were expected to be the dutiful young wife and mother. Although Ibsen denies that it is a feminist play, many critics believe otherwise. The characterisation of Nora Helmer, the protagonist of the play, becomes a perfect vehicle for an exploration of self-determination as she embodies the repression of women as well as the suffocating bourgeois lifestyle. Her role in the play unravels as she starts off as being a part of an expected duty of women in the society and flourishes into an independent courageous woman. Ibsen portrays this through the use of symbolism, dramatic techniques and language forms. As being the perfect vehicle for self determination, Nora, in the play, disguises her true self. This ultimately shows the repression she endures to meet the expectations of society as well as her husband, Torvald. Society’s outlook on the role of women is for them to be completely devoted, to husband and to family. Nora’s duty is to be adoring, reliant on Torvald and perhaps childlike through her ways of handling money, spending it on useless things such as macaroons. Outwardly, Nora is seen to fulfil her husband’s...

Words: 1510 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Doll House

...Doll house By: Henrik Ibsen European drama Long form of ‘doll house’ By Dimple Patel 2) The author and his times.3) Form, Structure and Plot.Stream of ConsciousnessChronological orderBeginning & ending4) CharactersTorvald HelmerNoraDr. Rank5) Settings6) Imagery & Symbolism. The TarantellaAllusion 7) Figurative lang.Doll in a doll's houseLittle squirrel/skylark/songbird8) Ironic Devices:Paradox9) Tone10) Theme11) Significance of the work12) Comparison of this work to others13) Effect of this novel on you and your life | Henrik Ibsen is author of ‘Doll house’. He was born on march 20, 1828, Skein Norway. He was a major 19th century Norwegian playwright, theater director, and poet. He is offered referred to as “the father of realism”, and is one of the founder of Modernism in theater. His full name is Henrik Johan Ibsen. He was Norwegian. He wrote books called A Doll’s house; Peer Gynt: A dramatic poem; Hedda Gabler: A play. In 1862, he was exiled to Italy, where the tragedy Brand was written. He moved to Germany in 1868, where he wrote the Doll’s house. Hedda Gabler was written in 1890, by creating one of the theater’s most notorious characters. When in 1891 he returned to Norway, he was literary hero. He died in may 23, 1906, Oslo, Norway.This novel is organized in acts. There are three acts.It is 56-57 pages long European drama, because it was written in Germany, and all the settings took place in Germany too.When the Nora is talking to Helmer reader can...

Words: 1780 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

A Doll's House

...Is Anything Really as it Seems Marion Graham Eng 125 Dr. Dolores Kiesler February 18, 2013 Is Anything Really as it Seems “A Doll’s House” is a play where nothing is as it seems; the play written by Henrik Ibsen was an extremely controversial play in that time. Many thought that Ibsen wrote as part of a feminist movement but when asked about this, Ibsen said that this wasn’t so he meant it to be about humanism. He saw it as, every person has the right to be who they wanted to be no matter what their gender was. In “A Doll’s House” everyone is keeping some kind of secret from some other character, that is till the very end where everything comes out and it causes hard feelings between some characters and some to come together. “A Doll’s House” is set during the holiday season. The Helmer is in the midst of getting ready for the Christmas season, buying presents and Christmas trees. Christmas and New Year’s celebrate the birth of Jesus and the renewal of the New Year. This is symbolic of the rebirth that the characters go through during the course of the play. Nora is awakened and brought to a realization that her marriage is in some ways, what one might call a sham. She realizes that to her husband she is not another person, not really. She is seen as most women at that time were as a second rate human being, somebody to satisfy man and take care of his needs, as well as help him in reproducing more human beings. She is unable to be her own person as long...

Words: 692 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

A Doll House

...A DOLL HOUSE A Doll's House is a three act play about a seemingly typical housewife who becomes disillusioned and dissatisfied with her condescending husband. Nora represents the 'doll' in this 'perfect doll house' with decorated Christmas trees and fancy parties. The realization that her life is a sham, she spends her whole life in a dream world. In this dream world, Nora does not take life seriously, an attitude that led to many of the plot’s complications. Nora and Torvald Helmer believe they are happily married and on the brink of a blissful new phase of life. Nora's lie is exposed and Torvald first blames, then forgives her and is finally abandoned as Nora recognizes the truth of her situation. She accuses her husband, and her father before him, of having used her as a doll, and declares herself unfit to be a wife or mother until she has learned to be herself. Nora's position in her own household, as well as Nora's perception of the world. Not only have the men in her life treated her like a "doll", to be dressed up and played with, but she herself has lived as that doll. She has played into the role, and she has always viewed the world from only the perspective of her little house. She is treated like a child and is not taken seriously. She is belittled by Torvald and doesn't listen to her feelings, wants, and desires. In Nora world she takes a back seat approach to life and becomes like an object, reacting to other’s expectations rather than advancing herself....

Words: 615 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Feminism in a Doll's House & Hedda Gabler

...Feminism in The Doll’s House & Hedda Gabler To an average reader, at first glance, Henrik Ibsen’s plays Hedda Gabler and A Doll’s House are just an entertaining read. However a more in-depth study of the text shows that throughout A Doll’s House and Hedda Gabler Ibsen makes use of symbols, motifs and circular conclusions to demonstrate the development of two housewives throughout the late 19th century. One of the ways that Ibsen shows this is symbolism. Throughout Hedda Gabler the symbols that Ibsen presents are: the piano that Hedda plays shortly before her death, General Gabler’s two pistols, Tesman’s slippers, the portrait of General Gabler and the manuscript. The latter hangs in Tesman’s drawing room and it symbolizes the constant overlook of General Gabler. It also builds up a complex in Tesman, as the general is the man that Hedda loves and the man that he will never be. The portrait presents Hedda’s domination over Tesman as well, since it is his drawing room and yet it isn’t aunt Julle’s portrait that is hanging there it is Hedda’s fathers. General Gabler’s two pistols are amongst the most important symbols in the play. The two pistols represent, much like the portrait, the General’s power over the family even though he is deceased - this is proven, as it is the pistols that take Hedda’s life and that of her lover - which is also a case of circular conclusion, because Hedda has threatened others with her pistols before, and in Act One of the play Hedda says that at...

Words: 1494 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Thea101

...Hamlet, Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing, and Romeo and Juliet d. None of the Above e. Both b and c 3. All are considered American realist playwrights except: a. August Wilson b. Tennessee Williams c. Eugene Ionesco d. Arthur Miller 4. Which of the following was NOT mentioned as non-realism: a) Expressionism. b) Symbolism. c) Theatre of cruelty. d) Pradaism. 5. The 3 Greek Tragedian playwrights’ discussed in Chapter 3 of Theatre are: a. Plautus, Terence, and Machiavelli b. Aristotle, Aristophanes, and Aeschylus c. Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus d. Medea, Iphigenia, and Socrates d) e) Futurism. f) None of the above. 6. Which of the following is NOT a form of Japanese theatre: a) Kabuki. b) Xiqu. c) Bunraku. d) Noh theatre. 7. Cornerstone Theatre Company… a. Founded by two Harvard graduates in 1986 b. Adapt classical works c. Involves local community within their projects. d. All of the above. 8. Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House… a. leaves her husband Sven for another man. b. gives her former lover a gun and then shoots herself. c. leaves her children and husband to go on a journey of self-discovery. d. bemoans her existence as a small town...

Words: 447 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Henrik Ibsen

...Brand and Peer Gynt which were long, historical verse plays. And in 1862, with Love's Comedy, became known in his own country as a playwright of promise. Seven years later, in the starting of 1869, he began to write prose plays, giving up the verse form. Some critics characterize this switch as an abandonment of poetry in favor of realism. In the same year, discouraged with the reception given to his work and out of sympathy with the social and intellectual ideals of his country, he left Norway, not to return for a period of nearly thirty years. He established himself first at Rome, later in Munich. In 1877, Ibsen began what would become a series of five plays in which he examines the moral faults of modern society. The group includes A Doll's House, The Wild Duck, and Ghosts. Late in life he returned to Christiania, where he died May 23, 1906. . IN the entire history of literature, there are few figures like Ibsen. Practically his whole life and energies were devoted to the theater; and his offerings, medicinal and bitter, have changed the history of the stage. Until the latter part of...

Words: 3021 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Eng Hons

...G-DTN-M-FORA ENGLISH Paper—I (Literature) Time Allowed : Three Hours Maximum Marks : 300 INSTRUCTIONS Candidates should attempt Question Nos. I and 5 which are compulsoty, and any three of the remaining questions. selecting at least one question from each Section. The number of marks carried by each question is indicated at the end of the question. Answers must be written in English. Important : Whenever a Question is being attempted, all its parts/sub-parts must be attempted contiguously. This means that before moving on to the next Question to be attempted, candidates must finish attempting all parts/sub-parts of the previous Question attempted. This is to be strictly followed. Pages left blank in the answer-book are to he clearly struck out in ink. A fly answers that follow pages left blank may not be given credit [I] SECTION—A 1. Write short notes on each of the following. Each question should be answered in 150 words : 12x5=60 (a) In King Lear -Cordelia's goodness is as absolute and inexplicable as her sisters' reprovable badness...." Critically analyse the above statement with reference to your reading of King Lear. (b) -The Classical humanism of the Renaissance was fundamentally medieval and fundamentally Christian...." Critically analyse this statement. (c) How do the 'Sylphs' help in the development of the 'mock-epic' element in The Rape of the Lock ? (d) "The Romantic age marks the end of pastoral poetry in the very shock of its collision with actual...

Words: 1207 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Phase 4

...sympathy as they spoke. Every scene had its own sounds that paralleled the theme and purpose of the act (Meyer, 2011, p111). There were cries, mourns and even sounds of desperation. Throughout the drama, the audience was full of sad mood. HIV/AIDs infection was presented as something that people should be afraid of. The audience was also filled with pity and sympathy for the infected characters. Since it was my first encounter to see a live stage drama, the theme, scenes and characters were a great impact to my life and my understanding of what entails a drama. For a elongated time I had wished to be involved in a dramatic act until one day, my literature teacher appointed me and other colleagues to practice for a drama known as 'A Doll's House' that would be presented during the school’s parents day. My character was Nora, I was the protagonist. At first, I felt excited. However, I got to understand that it was not simple to read and memorize every word from a script. During the practice, I spent days and nights studying scripts in...

Words: 1793 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Business and Management

...|[pic] |Syllabus | | |College of Humanities | | |ENG/125 Version 3 | | |Literature in Society | Copyright © 2010, 2008, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course introduces themes in literature and provides guided study and practice in reflecting on themes which describe the human experience across cultural and societal boundaries. The course includes readings from literature in different genres and cultures. Students study the literature in thematic units and are asked to make connections to their own lives and cultures. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies...

Words: 2590 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Mnasd

...Specimen Papers and Mark Schemes for English Literature For first AS Examination in 2009 For first A2 Examination in 2010 Subject Code: 5110 Contents Specimen Papers Assessment Unit AS 2 Assessment Unit A2 1 Resource Booklet Assessment Unit A2 2 1 3 9 15 25 Mark Schemes Assessment Unit AS 2 Assessment Unit A2 1 Assessment Unit A2 2 29 31 61 95 Subject Code QAN QAN 5110 500/2493/0 500/2421/8 A CCEA Publication © 2007 Further copies of this publication may be downloaded from www.ccea.org.uk Specimen Papers 1 2 ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY (AS) General Certificate of Education 2009 English Literature Assessment Unit AS 2 assessing The Study of Poetry Written after 1800 and the Study of Prose 1800-1945 SPECIMEN PAPER TIME 2 hours INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your Centre number and Candidate Number on the Answer Booklet provided. Answer two questions. Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B. Section A is open book. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The total mark for this paper is 120. All questions carry equal marks, ie 60 marks for each question. Quality of written communication will be assessed in all questions. 3 Section A: The Study of Poetry Written after 1800 Answer one question on your chosen pairing of poets. Heaney: Opened Ground Montague: New Selected Poems 1 John Montague and Seamus Heaney both write about the Irish past. Compare and contrast the two poets’...

Words: 25332 - Pages: 102

Premium Essay

Student

...Literary Review of “Hedda Gabler” Karyn Bentley Galen College of Nursing     Literary Review of “Hedda Gabler” Never, able to find true happiness, Hedda settled for what society deemed she should; a wife, the perfect host, and soon to be mother. The only true happiness Hedda enjoyed was causing unhappiness for others as she manipulated others into sharing their secrets. Not even Hedda was immune to her games as she desperately tried to amuse herself by creating chaos for others. Hedda’s fear of scandal ended in what she described as beautiful but others found insignificant. Major Themes The first major theme is one of individual versus the group or society, Hedda is constantly trying to manipulate to obtain some type of happiness. Ibsen takes great care to reveal Hedda’s manipulative behavior is the result of her desire to have some power over her life and she can only do that by trying to gain power over others in “the group”. Ibsen reveals to the reader, Hedda is nothing more than a victim to the pressures of society placed on women in Norway in 1890. Hedda marries a man who she does not love, simply because she was running out of time according to society’s clock. The reader is left unsure for quite a while if Hedda is pregnant or not but Hedda will have children not because she desires to be a mother but because she is supposed to. Self-Liberation versus Self Renunciation is another major theme Ibsen exhibits out of Hedda’s belief that the only or ultimate...

Words: 2064 - Pages: 9