A Doll’s House when it first appeared in 1879 had shocked its first audiences with its radical insights into the social roles of husband and wife. Ibsen’s portrayal of the caged “”songbird””, his flawed heroine,Nora, remains one of the most striking dramatic depictions of the late-nineteenth century women.
Nora and Torvald Helmer appear to share a happy, idealistic marriage and family life. However, this perfect image is in jeopardy when Nora’s previous act of forgery is in danger of being revealed. The following incidents that ensue leads Nora to gradually realize that their marriage and lives has all been shaped by illusions, and she is soon left unsure about what is right and wrong. The play gradually builds to a climax when Nora rejects a smothering marriage and life in “”a doll’s house.”” With the intention to liberate herself from social construction she slams the front door at the end of the play and we realize that the romantic masquerade of their marriage is completely shattered.
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