FREE ESSAY ON A DOLL HOUSE CENTRAL THEME

A DOLL HOUSE CENTRAL THEME

A Doll's House's central theme 
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.