Gender Flashcards
What theme is gender closely linked to in a Dolls house
Both power and money
What roles are women linked to in a dolls house
There is a gender imbalance within a dolls house as under a strictly traditional and patriarchal society females are linked to domestic and subordinate roles
What does the title of the play allude to
It alludes to imaginary roles that are played out within the helmer house;Ibsen portrays a wife who is perceived as her husbands own child like possesion or pet.
This also links to society dictating gender roles from birth as the boys get “a sword” whilst the girls get “a doll and a cradle”
How does Ibsen present single women in a patriarchal society
He shows them as equally victimised by societal constructs and inequitable laws.Mrs Linde is a victim of society as her purpose in her life is to look after men,Men still dictate her life in this society despite her being educated and turning the idea of men controlling money on its head
How does Ibsen depict the traditional and stereotypical role of husband and wife through Nora and Tordvald
-Tordvald’s control over his wife is exemplified in his dialogue and the possessive pronouns used
-He repeatedly uses pet names to symbolise her powerless status in the marriage
-He admonishes her for her stupidity and impulsiveness
How are Tordvald’s traditional perspectives on women presented unsympathetically
He’s portrayed as an ignorant and superficial man
-He’s dismissive to both Nora and his children but he behaves similarly to his male colleagues and friends
-In the resolution he is left alone,abandoned and confused
How’s Nora also presented as superficial
Her own role as a wife is shown as superficial and it results in secrecy and falseness
-She repeatedly hides her true nature from him,keeping secrets and behaving differently when with him as her feminine subservience is extremely hyperbolic
-She reveals her desire for autonomy to Kristine
Why at the time of the play were women prohibited from conducting business or handling their own money
-Approval was required from a father or husband for any financial arrangements
-This system was under the napoleonic code of law and is the reason for Nora’s secret loan and forgery
How is Mrs Linde a foil to Nora
Mrs Linde contrasts Nora’s position as wife which brings some social power,Kristine is portrayed as having greater personal agency as a single woman allowed to earn her own money she describes this as her “greatest and only joy” and a necessity if she is to “endure this life”
How does Ibsen emphasise the necessity of work in order to gain autonomy
-Nora works at night and spends nothing in herself to pay for the loan
-Anne Marie gives up her own child to support herself in working for Nora
-Kristine’s caustic response to Dr Rank’s suggestion of rest highlights male ignorance to women’s circumstances
-The play’s female characters endure personal and silent sacrifice to earn money
What is the final straw for Nora in
Tordvald’s criticism of Nora as a mother as her identity is tied up in her status as a mother and wife
How does Nora’s motive for leaving change within a short time
-Ibsen depicts her awakening to the true nature of her madness:her repression
-Presented through the climactic tarantella dance
What does Nora do in the final scene
A calm and collected Nora refuses Tordvald’s forgiveness and expresses her desire for independence from his control
“She specifically articulates the pressures she feels as his “responsibility”
What was Ibsen’s intention with a dolls house in terms of gender
A dolls house challenges the restricted role of women in 19th century Europe by illustrating the problems arising fr9m power imbalances between man and wife
-Ibsen’s play depicts the damaging consequences of,and hypocrisies within,strict patriarchal standards
-Ibsen write a dolls house when male dominance in the workforce meant men had almost autonomous control to limit and restrict others’ lives.
Ibsen challenges traditional roles within marriage by showing communication breakdowns as a result of gender stereotypes
Key quote for female sacrifice
Mrs Linde: “A woman who has sold herself once for the sake of others doesn’t make the same mistake again”
