Shakespeare,A Doll’s House (1879)

Shakespeare,A Doll’s House (1879)

A Doll’s House (1879) is a three-act play that involves the collapse of the marriage of the main characters, Nora and Torvald Helmer, as a result of a significant eye-opener that occurs to Nora. Nora seems to be a delighted woman at the beginning of the play, and it is hard to tell at first sight that she is trying to keep a secret from her husband on the loan that she took to send him to Italy for treatment when he was critically ill. Nora is secretly working to clear the loan that she took illegally to save her husband’s life; she forged her father’s signature to obtain the loan.

The play begins in a merry mood, and from a distance, the audience perceives this couple to be affectionate and in love. There is a promise of better days as Torvald has been promoted at his job in the bank, and this brings with it a significant misfortune because Nora is blackmailed by Krogstad, who knows about her little secret. When Torvald discovers Nora’s little secret, he belittles her and abuses her, contrary to what Nora expected from her ‘loving’ husband. She realizes that she has been living a sham and that the men in her life (father and husband) have been keeping her a doll, intending to show her off and play with her and have never taken her seriously. “Now that I come to look at it, I’ve lived here like a pauper — simply from hand to mouth. I’ve lived by performing tricks for you, Torvald. That was how you wanted it. You and Papa have committed a grievous sin against me: it’s your fault that I’ve made nothing of my life.” (Ibsen, A Doll’s House) The play ends with her departure from her home to find her true self.

I believe that A Doll’s House would be more relatable to an audience in the spring of 2020 compared to Trifles because it encompasses several significant themes that are thoroughly discussed in today’s world. This play touches on several topics: Marriage/partnership, money, motherhood, honesty, the place of women in society, beliefs, and self-actualization. It can be argued that several feminist plays have been written and performed, such as Trifles.

However, A Doll’s House expresses the female dilemma as a human dilemma because the world is still obsessed with male stories, and female stories only matter to women. It clearly emphasizes that a woman must be regarded as a human being and not just a toy for her husband and male counterparts. “NORA: I have other duties equally sacred. / HELMER: —Impossible! What duties do you mean? / NORA: —My duties towards myself… I think that before all else I am a human being, just as much as you are—or at least I will try to become one.” (Ibsen, A Doll’s House) The leaving of Nora at the end of the play conveys a message of the beginning of the pursuit for women’s rights as well as a journey to self-fulfillment and self-actualization. A life of purpose and will involves making decisions and developing a solid personality that gives us freedom and a sense of truth to ourselves. It is clear that opportunities for personal growth and personality integration were not given to Nora; she lived a life as passed down by her father and dictated by her husband. Her departure marks the beginning of her self-discovery.

This play shines a very harsh light on today’s reality about honesty in relationships. Nora and Torvald assume that they’re in a happy relationship and that they have faced many challenges together and that they can overcome everything they face together. It is brought down by a revelation of a secret about the loan that Nora took to save her husband’s life, which reveals what Torvald thinks of his wife; he doesn’t even have the patience to listen to her reasons for taking the loan.

Trifles is also a very rich play because it portrays the life of women who have been trapped in societal expectations and the requirements of their male partners. Mrs. Wright murders her husband because she was tired of living under his suffocating rule. Before her marriage, she was a singer, something her husband barred her from pursuing. Mr. Wright was exceedingly mean to her wife to the extent that Mrs. Peter’s and Mrs. Hales decided to cover up for her by not revealing the evidence of the act she had committed, meaning they sympathized with her and understood her reasons. Trifles portray the detrimental effects of undermining women. During the investigations, the men in the play (the sheriff and the neighbor) don’t go through the kitchen because they believe that that is where Mrs. Wright spends most of her time and that there is nothing of importance that could be found there. Their ignorance and attitudes lead them further away from the truth, and they are not able to find any incriminating evidence against Minnie. The unfolding of these events also reveals the intuitive nature of women and portrays women as a strong united force who cares for and understands each other.

Despite the rich background and themes of this play, it will not resonate well with a current audience because issues addressed in the play are issues that have been dealt with and are continually being dealt with by society today. We can say without a doubt that most men in all parts of the world are keen on their women’s needs and are supportive of their dreams as well. Even though women are busy with other motherhood duties, we can confidently say that they still find time to pursue their dreams and goals and have found a voice in asking for their rights. With the various women’s rights movements, women out in the world know when they have had enough, and they walk out of toxic relationships. Women are regarded as very brilliant species, and the world at large is gradually embracing the fact that women are meant to be seen and heard, not just seen.

For this reason, A Doll’s House is more relatable because personality growth is critical for women and men alike to embrace their full potential. Full personality growth is a significant issue in our society today because many people voice beliefs that they don’t particularly believe in because they want to please the people around them, or they have not taken the time to know what they believe in. Many people are stuck in fake relationships; fake because they assume love and trust are present while the relationships are based on convenience and mischief. In a world where women’s agendas are at the forefront, the play Trifles has successfully served its purpose, but A Doll’s House still has a lot of insight for any audience to feed on.