In his article “A Doll’s House,” Boyesenobserves the inner changes that happen to the main heroine Nora from the beginning to the end of the Ibsen’s play. Their relations withHelmerrejecther own independent power in making decisions and her life choices. She has to leave him to find her own individual. The writer concludes that not only Helmer's selfishness and conceit have led to break of the marriage, but the main reason is“Nora's undeveloped condition —her lack of character” (Boyesen, 213). Similarly in the chapter “An Illustration of Symbolism: A Doll’s House,” Lee researches the way of Nora’s disillusioning of her inconsequence in the marriage. The moment she sees clearly selfish and mean nature of the husband, the miracle happens. She understands that she needs to be free from the masquerade of insincere relations. She will no longer dance with her heart breaking (Lee, 15).
Like most wives, Nora takes for granted the masculine style her husband treats her. She supposes this natural and ideal, and estimates her behavior according to his demands. She is full of bright illusions concerning her husband and idealizes him. He is good and noble for her. Her individuality is inconsequent and sacrificed to her husband’s pleasure. She seems to lack depth being just a doll, “asquirrel,” a song-bird. She dances and keeps smiling for him while her heart is heavy. She serves for his interests, but she does not understand who he is. The revealing of Helmer's real nature shatters her illusions. Disappointed she says, “You have never loved me. You only thought it amusing to be in love with me” (Ibsen, 42).Nora realizes that nobody has ever been serious with her or permitted to meet with real life. She sees that in a comfortable house with her husband always at her side she will never satisfy her individual needs and experience the depth of her own character. She has to escape her present state of simple human material in male’s hands in order to find out the possible potency of her individuality.
Works cited
Boyesen, Hjalmar. A Commentary on the Works of Henrik Ibsen. New York: Russell& Russell, 1973.
Ibsen, Henrik.A Doll’s House.Net.https://myetudes.org/access/content/user/mazu48009/PDF%20Files/DollsHouse_full01.pdf. Web. 23 June 2014.
Lee, Jennette. The Ibsen Secret.Net. <https://archive.org/stream/ibsensecretakey00leegoog#> Web. 23 June 2014.
