A Doll's House
By: Henrik Ibsen
Gender Roles in Society
Social Structure in A Doll's House
Women
Men
Henrik Ibsen recognizes and challenges the modern view of society in regards to the status of men and women in the 1870's.
Norwegian Culture in the Victorian Era
Roles of Women in Society (1879)
Roles of Men in Society (1879)
Financial Positions
Future Positions
- Stay-at-home mothers
- Organize house work
- Arrange stay at home nannies to care for children
- Expected to be the "providers" of their family
- Secured job positions
- Able to own property
- Able to have bank accounts
- Most rights gained by 21 years old
A Doll's House shines light onto the pressing social issue of female rights and the taboos of female independence.
Society Positions
Society Positions
Education gave high political and social status .
Universities only accepted people who have studied in religion, medicine or law.
- Expected to be "man" of the household
- Feel superior and proud
Marriage for women meant being a housewife for their husband.
Love marriage was very popular but, women chose to marry financially stable men.
- Educated on being obedient to husband
- Educated to become mothers
- Expected to be true Christians
- Knowledge in being modest and eloquent
Literature, Theater and the Arts were a very important part of Norwegian culture.
Especially for the Upper and Middle-Classes.
Women's Rights was a strong ongoing movement in the late 1850s. It was not until 1879-1890 that Norway became aware of the strength of feminism.
- Norwegian Culture
- Gender Roles (1879)
- Role of Men and Women
- Feminist Movement
- Henrik Ibsen's View
Feminist Movement in Norway
Feminism in the 1850's
Feminism in 1879
Gender Equality in Europe
- Women were not considered people in society ("owned" by father or husband after marriage)
- No control over finances and could not own property
- Unmarried women were considered minors.
- Single women could apply for work but, usually not accepted in factories or prestigious jobs
- The development of women's rights were slow but, still progressive.
- Women were considered adults at the age of 25 (regardless of marriage status)
- Literature was a way women spoke about their feelings and views
- Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House revolutionized feminism and helped women's rights causes
1879 was a year of change and improvement which led to the widespread of feminist movement's in 1900's.
Questions To Think About
1. Do any characters act in opposition to the norms of society? What factors might have changed their behaviors?
2. How is Torvald influenced by the male-dominated society he lives in?
Henrik Ibsen's Views
A Doll's House was an extremely controversial play in 1879.
- Depiction of women's views helped society understand what the feminist movement was about.
- Addressed many real life issues of women in middle-class.
- Creating female protagonists working against the barriers of societal norms.
- Believed women were of equal standing to men.
"A woman cannot be herself in contemporary society, it is an exclusively male society with laws drafted by men, and with counsel and judges who judge feminine conduct from the male point of view."
-Henrik Ibsen