The play was highly controversial in a late nineteenth century as it was critical of Victorian

marriage norms. Through this play, Ibsen used theatre for exposing social problems. A Doll’s

House is a woman’s journey towards self-liberation. Nora is trapped socially and economically.

She needs acceptance from the outside that is patriarchy, just because she is a “woman.” The

play presents the characters and the conflicts in a truthful way. The ending was shocking for late

nineteenth century audience as there was no “happy ending.” So A Doll’s House is Nora’s search

for her own identity.

A Doll’s House is concerned with the role of a woman in a male-dominated society and

Victorian society marriage norms. It draws attention to the fact that marriage is not something

where husband has the right to exercise his authority because he is a “man.” Ibsen advocates the

concept of marriage where marriage is a union of equals. Play focuses on the fact that every

individual has the right to find out the kind of person he or she is and strive to become that

person even if that person is a “woman.” Ibsen’s Nora argues for female liberation. Play urges its

readers to take a broad view as it condemns static approach.

Stage setting of the play is congested. It makes the stage as if it was really a doll’s house. The

Helmer’s home is more of a prison than a shelter. The joy and a place of comfort that one

associates with home, it does not exist in the Helmer’s house.

Nora’s tarantella dance costume has a symbolic meaning as if she were a wax doll and Norma

puts off that costume when she realizes that the miracle she has been waiting for is not going to

happen. So the idea of wax doll is explored through her costume.

The way Helmer addresses Nora is patronizing. It makes us feel that Nora has never left her

father’s house because Helmer treats her the same way as her father used to treat her. In
Helmer’s house, Nora is still a woman who needs to be owned because she is a woman and a

wife. Helmer makes all decisions for Nora and she is expected to play the role of the “little

woman.”

Nora’s repressed instincts, for example the way she eats sweets secretly and her act of hiding

things from Helmer is a way of asserting her individuality.

Helmer treats Nora in a “thing like manner.” Helmer calls her “singing lark”, “little squirrel”

“my little lark”, “my little skylark” and “little featherhead.” Nora is treated like a doll and as an

object. The way Helmer addresses Nora signifies that society constructs gender boundaries that

does not remain questionable while a covert discrimination can be felt when the layer of words is

peeled off. Nora and Helmer’s relationship does not give us a husband wife relation because one

is dominated. Also Nora’s effort to stop Helmer from reading the letter by dancing desperately

shows the climax of the moment of crisis.

The play is still relevant because gender constructs and gender inequality are there in the

society so the play will remain relevant as the play addresses societal constructs in a way that it

does not target any one person but it point outs the idea behind this rigid binary- women are

supposed to assume a subservient role in the household. As long as women are obedient and

restrained to domestic chores, they realize the idea of the perfect women however that ideal is

broken when a woman tries to lead the house. As a result of financial imperative Norma did the

same as she tried to earn. Norma assumed the role of bread earner and tried to take the

dominating position. Financial imperative is important in this play as it shows that as long as a

person is financially efficient and productive he/she has the ability to dominate or assert

herself/himself and it is proved by the fact that Nora helps Helmer from the crisis by earning

money.
Through the course of the play, Nora comes to think for herself. She realizes her doll-like

existence. Ibsen breaks Victorian conventions through the ending of the play. Ending is

controversial because Ibsen has left the ending to many interpretations. It is open ended because

Nora closes the, door this act can mean many things. It can mean she is closing on herself the

burden of societal responsibilities and is going for a journey of self-realization in which she is all

alone. It can also mean that she has abandoned Helmer. She asserts her individuality through her

act. It is controversial due to the idea of the women as epitome of responsibility. Nora’s act can

appear repulsive because she abandons her children and her husband and steps out of the house

to realize her own self, if seen in a broader context, her act is justified because she cannot teach

her children the meaning of life unless and until she realizes the meaning of her own life.