Abstract
Henrik Ibsen is deemed to be one of the major Norwegian playwrights of the late 19th century whose famous play A Doll’s House manifests a wide variety of social and individual concerns, some of which transcend times and ages and thus become all-time contemporary. This paper mainly focuses on one such concern of an individual- Nora Helmar’s quest of self-identity- which gets unfolded through many other interrelated social issues that altogether result in her complete transformation. This study identifies how Nora who we notice at the beginning of the play as a naïve and submissive woman, changes herself into an outspoken, autonomous and unyielding human being towards the end of the play. It also attempts to highlight Nora’s numerous struggles against the patriarchal hegemony of the society and outlines how these struggles contribute to developing in her a sense of progressive self-awakening which eventually shapes her self-identity as an independent woman, the ultimate destination of her journey of self-discovery. This study finally explores the underlying forces both from within and outside the family working as catalysts behind making Nora a metamorphosed one.
Highlights
A Doll’s House written in 1879 by Henrik Ibsen, is about a couple, Nora Helmer and Torvald Helmer with three children who lead a seemingly pleasant middle class life until individual, economic and social surroundings force a change in the wife’s (Nora) attitude towards her marriage, relationship with other characters and social norms
This paper mainly focuses on one such concern of an individual- Nora Helmar’s quest of self-identity- which gets unfolded through many other interrelated social issues that altogether result in her complete transformation
Being the main female character of the play, Nora Helmer spends most of her whole life in a dream world as a doll and as a vapid, passive woman with little personality of her own where her identity has mostly been portrayed as a construct of societal norms and the expectations of others as if she is destined to be the plaything in the hands of other characters
Summary
A Doll’s House written in 1879 by Henrik Ibsen, is about a couple, Nora Helmer and Torvald Helmer with three children who lead a seemingly pleasant middle class life until individual, economic and social surroundings force a change in the wife’s (Nora) attitude towards her marriage, relationship with other characters and social norms This new outlook about life eventually leads her to leave the family with a view to constructing her own identity, individuality and life independence. Nora has always been in quest of forming her self-identity in the light of her own vision and scheme where she seeks individuality and autonomous selfhood through breaking the shackles of typical gender roles of a mother and a wife In doing so, she fights against the discrimination and oppression toward women p-ISSN: 2252-6323 e-ISSN: 2721-4540 inflicted by the patriarchal power and attempts to develop counter discourses against the portrayal of the weak images of women. Nora’s evolution as an autonomous persona and her journey of self-discovery and transformation mainly evolve around and develop through her distinct interactions and conflicts with other male characters with her husband, Torvald Helmer
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