Essay Sacrifice Dolls

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AJA
Lit 102

Sacrifice Dolls From as far back as we are able to go; the role of women in many cultures, societies, and religious views has had many similarities but the one repetitive characteristic of most is how the female gender role was limited. Strictly defined gender, home-workers, powerless servant, male-dominating society, set roles, and obedience to the masculine master are all common descriptions of early women roles throughout many cultures around the world. In A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the reader gets a sense of this strong themed perspective of the sacrificial role held by all women. “A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view.” Ibsen’s words here give such a feeling that he understands the powerlessness of the overall gender role of females during the late 1890’s and all throughout previous years. Women’s roles were set according to what men dictated, no input or anything otherwise could be said for women to give themselves more power because men were considered the superior and majority gender. From the commencement of A Doll’s House, Ibsen’s character Helmer Torvald preaches to his wife Nora of how typical of a woman she is “Nora, Nora how like a woman! No but seriously, Nora you know dom’s lost—and something of beauty too… We’ve made a brave stand up to now, the two of us, and we’ll go right on like that the little while we have to.” Nora as the respectful housewife agrees to her husband’s comment, “ Yes, whatever you say, Torvald”, but he doesn’t miss her saddening tone as she turns away from him and quickly changes his attitude by giving her money for what he thinks is Christmas money. Nora’s attitude towards her husband Helmer shows that even with his at first thought of stern character he is able to be convinced to change his mind. This change in attitude is a first glimpse of what later comes to be a breaking point for this household. A Doll’s House gives the reader a bleak visualization and draws up this sacrificial role of women, in all statures, and all economic classes in Nora’s society. We see that this sacrificial role was achieved by their actions, unconsciously and consciously by these women and in general for all women during these powerlessness moments of society. Each other’s friendships and valor were the true values that were certain for these women. The blossoming friendship between one another like the friendship we see between Nora and Mrs. Linde they soon discover how very alike they are in their actions by the sacrifices they have had to make. Nora confesses “You look down on me so, Kristine but you shouldn’t. You’re proud that you worked so long and hard for your mother…and you’re also proud thinking of what you’ve done for your brothers…But listen to this, Kristine – I’ve also got something to be proud and happy for.” (pg 616 // lines 165-171) Here she brings about her confession about the sacrifice she has done for her husband and the limiting powers she had to embark in order to save his life without his consent. Mrs. Linde’s sacrifice is also shown here and her reasons were for her family’s well-being, which we later recognize as her abandonment of Krogstad her true love; who was penniless at the time. She was forced in a non-physical manner into marrying a richer man to help her family get by. Valor is demonstrated in both of these characters decisions in how selfless their choices to put their families first becomes. The reader is able to see how they act unconsciously against their will in order to comply with the limits that constraint them as women of this society. Nora’s confession ,“For heaven’s sake, no! Are you serious? He’s so strict on that subject. Besides—Torvald, with all his masculine pride – how painfully humiliating for him if he ever found out he was in debt to me. That
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