Michelle Meeks
Dr. Jon Glover
ENC 1102 MTWR 12:45
August 2, 2012
The Illusion of A Doll, A Revolution From Within
Henrik Ibsen is thought of to be the father of modern drama, which is largely the
result of A Doll’s House. Ibsen wrote plays which examine the moral faults of modern
society. He brought up serious questions of the family role and values, feminine sacrifice,
conditional relationships, and self-realization. At the beginning of the drama, Nora is
portrayed as a pampered, naive, child-like dependent with an illusion of reality. Growing
throughout the drama, Nora emancipates herself from her doll-like existence to an
existential transformation into a self-reliant, free spirit.
Henrik Ibsen was one of the world’s greatest dramatists and a leading figure of an
artistic renaissance that took place in Norway at the end of the nineteenth century.
Richard Hornby describes Ibsen as “a profound poetic dramatist—the best since
Shakespeare.” Ibsen wrote plays that examines the moral faults of modern society and
exposed social problems, such as, imposing injustices upon individuals and restricting
their rights as human beings. His knowledge of French, German, and Norwegian and his
broad appreciation of foreign literature, brought logic, clarity, and a new truth to his
writing. Ibsen consistently claimed that the artist must strive for a Socratic ideal of truth
and personal liberty which was: the one thing in the world of art that really deserves to be
fought for, and which is acknowledged by so few (Rhodes, 48). “Most of Ibsen’s
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pieces are interesting and enjoyable in themselves, and potentially useful for triggering
moral conflict awareness, empathy, and reflection” (Brinkmann, 11). “The reason for
Ibsen and for his work lay further back than a mere disgust for modern society; lay
deeper than what Mr. Boyesn calls Ibsen’s ‘ruthless satisfaction in showing what a paltry
contemptible lot men are.’ We do not know at what period Ibsen formulated this creed for
himself; but it explains so much, that we must believe it to have been inherent–part and
parcel of his character. Each soul bears “the sins of the world”(Elliot, 75). Ibsen
unhesitatingly followed through financial distress, through social isolation, and through
sever and often malicious criticism by his contemporaries.
Existentialism calls attention to freedom of action and freedom of choice. When it
comes to defining truth, existentialism is based on facts and not on emotions. It is
considered that to view the world is already the truth. According to Socrates, all
individuals have arête within themselves, but one must practice self-examination to
