Gender Transgressions Essay.
Gender Transgressions Essay.
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“GENDER-TRANSGRESSIONS”
HENRIK IBSEN: A DOLLS HOUSE
Long before now, society had an approach of defining the roles as well as responsibilities of both genders, male and female, husbands, and wives as well as fathers and mothers. Undoubtedly, several couples fall within these defined roles and can lead a fruitful life, while other counterparts find it hard within this stereotypical structure that constitutes a happy family. According to play written by Henrik Ibsen of “A Doll’s House “and August Wilson in “Fences”, the gender role is an essential theme. The female characters of each dramatic play, Rose and Nora, are compelled to stay at home and unable to work and provide support to their families. The male characters on the other hand by names Troy and Torvald, are seen as the provider of financial support and controller of the homes but lack meaningful family relationship (Lovey et al, 361).
The play titled A Doll’s House was created in the 19th century, it was a period when the female gender (women) were struggling and facing challenges for the social as well as economic rights equal to that of the male gender in the society. Most of these women were expected not to step foot outside their homes, as their responsibility was only to bear and rear children in the family, they also do not participate actively in society. According to Marianne Sturman, “In the Doll’s House, he ensured the problems where probed of the society passivity’s attached to the female gender in a male-driven society (2004, p. 51)”. This period was the time when both men and women had been tagging along with century-old traditions as they were offered their specific roles.
The Doll’s House reveals women’s restrictions during the time of its writing and the challenges emerged from the radical imbalance of power amongst both men and women. Going through the play, other characters treated Nora like a child. Torvald regarded her as a “pet” as well as his “property”, this simply implies that she was not intelligent in any way or responsible enough to be well trusted with financial dealings. The other characters Dr. Rank alongside Krogstad did not take Nora seriously either. She was called a child by Mrs. Linda, while this absurd treatment does not seem to be frustrating, Nora flows along with it. In addition, there were clues that she was not completely thrilled with the little positions she had as a woman (Besley, 317)
The dramatic play is not only a piece of art from Henrik Ibsen’s well-known plays but also an outstanding contribution to feminist literature, even though the characters involved do not seem to be outstanding. It is essential to note that Henrik never considered himself as a feminist but some of his acquaintances, as well as speeches, proved that he was concerned about the cause of the female gender (women).
The origins of discrimination against the female gender have been in existence since the western culture and community for thousands of years. Henrik single-handedly challenged the untruthful patriarchal image of women, he also represented such reality through his play, where he portrayed female characters. Utilizing his play as a political avenue, Henrik Ibsen brought out the truth about the Victorian patriarchal society defects. The women by names Hedda Gabler, Rebecca, and Nora Helmer brought down the economic, social as well as feminine position given to them (Lewis, 34).
Author Henrik Ibsen, revolutionized the character of the females, eliminating the shadows thrown at them and providing these women with active roles, rather than passive stereotyping. His works also reflected challenges such as the hierarchy of male and female as well as the rational perception of both gender roles in the 19th century. The dramatic plays made people critically question traditions and whether or not it originates from nature or a prejudiced masculine construction.
The patriarchal illusion was shattered by both Rebecca and Ibsen Hedda, of the natural inferiority, on the other hand, highlighted the psychological instability, which is inflicted on these women by patriarchal, this also leads to their ultimate downfall. In A Doll’s House, Nora was able to attain liberation but not without sacrificing her blood (children) and everything she knows is it good or bad.
While Ibsen’s dramatic play presents unwelcoming outcomes, from these characters, the women’s transgression as well as ideological arousals, introduces a possible novel and reformed structure of the society, where both genders are fully capable of equal roles. From the humanist perspective, Henrik Ibsen envisioned a future of a system completely reformed and improved, where women will not be emotionally crippled by their patriarchal destinies oppressive and could improve naturally, politically, and socially hence enhancing the civilization of mankind as a whole (Marsh, 2016). Gender Transgressions Essay.
Nora was demonized and labeled ironically to perfectly fit the “woman image”, rather than a transgressive woman,.
Nora is a child of Eve….A desirable feminine of bewitching nature…Her Charge that in all years of her marriage they never for once exchanged one solemn word about important things. She has forgotten how intensely Torvald lectured her on the subjects pertaining to forgery and lying a few days ago (Templeton, 1989, p. 29).
Centuries ago, Nora was depicted as an example of the most treacherous characteristics of her sex. In the 1880s, the controversy caused the chaos of the female blame. The woman who completely rejected her position of the patriarchal post was denounced as a frivolous and ridiculous narcissist, an abnormal woman, whose vanity and unloving egotistic tendencies caused her to discard of her family in a time of selfishness (Templeton, 1989, p. 29). With the aim of attempting to protect the construct, the first critics from the fuming reviewers made references to Eve the female breed who committed the first sin of this world.
CONCLUSION
Henrik Ibsen made use of the doll to illustrate which becomes a tool of powerful possession in expressing the fixed passive position. Nora is forced and expected to play by her husband’s rules, father as well as society. Ibsen portrays a doll’s life as a combination of motherhood and marriage. Nora plays with her children like her husband and her father plays with her. While Nora dreams of having possessions of her own, she becomes Torvald’s possession. When Nora instructs Torvald to stop his scary stares he replies “why shouldn’t I look at my dearest?” the beauty that is indeed all mine’ (Ibsen, 1965, p. 166).
He only sees her as a piece of property nothing more, that he must protect from whatever damage so he restrains her with rules, in the same way, a father would do with a child. He forbade her from going after her dreams and temporal pleasures (Wiseman, 2010). According to her, she will modify and transform her beliefs to suit her father, hence, burying her identity under the preferred version of her father (Ibsen, 1965, p. 226).
QUESTIONS
1. How did Nora’s childlike attitude empower her in the domestic sphere?
It was indeed fun to sitting, working, and improving financial status.it was similar to being a man, according to Nora. Nora will easily be described today as a feminist in the modern era. She may possess childlike features of even attributes, this however does not eliminate from independent personality
2. In what way does the childlike attitude of Nora disempower her in the domestic sphere?
Using two bird’s as a form of symbolizing Nora’s emotions. Little songbirds must keep her pretty little beaks away from mishaps. The main reason why those attributes could discern power is that, at these times, men offered security. Nora felt trapped and asked the reasons she was not able to make decisions on her own as well as her attempt to express her emotions comes off as childish to the husband in this case. This is because the female gender (women) were expected to act in a certain type of way. With this said, this form of attitude affects her home, life as well as how Nora is treated by her husband.
REFERENCES
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