'Ibsen's knowledge of humanity is nowhere more evident than in his portrayal of women' (Joyce). Discuss and illustrate: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In his oft-cited "Notes to a Modern Society" Ibsen stated that, "in practical life, woman is judged by male law, as if she were not a woman but a man: a woman cannot be herself in modern society.’ These thoughtful reflections attracted much positive acclaim from feminists at the turn of the century, despite Ibsen's emphatic declaration that 'I am not a member of the Women's Rights League' (McFarlane, p.90). The extent to which Ibsen directly sympathized with feminists is still debated today, but this is largely irrelevant when considering his depiction of women. More appealing is the idea that Ibsen actually had a vivid vision of the nature of women and a fervent interest in how it was influenced by contemporary society. This led to the creation of vibrant female protagonists such as Nora Helmer and Hedda Gabler, whose character traits are not only entertaining for dramatic purposes, but also extraordinarily well observed. Ibsen's equally convincing representation of marital relations should not be overlooked; his emphasis on the Victorian husband's attitude towards his wife is particularly significant. The way in which the behavior of married couples was dictated by society is explored by Ibsen in A Doll's House, partly through Torvald's blind determination to adhere to the right set of rules. David Thomas goes so far as to say that Torvald unthinkingly lives his role as an authoritarian husband since "men were much more likely to be dominated by the social prejudices of their time". Ibsen emphasizes this notion by giving Torvald a dominant role over Nora, which is at times almost comical in its intensity. He delights in perceiving his wife as a silly, childish figure, who affectionately taunts her by referring to "you and your frivolous ideas" and moans in what is clearly an approving manner that she is "just like a woman." When he becomes interested in Doctor Rank's health matters, Torvald cheerfully exclaims, "Look at our little Nora talking about laboratory tests!" . This is no different than a proud father who is amused that his daughter has expressed naive curiosity about a matter she clearly understands nothing about. This interpretation of Nora's words increases his powerful status and gives him the satisfaction that his wife is as unaware as she should be. It could be argued that throughout the play Torvald unconsciously deludes himself by interpreting Nora's actions in this inaccurate way. He is certainly disgusted by the idea of ​​her secret involvement in Krogstad's affairs, warning her that "songbirds must keep their pretty beaks out of trouble" (p.31). This allegorical language is probably to his advantage as much as hers: he is reluctant to directly address the possibility that his wife is intrigued by matters that, according to society's rules, should exclude her completely. When he discovers the extent of her deception, he is moved by her anger and fear describing the situation as "utterly squalid", but when he realizes he is "saved" his first inclination is to comfort "poor little Nora". Torvald is clearly anxious to return to the previous state of decorum in which his wife was merely his pet, deluding himself that "I should not be a real man if I did not find a woman doubly attractive becauseof being so evidently helpless". . Here Ibsen reminds the audience of Torvald's main aspiration: to live the life of "a good man". With Jorgen Tesman, Ibsen portrays a husband who less obviously succumbs to society's expectations of a good marriage , but who nevertheless always silently encourages his wife to act more appropriately. Elizabeth Hardwick even suggests that "Hedda's husband is much more of a girl than she is" (McFarlane, p.100), and it is true that he is fascinated by "crafts". medieval servants". Perhaps he is subconsciously trying to make up for the lack of domestication within the family of a woman who is disgusted by the smells of lavender and potpourri. More obviously, Jorgen has a habit of constantly seeking approval and l Hedda's attention, encouraging her to "think about it, Hedda" three times in a few lines of text (p. 182-3). Her rote response of "yes, I'll think about it" to these appeals clearly reflects her disinterest, yet the poor Jorgen never lets himself be discouraged from trying to gain his wife's devotion. Likewise, her allusions to the suggested pregnancy are an almost pathetic effort to encourage discussion on the topic within the family. “Isn't it blooming?” , she asks Brack suggestively, trying to portray her as a healthy mother-to-be. This is reminiscent of Torvald's comment to Mrs. Linde as Nora bids farewell to the children, contentedly proclaiming that "the place now becomes unbearable for anyone but the mothers" (p.22). Like Jorgen, he is amused by the idea of ​​his wife being troubled by her maternal instinct, for in the eyes of society this is a perfect demonstration of the most essential quality of the good wife. Ibsen's understanding of different types of women is very evident in his female works. the various attitudes of the characters towards pregnancy and motherhood. On the rare occasions when Nora refers to her children, she speaks of them as "such sweet little things," "my sweet treasures," and "my pretty little dolls" (p.22), suggesting that, although she does not lack motherly feeling, she sees her children mainly as toys to play with and show off when it suits her. Her final decision to leave because of her 'duty to herself' (p.82) is unhindered by feelings of real guilt towards her children, in stark contrast to the play's alternative German ending when, 'trembling', he declares that 'I cannot leave them'. The fact that Ibsen called this conclusion “a barbaric outrage” (Thomas, p.74) shows that he specifically intended Nora to be portrayed as a woman not exhaustively devoted to family life: he knew that not all women share the same priorities and he wanted raise awareness in society. Ibsen's sensitivity to women's thought process is made evident by the contrast between Hedda, Miss Tesman, and Thea Elvsted's approaches to pregnancy. Jorgen's old aunt dedicated her life to raising him, insistently asking him, "Isn't the only joy I have in this world, to help you on your way, my dear boy?" (page 174). Her maternal instincts are never questioned, from the moment she enthusiastically informs Jorgen of the pregnancy, asking about 'any prospect' (p. 172). As for Thea, her childlessness leads her to cling to Lovborg's manuscript: Ibsen clearly demonstrates that some women will always need something to cultivate. His reaction to Lovborg's account of the destruction of the manuscript is surprising, as he "screams" and declares, "For the rest of my life it will be as if I killed a child" (p. 243). This dramatic reaction to the destruction of something that ultimately isn't even human contrasts effectively with Hedda's cold detachment from the idea of.