A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, observes the everyday life of an average Norwegian family. The role that each character plays in this family is very stereotypical. Nora is the obedient housewife and Torvald is the ideal “working man.” The life Nora and Torvald have built crumbles in the end, as a result of flaws in the social order. The responsibilities placed on Nora, Torvald, women, and men limit their freedoms to exist for themselves. Men and women depend too much on each other. If people realize that they are being forced to be and act a certain way, then they will act out against the order. People will truly be free by opting out to the social order.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman tells the story of a woman who is plagued by depression. She and her husband, John, move to a mansion in the country. In this house, she must isolates herself in order to cure her disease. This story points out the subordination of women by men. Although John is looking out for the best interests of his wife, he damages her by only looking out for his position as a doctor. If he cannot heal his own wife, that will affect his business.
A Doll’s House and The Yellow Wallpaper expand on the discussion of women in society and how society perceived diseases. These works provide a view on what life was like in the past and how the people of that era’s contributions affected life today. Gilman pointed out the abuse of power of men. She changed the medical field by acknowledging that patients’ inputs were very important to finding a cure. Ibsen pointed out the inequality between men and women in marriage and in society. He was one of many who contributed to gender equality.
How to Read Literature like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading between the Lines, by Thomas C. Foster, examines the in-depth meanings displayed in literary works. Foster has a doctorate in English from Michigan State University and an A.B. from Dartmouth with high distinction. He is head English professor at Michigan State University.
Gender in History, by Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks, explores what it means to be a man or woman in society’s past and present. Wiesner-Hanks has a doctorate in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is chair of the Department of History at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is an editorial member of the Journal of Women’s History.
A Doll’s House and The Yellow Wallpaper discuss the subject of the inferiority of women, disease, and the significance of letters.
A Doll’s House tells the story of Torvald and Nora’s family and its inevitable dissolution. During this time, 1870s, women were seen as lesser individuals and incapable of doing the same work as a man. Nora was subjected to be Torvald’s trophy wife.
In the story, the beloved family friend, Dr. Rank, inherits a fatal disease. Rank claims that he inherited this disease from the immorality of his father. The people of this time thought that diseases...
