A Doll House Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Doll House - Essay Example as leaders of states and contributors in the development of various fields such as Science, Technology, the Arts, Music and other branches that are encompassed by the society. Nora’s character in Henrik Ibsen’s play depicts all of the conventional qualities expected of women during the 19th century. Women in the family were expected to stay at home, tend to the needs of her husband and children, keep the household in top shape and grant the wishes and commands of her husband which was the master of the house. Women back then were also forbidden to interfere with financial matters including loans and only a handful of females were allowed to work in offices. They were also not allowed to speak openly of their opinions because they were labeled as vulgar if they speak freely of what they have in mind, which was also evident in Ibsen’s play. In contrast to the present functions of women, the 19th century women who were expected to stay at home and not allowed to work had changed over the years due to the increasing needs of a family to subsist required the females to also get hold of a job. These working women were gradually accepted by the changing society and at present, women who support their families hand in hand with her husband are widely accepted and are no longer a controversial issue as it was in the 19th century. Ironically though, women today spend greater time in offices than they spend at home and with their families as opposed to women during the older times who barely went out of their homes and were only allowed to go out if they were permitted by their husbands. The aspect of today’s women as a co-provider of the family is in direct contrast to the portrayal of a 19th century woman in A Doll’s House wherein Nora’s husband, Torvald, acts as the sole provider for the family and firmly believes that the man should be the only provider in the family. In the play A Doll’s House, Nora mentioned that she was secretly working on some