Henrik Ibsen's 1879 play, A Doll's House, is a modern tragedy featuring the domestic struggles of women in the 19th century patriarchal Norway. Throughout the play, Ibsen explores the societal expectations enforced on women through the major decisions made by Anne Marie, Christine Linde, and most importantly, Nora Helmer the protagonist. The countless sacrifices that these women feel obliged to make compared to the male characters, acts as an indication of the double standard that their society has placed upon them. None of these character's decisions were made voluntarily, but instead, seemed to be already set in stone by the Norwegian society, in which their only option was to conform to these values and accept their miserable faith. However, there is a single instance in the play where the decision seems to be of one's own accord, this being Nora's …show more content…
Despite being famously known as the father of modern drama, Ibsen was heavily criticised for the path Nora took in the play's denouement, as she broke through the glass ceiling of her doll house by completely changing the previously accepted roles imposed by society.
Anne Marie, the nurse, represents the lower working class in Norway at the time. Starting off as Nora's nanny, she is a warm and affectionate lady, who carried on to become the nurse of Nora's three young children. Although Ibsen has not fully developed this character, she is significant in portraying the cultural norms executed on women. Her decision to leave her own child in order to take the job offered by Nora's father is the first of many examples where a woman has to sacrifice her own happiness in order to have a place in society. The Nurse felt that she "was obliged to" (Ibsen, 36) do this, which validates the decision not being made by choice. An 'obligation' is a condition of being morally or legally bound to do something, and therefore Ibsen's use of strong verbs