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Light And Darkness In A Doll's House

1340 Words6 Pages

Light and darkness are often used by playwrights to symbolize the human condition. These associations are based off of human experience in which they exist. Many literatures often use the concept of light and darkness to portray the characters’ state of awareness. In ‘A Doll’s House’, Ibsen examines the role of light and dark through the human condition of his characters. He does this by examining the struggle of his characters within the play’s contextual setting of 19th century Norway - using light and darkness to play off the themes of unreliability of appearances and the sacrificial role of women in this patriarchal society. During this time, the social structure of Norway is based predominantly on patriarchy, where men occupied dominant and powerful social positions, as opposed to women who were more inferior in position. Norwegian men were expected to be strong and independent, whereas Norwegian women were seen as domesticated and dependent. This social order is emphasized throughout the play, as Ibsen’s character struggle to keep in line with their social expectations. For Nora, she is a significant example of an individual that struggles to behave in an ‘expected’ manner, yet finds herself subverting the social status. For example, in the play, Nora, …show more content…

Moreover, it is also used to convey many themes such as unreliability of appearances, and the sacrificial role of women in a patriarchal society. Throughout the play, light and color connotes Nora’s positive mental state, being a pure, innocent and typical woman in the 19th century, with darkness representing Nora’s true self. Its uses highlights Nora’s journey as she questions her position within the society that she’s living in, as well as the gender role that she must fit in. Ibsen clearly emphasizes on Nora’s struggle as she undergoes a change in

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