Victims Of Society Essay Example for Free

Victims Of Society EssayOften literature is used to underline some sociable problems, to criticize and to some finale eliminate certain defects of social system. For example, fictional characters may be depicted as victims of familiarity. Thus, A Dolls fireside by Henrik Ibsen focuses upon this dilemma in conjunction during Victorian epoch. Ibsen raises much contr all oversy on the roles of males and females in society and tires to attract attention to hypocrisy and use of public opinion to suppress individuality.A number of literary critics treated Ibsens play as a means for infringing social norms and rules, for instance, Bjorn Hemmer, literary critic and researcher, in his article in The Cambridge associate to Ibsen, observed The people who live in such a society know the weight of public opinion and of all those agencies which keep watch over societys law and order the norms, the conventions and the traditions which in essence belong to the past only when which continue into the present and there thwart individual acquaintance in a variety of ways (Hemmer, 83). Almost every key personage of A Dolls House is presented as a victim of society. Torvald is a victim of society, because he is forced by the need to fit into societys standards and to be treated as a representative of a high social status. Torvald knows very well about the pressures, produced by the society upon him and shows his willingness to get adjusted to them. Though Torvald is a victim of social circumstances, Ibsen makes it absolutely clear that he is sort of comfortable and satisfied with the idea. Torvald has reached everything he may have wanted, and everything he may have been expected by society to have, in life.He established a family, with a beautiful wife and three children, a big comfortable house, a respectable job, which provided him with a higher status in society, he supervises some other people in his business, and enough money so that he can spoil his pet, Nora. Probably, due to all these achievements Torvald does not want to do anything such as touch any case that isnt well nice if it can affect his image and make him bad reputation. Torvald is congeal to do whatever is needful to prevent the need to cut costs to an absolute minimum and save every cent again, in other words he is not ready to lose what he has earned at any cost.The last scene makes it apparent when he wants to conceal Noras misdeeds, only to prevent it leaving a bad mark on his name I must try to buy him off somehow. This thing must be hushed up at any price. (Ibsen, Act 3) Torvald would do everything to keep up to any expectation set by society for people. He created his own social image as someone who must maintain an crucial and influential role in the family. He is confident that maintaining such an image will make him become correspondent to everybody else, in society.Being the male and keep up Torvald believes that it is his responsibility to be the family s upporter the head of the household you will not rise up me lacking in faculty or courage. I am a man enough to bear the burden for us both. (Ibsen, Act 2) The implications of social impact on Torvalds moral convictions come out of the closet in Act 3. The realization that society may get to know about Noras actions almost kills Torvald. He cannot go through the fact that his wife tried to give support to him and save his life hes so proud of being a man- itd be so horrific and humiliating for him to know that he owed anything to me (Nora). (Ibsen, Act 1) genial tradition claims the opposite the man is to support the family and to protect them. Another critic of Ibsens works Gail Finney in the same book The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen says that in the notes for A Dolls House, Ibsen comments that a mother in modern society is like certain insects who go away and die when she has done her duty in the propagation of the race. (Finney, 91) The evidence for this opinion one can f ind in Torvalds cullion of his wife as soon as he discovers her secret he insists that she is not good for bringing up their children if her good name is disgraced.The importance for being accepted into society for Torvald is also evident when Torvald reveals about Noras agreement with Krogstad. It becomes obvious that Nora and Torvalds ideal marriage had been a falsification made for societys sake. Torvald introduces societys views and destroys Noras belief that he truly loved her As regards to our relationship- we must appear to be living together just as before. still appear of course. (Ibsen, Act 3) He appears as an absolute hypocrite and cares how her actions may harm his reputation.Torvalds wife Nora is also a victim of society because of Torvalds wish for being a perfect family, in order to fit in into social stereotype. As a consequence, Nora is convinced that it is her responsibility as a wife to live up to Torvalds expectations and play the established role, in order to satisfy the society. At the beginning of A Dolls House a reader perceives Nora as a annulus controlled by her husband. She relies on him in everything. At first Nora enjoys playing the role of Torvalds obedient wife. She finds it distract to be comfortable in society.The Christmas presents bought for the children prove that she follows the stereotypical views of society. She makes her children to respond to the different treatment by feeling different and behaving differently. She reinforces the stereotypical gender roles that keep her in subordination to her husband. Nora treats her daughter the same way she seems to be treated all of her life that is, as a doll A trumpet for Bob. And a doll and a cradle for Emmy. (Ibsen, Act 1) Nora protests against societys morals that a wife cant borrow money without the husband consent. (Ibsen, Act 1) but as she realizes it is not befitting and wrong thing to do, nevertheless, she finds it great fun, though, sitting there working and earn ing money. Almost like being a man. (Ibsen, Act 1) As the play proceeds Nora becomes aware that she has been disillusioned that it is her duty to act as the ornament and prize to her husband, the role which society has given to her. The moment in A Dolls House where Nora takes off her fancy dress, symbolizes her refusal to remain the same person as she was Taking off my fancy dressIve changed. (Ibsen, Act3).Finally she finds courage to reject playing the role to please society. The example of a person who once being a victim of society changes as soon as the undivided situation changes is Mrs. Linde. The social circumstances made her marry the man who she did not love, but could support her ill mother and two brothers. But after her husbands death she behaves as an independent woman. She must work to support herself and become self-sufficient. Torvald in this case again reveals his biases in relation to womens proper roles in society Well, it is not altogether impossible.I presum e you are a widow, Mrs. Linde? Ah well, its very likely I may be able to find something for you (Ibsen, Act 1) The analysis of the choices the characters from the play make in society, either to follow the social convention or be a social outcast, like Dr. Rank, reveals characters lot to be a victim of society. Dr Rank while being a respectable man with important profession of doctor and supposed to be an important and honorable member of society he is a victim of both his fathers mistake and social conviction that he deserved such fate.Through Torvalds words it becomes evident that Dr. Rank was always an eyesore for perfect social circle He with his sufferings and loneliness was like a cloudy emphasise to our sunlit happiness. Well, perhaps it is best so. (Ibsen, Act 3) No matter, whether major or minor, most of the characters throughout the whole play are presented as victims because of their wish to be accepted into society. A Dolls House openly declares the need for a renewe d societys understanding of males and females role.Works Cited listGoldman, Emma, The Social Significance of the Modern Drama.The Gorham Press, Boston, 1914 Retrieved on 18 Nov. 2005 from http//sunsite3. berkeley. edu/Goldman/Writings/Drama/doll. html Hemmer, Bjorn. Ibsen and the Realistic Problem Drama. The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Ed. James McFarlane, Cambridge University Press, 1994, 68-88. Ibsen, Henrik. A Dolls House. 1879. Trans. James McFarlane and Jens Arup. 1981. Retrieved on 07 Nov. 2005 http//www. classicreader. com/booktoc. php/sid. 7/bookid. 2011/ Finney, Gail. Ibsen and Feminism. The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Ed. James McFarlane, Cambridge University Press, 1994, 89-105.