Jeanelle Hollenbaugh Professor Williams English 101H 19 October 2009 Symbolism and Structure in A Dolls House In the orld

of fiction! there are countless ays to "ortray symbolism! but hich ay is best# $aya %in said! &I try to gi'e "eo"le a different ay of loo(ing at their surroundings) *hat+s art to me), -o surroundings carry more significance than meets that cursory eye# .an the setting of a story re"resent underlying meanings of that story# Ibsen/s strongest symbol of 0ora and *or'ald/s relationshi" in A Dolls House is the settings of 1ct 1! 1ct 2 and 1ct 2) *he first scene re"resents the disguise that 0ora and *or'ald dress their marriage in) 1ct 1 begins ith a thorough descri"tion of the room in hich the story/s scenes all "lay out) Here! the reader is introduced to the ty"e of life3style the main characters li'e! but! also de"icted! is a hidden "arallel! &SCENE...Engravings on the walls; a cabinet with china and other small objects, a small boo case with well!bound boo s. "he #loors are car$eted, and a #ire burns in the stove. %t is winter, 4"g) 10295) It is these last ords that hit a resounding note! singing clearly Ibsen/s intensions of setting his "lay e6actly hen and here it is) *he Helmers/ home is aesthetically "leasing) .omfortable decorations! among a number of materialistic fillers! adorn the li'ing room! much li(e the Helmers/ bond ith one another) *or'ald and 0ora "aint their true feelings! desires and interests in order to create a seemingly ha""y life3style) Ho e'er! &it is inter,! and this cou"le! beyond their alls of orldly "ossession and money3brings3ha""iness motto! is suffering from cold and a lac( of nurturing)

Hollenbaugh 1ct 2 o"ens ith the same scene as 1ct 17 ho e'er! this setting descri"tion directs focus u"on a more s"ecific ob8ect! &"HE SA&E SCENE. "he Christmas "ree is in the corner b' the $iano, stri$$ed o# its ornaments and with burnt!down candle!ends on its disheveled branches, 4"g) 109:5) *his s"ecification is a""ro"riate because! ha'ing itnessed 1ct 1! the reader no sees! amidst the beauties of the room! something that is meant to be 8oyful is! instead! blea( and desolate) ;ecause of the e'ents in the first act! the reader is a are that 0ora and *or'ald/s relationshi" is more than the ha""y3go3luc(y life of a successful ban( manager and his ha""y home3ma(ing ife) 0ora/s deceit and *or'ald/s domineering beha'ior to ard his ife clash to create ine'itable ruin) It bubbles under the surface of the mas(s they/'e created! not only for the society that ac(no ledges their good re"utation! but also to conceal their true sel'es from one another) 1lone in the corner! the .hristmas *ree "arallels *or'ald and 0ora/s bro(en! burnt3out relationshi" as it honestly is) *here are no ornaments dressing it u"! no lights to blind the onloo(er of hat disa""ointment lies beneath the brilliant shine)

<inally! as the third act commences! Ibsen describes that! again! it is the same room it has been the hole "lay! but! once more! he redirects his focus to s"ecific changes in the room/s details) *hese alterations corres"ond to the ad8ustments the reader ma(es in his or her 'ie of the story throughout the second act! &"HE SA&E SCENE. "he table has been $laced in the middle o# the stage, with chairs round it. A lam$ is burning on the table. "he door into the hall stands o$en, 4"g) 10=25) %ast time! Ibsen s"otlighted an ob8ect in the corner! not >uite as ob'ious to 'ie ers! but no ! the focal "oint of his descri"tion is in the center of the room) He re'ol'es around the feature of the scene that is most a""arent) *he rele'ance of this focus is defended by the fact that no ! in the story! the reader/s 'ie of 0ora and *or'ald/s marriage is clearer than e'er) Sitting in the center of the

Hollenbaugh room! e6"osed and illuminated by a strategically "laced and burning lam"! the harsh! lo'eless reality that is their matrimony is seen ithout its ty"ical guise) *he reader "ercei'es! and ill more dee"ly understand in the end! 0ora and *or'ald and their bogus relationshi") &*he door into the hall stands o"en!, reiterates that their artificial affections are dis"layed na(edly! or 'ery

soon ill be! to the general "ublic) Sitting in the center of the table! in the center of the room! the lit lam" symboli?es the shar" a areness that 0ora and *or'ald/s marital issues hea'e u"on them) Surroundings do su""ort dee"er meanings) 1 setting can be hea'ily symbolic of "rotagonists/ ma8or issues) In Henri( Ibsen/s A Dolls House broad "ictures of each of the three acts are illustrated! as ell as "recise features) *hese surroundings best "ro'ide understanding and reassurance to the reader of 0ora and *or'ald/s 'arying relationshi" statuses throughout the story) -escri"tion and focus on the setting of a "lay can hold great insight and "ro'ide clear symbolism to "arallel the storyline and re"resent im"ortant conce"ts)