The document discusses how gender is presented in Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" and Christina Rossetti's poems. It notes that both works challenged the rigid gender expectations of 19th century society by exposing weaknesses in male characters and portraying women breaking social norms. Ibsen depicted Nora realizing she must find her own identity beyond her role as her husband's "doll wife." Similarly, Rossetti's poems portrayed independent women asserting their agency, while also showing male characters as weak and forceful in trying to maintain control over women. Both authors were likely criticizing the gender expectations of their time through these portrayals.
The document discusses how gender is presented in Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" and Christina Rossetti's poems. It notes that both works challenged the rigid gender expectations of 19th century society by exposing weaknesses in male characters and portraying women breaking social norms. Ibsen depicted Nora realizing she must find her own identity beyond her role as her husband's "doll wife." Similarly, Rossetti's poems portrayed independent women asserting their agency, while also showing male characters as weak and forceful in trying to maintain control over women. Both authors were likely criticizing the gender expectations of their time through these portrayals.
The document discusses how gender is presented in Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" and Christina Rossetti's poems. It notes that both works challenged the rigid gender expectations of 19th century society by exposing weaknesses in male characters and portraying women breaking social norms. Ibsen depicted Nora realizing she must find her own identity beyond her role as her husband's "doll wife." Similarly, Rossetti's poems portrayed independent women asserting their agency, while also showing male characters as weak and forceful in trying to maintain control over women. Both authors were likely criticizing the gender expectations of their time through these portrayals.
The document discusses how gender is presented in Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" and Christina Rossetti's poems. It notes that both works challenged the rigid gender expectations of 19th century society by exposing weaknesses in male characters and portraying women breaking social norms. Ibsen depicted Nora realizing she must find her own identity beyond her role as her husband's "doll wife." Similarly, Rossetti's poems portrayed independent women asserting their agency, while also showing male characters as weak and forceful in trying to maintain control over women. Both authors were likely criticizing the gender expectations of their time through these portrayals.
How is Gender presented in ‘A Doll’s House’ and Rossetti’s poems?
Gender has been a prominent factor in the construction of countless societies,
predominantly in the 19th century. The gender dichotomy that permeated society and was used to its advantage to allocate certain roles and expectations on its members. Throughout much of English literature the gender or an individual would equate with specific human traits. Men would be associated with strength, logic and stability, whilst their counterparts would be associated with weakness, capriciousness and imagination. This gender divide has divided and fractured many societies yet Ibsen and in some cases in Rossetti’s poems has shown to dilute these rigid expectations, providing us with women rebelling their long- standing role or being “pious, patient and frugal.” Both texts could possibly be exposing society for overlooking male weaknesses and flaws In attempt to place emphasise on their positive attributes which allow them to stay in control. Ibsen uses stereotypical gender attributes in the characterisation of Nora and Helmer. However, he then reverses the stereotypes in the final scenes of the play, depicting the problems of misjudging female nature and limiting their independence and opportunities as a result of their supposed inherent weakness. As a pioneer of realistic social drama, Ibsen was concerned with presenting realistic social settings and therefore depicted the rigid gender divisions prevalent in bourgeois society. It’s for this reason Ibsen may have presented Nora as a willing member of their dysfunctional family whose purpose is to exist solely for the pleasure for her husband and his personal decadence. It’s arguable that Nora is aware of her role as a ‘doll wife’ as she expresses multiple times that her role is “to dress up and play the fool” for Torvald. Nora could perhaps represent the plight of all women whose assigned all her duties and obligations by patriarchy. However, Schlueter, proposed that Nora was “deceitful and manipulative from the start” from little acts such as secretly eating macaroons behind Torvalds’s back. Therefore, not abiding to the rules expected of women. In the patriarchal social framework, women are represented by a set of self – sacrificing and subservient attributes. However, in the play’s denouement, Nora’s epiphany occurs as she realises she has been a conformist for too long and realises the necessity to cultivate her full identity. The slamming of the door is thematically significant as it symbolises her revolt against her husband. Similarly, in Maude Clare we witness Maude Clare risking public censure as a fallen woman as she exposes Sir Thomas for his disloyalty. Those who break away from the expected behaviour are labelled as “deviant” or “fallen” which Rossetti was heavily involved in during her time in Magdalene Penitenary for women. Like Nora, one interpretation is that Maude Clare had experienced entrapment as she is confined by the suffocating gender expectations. This could be interpreted through the “half of the golden chain” the chains could symbolise prior control over Maude from male oppressors. Therefore, Maude Clare may not only be calling out Sir Thomas for his disloyalty but also speaking out against social expectations of women. Therefore, both writers may be overtly criticising the gender expectations of women and the disbelief from others when women righteously break away from them. In both texts the ideology that men are the dominant gender is shattered as male weakness is exposed as we see men struggle to maintain a veneer of dominance and control. Gender constructions and expectations have fractured society, alienating women whilst idolising the role of men who were seen to acquire the desirable qualities or independence, action and self interest. However, Rosetti and Ibsen destroys the assumption in her poems, depicting that men and women’s weaknesses are human traits not gender traits. In the time Ibsen was writing ‘A Doll’s House’ the newly liberated country of Norway had been freed from the Danish control. As a result gender distinctions were becoming less definitive as they saw an influx in ideas regarding political and personal freedom. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen alludes to Torvald’s weakness and childlike nature as Rank explains that Torvald “ is so fastidious, he cannot face up to anything ugly”. This suggests that Torvald is sheltered from the realities from the world, subverting the stereotypical “strong and brave man.” However, one interpretation of this is that Torvald shelters Nora from the realities of the world just like he is in an attempt to ‘contain’ her to maintain his control over her. Ibsen could have done this to expose male weakness, criticising the rigid gender expectations which prohibit the idea of equality amongst men and women. Torvald’s child-like nature is also exhibited as we learn of Torvald’s decision to fire Krogstad. Torvald condemns Krogstad for calling him on his “Christian terms” and making “no attempt to conceal is when others are present.” Torvald’s decision to fire Krogstad stems ultimately from the fact that he feels threatened and offended by Krogstad’s failure to pay him the proper respect, highlighting his trifling petty nature. Similarly, in No Thank You John, Rossetti simultaneously presents us with an independent women who asserts that women have a right to say no and claim independence and agency for herself whilst depicting the weak and forceful nature of men. The very first line, “ I never said I loved you” is a blunt statement spoken to the unnamed listener, which is contrary to what is often seen as the Victorian feminine ideal, meek and submissive. The unheard listener seems to make a “desperate attempt” to pursue the speaker, to which she says “I’d rather say no to fifty Johns”, giving the speaker strength and profound assertiveness to the character. The listeners fleeting attempt to pursue the speaker despite her resistance could highlight men’s desire to stay in control and maintain subjugation over females. In the Victorian era women weren’t expected to focus too obviously on finding a husband and usually had very little say in who they would be married to. Additionally, the fact that we don’t hear male in this poem could further emphasise their failed attempt to control women, instead highlighting the weak, insignificant nature of men. Both Ibsen and Rossetti overtly display male weakness to possibly expose society for placing to much emphasise on the ‘admirable’ aspects of men, disregarding the flaws of men.