Prompt: Explore how women are represented as stronger than men in the two works you have

studied.

“The Doll’s House” is a stage play written by HendrickIbsen that tells a story third-person

point of view , depicting the Helmer household and a build-up to Nora’s challenge and strive for

female empowerment in the 1700s Norwegian society. Hendrick Ibsen uses various literary

elements to highlight the idea of love and marriage, gender and sacrifice in the stage play. “The

Handmaid’s Tale” written by Margaret Atwood is a feminist novel observing female empowerment

of characters in the ‘Gilead’ an dictatorial society run by extremists . Atwood also uses various

literary elements to discuss concepts regarding love, fertility and rebellion. Although both authors

use different methods in depicting the idea of female oppression. Both Margaret Atwood and Henrik

Ibsen uses different symbolism throughout their work to show how women are not represented as

stronger than men, but instead oppressed intensely.

In both works, symbolism through names is used to discuss the dominance of male and how

woman has little power. In The Handmaid's Tale the handmaids are given names, to quote "My

name is Offred, I have another name which nobody uses now because It's forbidden." The

handmaiden's names are stolen from them, the use of diction through the word "forbidden" indicates

that their original menu is not allow. By taking their name away their identity is no longer their. A

persons name is such a personal thing, and throughout the story the reader is told the most personal

thing about Offred such as how she lost her daughter, but not once is her name mentioned. The story

is told from the first person perspective of offred and she could of told the audience her name on

chapter one but decided not to, this further shows the restriction on the freedom and rights towards

woman. In addition, the name Offred is actually, of Fred and Fred is the commander of the house.

The use of "Of" is a diction to explore the thought of owner ship. Belong to someone or of

somebody shows the lack of freedom and right woman have in the Guliad. Artwood uses of name to

reflect the ownership that man had towards woman before the feminist movement, because at that

time woman was somewhat "of" someones, further representing how women are not as stronger
than men, but instead oppressed intensely. Similarly in A Dolls House there is a frequent appearance

of Animal names, Tovard through out the novel calls Nora Animal names such as, "Little skylark"or

"Little squirrel" These names all start with "little", the use of this shows reader the dominance that

Tovard threats Nora with. Since "little" is often associated with children, which further shows the

level of control between the two. The use of the animal is also associated with children, It's often

nicknames you would call a kid. By Tovard repeatedly calling Nora these Animal names It's

constantly showing the power dominance he has. Henrik Ibsen uses these nicknames to emphasize

the assertion that Tovard has towards Nora. Both Margaret Atwood and Henrik Ibsen cleverly uses

character names to convey the theme a powerless woman.