Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - A Doll's House

[Torvald] HELMER.
[following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here?
NORA.
[turning round quickly]. Money!
HELMER.
There you are. [Gives her some money.] Do you think I don’t know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time?
NORA.
[counting]. Ten shillings—a pound—two pounds! Thank you, thank you, Torvald; that will keep me going for a long time.
HELMER. Indeed it must.
NORA.
Yes, yes, it will. But come here and let me show you what I have bought. And all so cheap! Look, here is a new suit for Ivar, and a sword; and a horse and a trumpet for Bob; and a doll and dolly’s bedstead for Emmy,—they are very plain, but anyway she will soon break them in pieces. And here are dress-lengths and handkerchiefs for the maids; old Anne ought really to have something better.
Pp 6

In A Doll’s House Ibsen explores the complexities of the Victorian era through Torvald and Nora Helmer’s porcelain marriage. Ibsen’s play serves as a brutal metaphor for the fragile nature of the Victorian patriarchal society, highlighting the constraints placed on women's autonomy. Ibsen red-flags the obstacles women face in surviving a legal system that predominantly favours men in areas such as marriage, divorce, financial control, and child custody. Nora, for instance, assumes the role of a brainless, superficial wife to meet her husband's expectations, all the while secretly borrowing money to maintain the family's financial stability. As expected, men are not exempted from the patriarchal belief system, which hinders individuals like Torvald from loving Nora as an equal. He diminishes Nora’s sex, labels her a ‘skylark’, a ‘squirrel’, and ‘sweet little spendthrift’, and then emotionally blackmails her when she points out his flaws. In Torvald’s eyes, Nora is both a pretty doll satisfying his caprices and a nail upholding the androcentric hierarchy. However, by the play's conclusion, Nora outwits Torvald, no longer allowing herself to be subjected to his tyranny.

Ibsen’s play embodies the ‘undomesticated’ spirit of renowned feminist and advocate of women's rights, Mary Wollstonecraft (1792), who once said: "I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."

Content Warnings

theaceofpages's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I can't say I was a big fan of this book. The characters were annoying and the writing didn't particularly captivate me. I can, however, admire what this work set out to do and the extremally unusual and complex female representation for the time. I can, for example, admire Nora's strength even though I don't like her. I do wonder how much of that is her having to suppress herself because of the times and bow things have changed since. I do also wonder how much of that was narrative choice (I listened to an audiobook. While this was of high quality, I did get annoyed at the ways the characters spoke at times). I can see why some people love this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

Content Warnings

avenx's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Content Warnings

grayscale08's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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