‘A woman cannot be herself in modern society.’
- A Doll’s House
The above quotation is the underlying premise behind A Doll’s House, one of the world’s most controversial, socially relevant and critically acclaimed plays. It apparently deals with motherhood and the context of marriage during the Victorian era, in which patriarchy is dominant in the society. The plot focuses on Torvald and Nora Helmer’s marriage while the controversy was centered when Nora decided to abandon her children and gain her freedom from his husband. Nora is the protagonist who served as the “doll” to Torvald’s “doll house” and was referred as his “squirrel” and little “starling”.
Speaking in relation to the era of the play, women are considered to be mere subordinates to men. Women are treated with restrictions due to the existing culture that time. As stated by Ibsen, ‘a women cannot be herself in contemporary society’ because all the existing and operating laws are made by men and applied in a masculine point of view. For instance, in Nora and Torvald’s case, the traditional view of marriage during those times is the basis of their relationship as husband and wife. Marriage is very sacred and is characterized by the man (Torvald) as the master of the house and the woman (Nora) was just a mere wife. It is the duty of the man to serve as the head of the family where all major decisions are created and implemented according to his orders while the woman is just a follower and ought to obey the man’s decisions. As Nora claimed: "I've been your doll-wife just as at home I was Papa's doll child" (191).
Ibsen noted that during the Victorian era, women are subordinates. They are not free and liberated as the current women population. Again, this is attributed to the presence of laws of the land that were plotted by men and applied in their own patriarchal perspectives. As for the case of the Helmer’s, they did comply with the standards of society particularly on their setup in married life. However, Nora tried to seek liberty that prompted her to recognize her real situation as a “doll” that is trapped on a “doll’s house”. The couple did not change their marital setup because Torvald’s view was in congruence to the society they are mingling with. Still, Nora remained as the mere wife while Torvald, the master. Torvald believed that any act of female dominance is considered as “taboo” or a contradicting belief to the preexisting views.
Ibsen’s play open up the mind of people to the concept of freedom and gender equality. With the exposition of this play, the idea of feminism came profusely to serve as the moderating agent. Issues on gender such as biases, discrimination, and equality have always existed ever since the early ages. The recognition of this issue flared up the debate and the battle of sexes. Centuries ago, it has been a fact that men and women are defined as two totally different existent beings. But today, with the advent of contemporary ideologies on gender issues, the position of man and woman on the current society are no longer the same as before.
The dynamic and rapid phasing of contemporary days affects all the aspects of human existence. The traditional perspectives on things are also modified into more liberal and broadly acceptable practicability. People in today’s society are now more knowledgeable when it comes on dealing with serious issues especially those that are directly affecting their individual being. Perhaps, the existence of several factors like the emergence of globalization and intensified internationalization of thoughts, media and its several advocates, the academic world and other social institutions, and even the evolving family life are considerable factors that influence the views of people today.
In significance, Plato’s view on sexism is evident to unconventional and modern societies such as the U.S., the Western, and other developed countries. Plato’s principle of equality of sexes is indeed evident. Plato, considered as the first feminist philosopher believed in the notion that the equality of sexes is carefully sculpted. However, there is inconsistence with his thinking that one class of people is superior of other classes because of the conditions of his time ( 1994). Now, people – both man and woman excel in various fields of specialization regardless of their gender. From the world of politics, economics, sociology, and even lifestyle, man and women play their own individual roles (2000). There is already justice in the treatment for women and recognition of their contribution to the development. When Aristotle said “The free-man rules over the slave after another manner from that in which the male rules over the female . . . for the slave have no deliberative faculty at all; the woman has, but it is without authority” (1260 ;1999), it is only applicable during his time. It has been refuted by some feminist philosophers and advocators. At present, the struggle for the total egalitarian position of women in the society is also evident.
A survey conducted among American women, they are more emotional, affectionate, talkative, patient and creative than men and men, otherwise are more aggressive, courageous, ambitious, and easygoing than women. However, this instance is related to the personality characteristics of every human being when it comes to view on men and women equality ( 2001). Ibsen’s claim and an issue of sexism is now becoming an ancient controversial argument. With the emergence of human, societal, scientific and technological advances and globalization (Horton and Patapan 2004), the great debate of sexism is contemplated on the role of every human being in building a better world. However in some traditional societies, sexism is a major factor to consider in defining the importance of women and men in the society. Still, it can be stated that there are still traces of Torvald in some circumstances.
Although perhaps, the movement for gender equality gradually evolved in the late 19th century and was fuelled by women movements in the 20th century; the mild, moderate and radical feminist groups mustered their organizing influence to slowly inflict change in the society (2000). Sexual difference is not a matter of pre-existing categories with set contents, but is an interval or gap – a radical difference – between the sexes' experiences and knowledge’s. It does not fit clearly into the dualism of nature and culture (1994). As for the women, they hold a defined and significant position in the society. Gone are the days that they are left inside the house to do the cooking and other household chores, instead they are now out of the world to do and excel in our specialized departments in order to make a difference. They are created in order to complement with man and not to be a method to describe on the basis of importance, strengths and worth of existence. Hence, Plato’s feminist principle is still ideally and palpably applied today but identified in different setting and circumstance of time.
Meanwhile, the traditional characterizations of women are no longer relevant to the standards of current society and means of living. As likened to a trend, the old-fashioned descriptions towards women are obsolete and irrelevant. The views about women during this generation are strongly influential and definitive to the concept of worldwide gender equality and eventual social acceptance. As recorded in the history, the ultimate battle of sexes – of man over the woman, is already outdated and concluded. Such ancient views on women as the weaker sex and just bounded in the house as a wife and a mother per se are no longer propagated in several areas of human life. With this fact, the women in the society at present are more sophisticated and competitive as seen in different fields of expertise and other relative specializations.
Thus, all people are unique. It is the law of nature and the universe that every person is created differently in order to have a sense of identity. When one realizes that he/she differs from another, it only means that each living and thinking individual is one-of-a-kind and totally exceptional. The only thing that each one can do is to acknowledge such differences in a manner that will not discriminate or show arrogance against the other. Respect is the name of the game. If only people possess this trait, this world would be better and in harmony and peace with each other – regardless of race, religion, and gender. Also, there will be no Nora and Torvald ever existed in the history.
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