Monday, May 17, 2010

Trapped in a doll's house



It's been a very long time since I've been excited over an English assignment, haha. x] My very last English essay of this year, and my teacher has permitted us a creative writing option, where I have much more free rein! :D I'm so happy(: I have to do it on the play A Doll's House (Et dukkehjem in Norwegian) by Henrik Ibsen. My feelings on it are rather neutral, but I can't say I detested it, I suppose. x]]]

The three act play tells the story of Nora and Torvald Helmer and is set in the same room the entire time. It has been hailed as a feminist play, though Ibsen had not intentionally meant for it to be taken that way. He had written it for a female friend of his, to encourage her to be strong and independent, I believe. He conveys the societal norms of marriage and family life in Norway, and one can clearly see the strong chauvinistic views of Norwegian men, as well as how easily women simply accept it as the way of life. For example, women are not permitted to sign or hold contracts; that is for the man to handle.

"When I was at home with Papa, he told me his opinion about everything,
and so I had the same opinions; and if I differed from him I concealed the fact, because he would not have liked it. He called me his doll-child, and he played with me just as I used to play with my dolls...I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was Papa's doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. That is what our marriage has been, Torvald."

I won't say too much, but I would love if you would read it to help me out when I post up my piece(s) on dA. :] It's a short read, perhaps a couple hours tops.

On another note, I'm actually in the process of writing a short story for a contest on dA, and funnily enough it has to do with dolls as well :D Be on the lookout for that as well. C:

"When I was a child, I believed that my toys would talk behind my back and have parties while I was away. I’m twenty-five years old, and I still believe that."
~"What a Doll"

2 comments:

  • SironaSelkie said...

    :eager: I really wish I had the time to read ANYTHING lately. but if I get a free moment this weekend I will cram it in. (hope that isn't too late). Either way I can be grammar nazi! :iconknightplz:

    Best of luck on the assignment..... and I will be waiting [im]patiently for the other piece!

    (just a heads up.... those boxes to check at the bottom of each post... i only see awesome sauce.)

    Zane Carpathia said...

    Reading is very exciting and I love when you get those little creative assignments. That play you spoke of seems rather intriguing.

    Good luck on that assignment... well I'm sure seeing it's June you've probably had the best of luck. Nevertheless, I wish you luck on all your endeavours.

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