The Controversial Theme of a Doll's House In his play A Doll's House, Henrik Ibsen depicts a female protagonist, Nora Helmer, who dares to defy her husband and abandon " duty ". " as a wife and mother to pursue her individuality. A Doll's House challenges the patriarchal view held by most people at the time, that a woman's place was in the home. Many women could relate to the Nora's situation. Like Nora, they felt trapped by their husbands and fathers; however, they believed that the rules of society prevented them from emerging from the shadows of men. Through this play, Ibsen highlights the importance of. the individuality of women. A Doll's House combines realistic characters, fascinating images, explicit settings, and an influential setting to develop a controversial theme. The characters in this play help support Ibsen's initial characterizations. of Nora are those of a bubbly, childlike wife and strictly dependent on her husband. This subordinate role from which Nora progresses highlights the need for a change in society's view of women. For Nora, her inferior, doll-like nature is a facade for a deeper passion for individuality that begins to surface during the play and eventually emerges fully by the end. An example of this deep desire for independence is illustrated when Nora tells her friend Kristina Linde that she makes her own money doing photocopying. Nora explains: “It was great fun to sit [in her room] and work and make money. It was almost like being a man” (A Doll’s House, 162). Mrs. Linde is an inspiration to Nora, as Kristina has experienced the independence that Nora craves. Although Nora seeks to be independent, she uses her subordinate role to her advantage...... middle of paper .... ...controversial theme. Ibsen expresses to the audience his hope to see the "miracle" of true equality, when neither men nor women will abuse the power given to them by society. When Nora sheds her doll dress and enters the real world, she opens up a new realm of possibilities for all women. Works cited and consulted: Agress, Lynne. Feminine irony: women about women in early 19th-century English literature. London: Associated UP, 1978. Durbach, Errol. A Doll's House: Ibsen's Myth of Transformation. Boston: Twayne, 1991. Ibsen, Henrik. A Youth League/A Doll's House/The Lady from the Sea. Trans. Peter Watts. England: Clays Ltd., 1965. Salomé, Lou. Ibsen's Heroines. Ed. and trans. Siegfried Mandel. Redding Ridge: Black Swan, 1985. Templeton, Joan. "The Doll's House Backlash: Criticism, Feminism and Ibsen." PMLA (January 1989): 28-40.