Explore the different ways in which sex is presented and used in ADH.
AO1 AO3 AO5 AO4
Nora is conscious of the power of her beauty and “A woman cannot be herself in society. It is “She uses her sexuality as a tool” In Paradise Lost, the sexual act appears to
sexuality and uses this to manipulate Torvald: she a exclusively male society” (Ibsen) (Munden) be collaborative and devoid of innocence
imagines about a future “When it no longer amuses - Nora lacks the ability to have - Nora weaponises her sexuality as after the fall: “Thir mutual guilt the seale the
him to see me dance and dress up and play the fool for control and ownership of her own it is the only means for her to gain solace of thir sin”. In contrast to her
him”, suggesting that she is aware her attractive body in a patriarchal society; her power in a strongly patriarchal prelapsarian state and Nora’s character in
appearance will not last and she will need something sexual relationship with Torvald is society; she attempts to use it first A Doll’s House, Eve is no longer required
else, such as her crime, to use as leverage. It seems solely focused on male pleasure to convince Torvald to prevent to fulfil her role as the innocent wife as both
that both she and Torvald are playing roles of what and she must perform as an Krogstad’s dismissal and then to she and Adam have already defied the
society expects in a true marriage and their sexual innocent, idyllic wife to satisfy his flatter Dr Rank into paying her rules of paradise by eating the forbidden
relationship reveals the contrast between individual desires. loan. However, the failure of both fruit. However, it is clear earlier in the epic
freedom and social expectation. Her beauty both of these situations highlights the that the submissive and innocent nature of
liberates and constrains her as it leads to the Nora is externally presented as the Angel extent of her powerlessness and a wife is viewed as the ideal for a sexual
objectification of her by Torvald (“little songbird”) but in the House - pure, devoted, submissive how she must challenge relationship: Adam praises her as “virgin
also enables her to partially influence his actions. and self-sacrificing. Her apparent patriarchal norms rather than majestie” and even Satan is attracted to
However, in her conversation with Krogstad, it seems helplessness and vulnerability appeals to succumbing to them. her “heav’nly forme”.
she still feels powerless in spite of this, stating “I have Torvald and forms the basis of their
no influence!”. relationship.
Through Dr Ranks’ visits, the gulf in Nora and In the gulf between Nora and Torvald at the In the Young Vic production the stage Paradise Lost also explores the
Helmer’s relationship is exposed and the concept of end of the play, the divergence aspect of rotates to show how Nora is continually inappropriate aspects of sexual
forbidden desires is explored. Nora tells Rank, Darwin’s theory of evolution is present - trapped in her own home and her relationships as Adam and Eve commit one
while they both originate from the same powerless state of the seven deadly sins after their fall: “In
“Tomorrow you’ll see how beautifully I shall dance; and
bourgeois environment, Nora has ‘evolved’ Lust they burne”. However, they still remain
you must imagine I’m doing it just for you”, introducing due to the different situations she has been “Ibsen uses the motif of disease to committed to one another despite this,
a more playful side to her character and even through (such as her interactions with Dr counterbalance the insidious, harmful whereas Nora is unhappy in her
presenting her to have some authority over a man. Rank) which have caused her to realise the nature of marriage itself” (Wright) relationship and uses other characters as
Indeed, it seems that she is more comfortable in his oppressive nature of her relationship and - Dr Rank’s disease mirrors the an outlet.
presence as he treats her with dignity, unlike Helmer, the need to escape it, whereas Torvald terrible sexual relationship in the
suggesting that she is trapped in her marriage and continues to succumb to societal norms Helmer marriage and the need for
and fails to change. Nora to find a ‘cure’ to her
married for social and financial security, rather than
oppression
love; her sexual relationship is therefore unfulfilling and
centred on Helmer’s dominance, rather than trust and
equality. In contrast, with Dr Rank, Nora is often
spoken to with respect and given an outlet to express
her sexual desires to some extent; she “Flicks him on
AO1 AO3 AO5 AO4
Nora is conscious of the power of her beauty and “A woman cannot be herself in society. It is “She uses her sexuality as a tool” In Paradise Lost, the sexual act appears to
sexuality and uses this to manipulate Torvald: she a exclusively male society” (Ibsen) (Munden) be collaborative and devoid of innocence
imagines about a future “When it no longer amuses - Nora lacks the ability to have - Nora weaponises her sexuality as after the fall: “Thir mutual guilt the seale the
him to see me dance and dress up and play the fool for control and ownership of her own it is the only means for her to gain solace of thir sin”. In contrast to her
him”, suggesting that she is aware her attractive body in a patriarchal society; her power in a strongly patriarchal prelapsarian state and Nora’s character in
appearance will not last and she will need something sexual relationship with Torvald is society; she attempts to use it first A Doll’s House, Eve is no longer required
else, such as her crime, to use as leverage. It seems solely focused on male pleasure to convince Torvald to prevent to fulfil her role as the innocent wife as both
that both she and Torvald are playing roles of what and she must perform as an Krogstad’s dismissal and then to she and Adam have already defied the
society expects in a true marriage and their sexual innocent, idyllic wife to satisfy his flatter Dr Rank into paying her rules of paradise by eating the forbidden
relationship reveals the contrast between individual desires. loan. However, the failure of both fruit. However, it is clear earlier in the epic
freedom and social expectation. Her beauty both of these situations highlights the that the submissive and innocent nature of
liberates and constrains her as it leads to the Nora is externally presented as the Angel extent of her powerlessness and a wife is viewed as the ideal for a sexual
objectification of her by Torvald (“little songbird”) but in the House - pure, devoted, submissive how she must challenge relationship: Adam praises her as “virgin
also enables her to partially influence his actions. and self-sacrificing. Her apparent patriarchal norms rather than majestie” and even Satan is attracted to
However, in her conversation with Krogstad, it seems helplessness and vulnerability appeals to succumbing to them. her “heav’nly forme”.
she still feels powerless in spite of this, stating “I have Torvald and forms the basis of their
no influence!”. relationship.
Through Dr Ranks’ visits, the gulf in Nora and In the gulf between Nora and Torvald at the In the Young Vic production the stage Paradise Lost also explores the
Helmer’s relationship is exposed and the concept of end of the play, the divergence aspect of rotates to show how Nora is continually inappropriate aspects of sexual
forbidden desires is explored. Nora tells Rank, Darwin’s theory of evolution is present - trapped in her own home and her relationships as Adam and Eve commit one
while they both originate from the same powerless state of the seven deadly sins after their fall: “In
“Tomorrow you’ll see how beautifully I shall dance; and
bourgeois environment, Nora has ‘evolved’ Lust they burne”. However, they still remain
you must imagine I’m doing it just for you”, introducing due to the different situations she has been “Ibsen uses the motif of disease to committed to one another despite this,
a more playful side to her character and even through (such as her interactions with Dr counterbalance the insidious, harmful whereas Nora is unhappy in her
presenting her to have some authority over a man. Rank) which have caused her to realise the nature of marriage itself” (Wright) relationship and uses other characters as
Indeed, it seems that she is more comfortable in his oppressive nature of her relationship and - Dr Rank’s disease mirrors the an outlet.
presence as he treats her with dignity, unlike Helmer, the need to escape it, whereas Torvald terrible sexual relationship in the
suggesting that she is trapped in her marriage and continues to succumb to societal norms Helmer marriage and the need for
and fails to change. Nora to find a ‘cure’ to her
married for social and financial security, rather than
oppression
love; her sexual relationship is therefore unfulfilling and
centred on Helmer’s dominance, rather than trust and
equality. In contrast, with Dr Rank, Nora is often
spoken to with respect and given an outlet to express
her sexual desires to some extent; she “Flicks him on
