1
Feb-22
2b. Ibsen & Rossetti – Drama and Poetry pre-1900
Marriage:
A Doll’s House:
Trapping for both men and women – have to play roles/wear masks. Result of patriarchal society.
Forces a woman to sacrifice her identity.
Nora & Torvald:
o Hyperbolised presentation of 19th-cent marriage at beginning; male-dominated, Nora
infantilized by Torvald.
o Rely on each other for social status/money/opportunities etc. Torvald isn’t even aware
of how much he relies on Nora.
o Torvald does not realise he is wearing a mask throughout; Nora becomes aware and
realises she has to break out. Nora waiting for a ‘miracle’ that never came.
o End of play opposes traditional 19th-cent marital expectations as Nora takes control and
leaves.
Mrs Linde & Krogstad:
o Sacrificed love to marry for safety. Emphasis that marriage is the only way for women to
be safe and have opportunities (ROSSETTI LINK – NO, THANK YOU, JOHN; WINTER: MY
SECRET; FROM THE ANTIQUE).
o Able to come back together as their own people, free from masks/roles. Mrs Linde has
worked and sacrificed herself for others; Krogstad has made and learnt from mistakes.
Do not rely on each other for anything but happiness.
o Example of the possibility of non-traditional/evolving 19 th-cent marriage; Ibsen shows
happiness is possible free from society’s rigidity.
Quotes:
Act 1:
o Torvald: “My little songbird”, “My squirrel” – infantilizes Nora; male dominance.
o Nora: “[moves over to the stove] Yes, yes, as you wish Torvald.” – subservient;
playing role of housewife at stove etc.
o Mrs Linde: “My mother was… bedridden and helpless. I had my two younger
brothers to provide for. I didn’t really see how I could justify declining his offer.” –
married for circumstance, not love (typical 19 th-cent situation for women).
Entrapment of women in societal expectations out of necessity.
o Krogstad: “Some years ago I was guilty of an imprudence… but it meant all avenues
were somehow closed to me.” – rigidity of society; cannot rebuild. Emphasis on his
suffering, which allowed him to break from role and be ready for marriage.
Act 2:
o Torvald: “I have strength and courage. I am man enough to take everything upon
myself.” - fulfilling societal role within marriage; ‘protecting’ Nora.
o Nora: “Correct me, instruct me as you always do.” – uses her role to her advantage;
distracting Torvald by emphasising it. Realising the consequences for her marriage
because of her actions.
o Krogstad: “I want to get back on my feet… for a year and a half I have been guilty of
nothing dishonest.”- can see he has changed; ready for marriage.
,2
Feb-22
Act 3:
o Torvald: “You’ve wrecked my entire happiness.” – his identity rests in his
marital/societal role; façade is shattered.
o Nora: “I’ve been your doll-wife.” – blatant recognition of entrapment caused by
role/mask.
o Nora: “[the sound of a street door slamming is heard from below.]” – broken out,
but only into the harshness of society. New woman?
o Mrs Linde: “What if we two shipwrecked people were to reach across to each
other.” –equally damaged, imperfect people but marriage can unite them and bring
happiness; doesn’t have to be perfect.
o Mrs Linde: “The two of us need each other.” – equals. Shows possibility when
broken out of roles.
o Krogstad: “Now I’ll find a way to raise myself up in the eyes of others too.” – given
him a reason to.
Context:
Private/domestic sphere = women in the home; public sphere = men, new woman; working
and contributing to society.
19th-cent marital/gender roles dictated by Patmore’s Angel in the House poem; women as
subservient, passive, pure etc.
New woman = working, independent, involved in public sphere.
Married women banned from working; only single women allowed to manage their own
earnings. Napoleonic code had previously stripped women of all working rights.
German audience’s reaction to her leaving – 19th-cent marriage breakdown. Realism =
resonated with them and their everyday lives.
Critical quotes:
Worral: “It is a mistake to see A Doll’s House as solely the tragedy of the female.” – marriage
as constricting for both men and women; masks/roles.
Rossetti:
See love and relationships: happiness found with God instead; better to commit to religion.
Trapping for women.
Being unmarried and married equally as difficult for women.
Maude Clare:
o Marriage as trapping and unfulfilling for women; Nell is ideal Victorian woman but
still going to remain unhappy with a man who doesn’t wholly love her (ADH LINK:
NORA – MARRIAGE AS UNFULFILLING DESPITE PERFECTLY PLAYING ROLE).
o Being unmarried as painful for women (Maude); not allowed to love without
marriage. Consequence = fallen woman.
o Women have no chance in patriarchal society.
Quotes:
“Here’s my half of the golden chain/faded leaves” – sacrifices for being in
love and becoming fallen; love cannot last without marriage in Vic society.
“Take my share of a fickle heart” – neither woman can be happy.
, 3
Feb-22
“I’ll love him till he loves me best”
No, Thank you, John:
o Women unable to refuse marriage due to patriarchal expectations; expected to be
grateful for a proposal because of what it can offer them (ADH LINK: MRS LINDE –
GRATEFUL FOR MARRIAGE DUE TO RESOURCES AND PROTECTION, NOT LOVE).
o Men feel entitled to a woman’s hand in marriage.
Quotes:
“I have no heart? – Perhaps I have not” – male entitlement to a woman’s
hand; cannot fathom refusal.
“Don’t call me false.”
“Here’s friendship if you like” – don’t even have the freedom to male
friends.
Winter: My Secret:
o Marriage provides protection for women within patriarchal society; speaker
tempted to give her ‘secret’ just for some protection and freedom (ADH LINK: MRS
LINDE – MARRIED FOR PROTECTION; TYPICAL 19TH-CENT).
Quotes:
“Draughts come whistling thro’ my hall / Come bounding and surrounding
me, / Come buffeting, astounding me.” – physical violence of Victorian
society for women; cannot exist comfortably without protection of a man.
“You would not peck? I thank you for good will.” – cannot trust any man.
In the Round Tower at Jhansi:
o Atypical Victorian marriage; romantic and tragic. Emphasis that this kind of love is
not possible in Victorian society (seen in tragic end).
Quotes:
“Close his arm about her now, / Close her cheek to his” – this love is
desirable but unreal; too much control within Victorian society for such a
love to last. An ideal conforming to gender roles (he protects her), which is
unrealistic (ADH LINK: LINDE & KROGSTAD – NEED TO BREAK FREE FROM
ROLES FOR REAL LOVE/MARRIAGE TO FUNCTION).
Context:
Rossetti refused three proposals on religious grounds. Never married.
Fallen women – Highgate work.
Patmore’s Angel in the House = ideal Victorian woman.
Critical quotes:
Avery: “Rossetti examines women’s position in society through consideration of the
institution of marriage.”
Feb-22
2b. Ibsen & Rossetti – Drama and Poetry pre-1900
Marriage:
A Doll’s House:
Trapping for both men and women – have to play roles/wear masks. Result of patriarchal society.
Forces a woman to sacrifice her identity.
Nora & Torvald:
o Hyperbolised presentation of 19th-cent marriage at beginning; male-dominated, Nora
infantilized by Torvald.
o Rely on each other for social status/money/opportunities etc. Torvald isn’t even aware
of how much he relies on Nora.
o Torvald does not realise he is wearing a mask throughout; Nora becomes aware and
realises she has to break out. Nora waiting for a ‘miracle’ that never came.
o End of play opposes traditional 19th-cent marital expectations as Nora takes control and
leaves.
Mrs Linde & Krogstad:
o Sacrificed love to marry for safety. Emphasis that marriage is the only way for women to
be safe and have opportunities (ROSSETTI LINK – NO, THANK YOU, JOHN; WINTER: MY
SECRET; FROM THE ANTIQUE).
o Able to come back together as their own people, free from masks/roles. Mrs Linde has
worked and sacrificed herself for others; Krogstad has made and learnt from mistakes.
Do not rely on each other for anything but happiness.
o Example of the possibility of non-traditional/evolving 19 th-cent marriage; Ibsen shows
happiness is possible free from society’s rigidity.
Quotes:
Act 1:
o Torvald: “My little songbird”, “My squirrel” – infantilizes Nora; male dominance.
o Nora: “[moves over to the stove] Yes, yes, as you wish Torvald.” – subservient;
playing role of housewife at stove etc.
o Mrs Linde: “My mother was… bedridden and helpless. I had my two younger
brothers to provide for. I didn’t really see how I could justify declining his offer.” –
married for circumstance, not love (typical 19 th-cent situation for women).
Entrapment of women in societal expectations out of necessity.
o Krogstad: “Some years ago I was guilty of an imprudence… but it meant all avenues
were somehow closed to me.” – rigidity of society; cannot rebuild. Emphasis on his
suffering, which allowed him to break from role and be ready for marriage.
Act 2:
o Torvald: “I have strength and courage. I am man enough to take everything upon
myself.” - fulfilling societal role within marriage; ‘protecting’ Nora.
o Nora: “Correct me, instruct me as you always do.” – uses her role to her advantage;
distracting Torvald by emphasising it. Realising the consequences for her marriage
because of her actions.
o Krogstad: “I want to get back on my feet… for a year and a half I have been guilty of
nothing dishonest.”- can see he has changed; ready for marriage.
,2
Feb-22
Act 3:
o Torvald: “You’ve wrecked my entire happiness.” – his identity rests in his
marital/societal role; façade is shattered.
o Nora: “I’ve been your doll-wife.” – blatant recognition of entrapment caused by
role/mask.
o Nora: “[the sound of a street door slamming is heard from below.]” – broken out,
but only into the harshness of society. New woman?
o Mrs Linde: “What if we two shipwrecked people were to reach across to each
other.” –equally damaged, imperfect people but marriage can unite them and bring
happiness; doesn’t have to be perfect.
o Mrs Linde: “The two of us need each other.” – equals. Shows possibility when
broken out of roles.
o Krogstad: “Now I’ll find a way to raise myself up in the eyes of others too.” – given
him a reason to.
Context:
Private/domestic sphere = women in the home; public sphere = men, new woman; working
and contributing to society.
19th-cent marital/gender roles dictated by Patmore’s Angel in the House poem; women as
subservient, passive, pure etc.
New woman = working, independent, involved in public sphere.
Married women banned from working; only single women allowed to manage their own
earnings. Napoleonic code had previously stripped women of all working rights.
German audience’s reaction to her leaving – 19th-cent marriage breakdown. Realism =
resonated with them and their everyday lives.
Critical quotes:
Worral: “It is a mistake to see A Doll’s House as solely the tragedy of the female.” – marriage
as constricting for both men and women; masks/roles.
Rossetti:
See love and relationships: happiness found with God instead; better to commit to religion.
Trapping for women.
Being unmarried and married equally as difficult for women.
Maude Clare:
o Marriage as trapping and unfulfilling for women; Nell is ideal Victorian woman but
still going to remain unhappy with a man who doesn’t wholly love her (ADH LINK:
NORA – MARRIAGE AS UNFULFILLING DESPITE PERFECTLY PLAYING ROLE).
o Being unmarried as painful for women (Maude); not allowed to love without
marriage. Consequence = fallen woman.
o Women have no chance in patriarchal society.
Quotes:
“Here’s my half of the golden chain/faded leaves” – sacrifices for being in
love and becoming fallen; love cannot last without marriage in Vic society.
“Take my share of a fickle heart” – neither woman can be happy.
, 3
Feb-22
“I’ll love him till he loves me best”
No, Thank you, John:
o Women unable to refuse marriage due to patriarchal expectations; expected to be
grateful for a proposal because of what it can offer them (ADH LINK: MRS LINDE –
GRATEFUL FOR MARRIAGE DUE TO RESOURCES AND PROTECTION, NOT LOVE).
o Men feel entitled to a woman’s hand in marriage.
Quotes:
“I have no heart? – Perhaps I have not” – male entitlement to a woman’s
hand; cannot fathom refusal.
“Don’t call me false.”
“Here’s friendship if you like” – don’t even have the freedom to male
friends.
Winter: My Secret:
o Marriage provides protection for women within patriarchal society; speaker
tempted to give her ‘secret’ just for some protection and freedom (ADH LINK: MRS
LINDE – MARRIED FOR PROTECTION; TYPICAL 19TH-CENT).
Quotes:
“Draughts come whistling thro’ my hall / Come bounding and surrounding
me, / Come buffeting, astounding me.” – physical violence of Victorian
society for women; cannot exist comfortably without protection of a man.
“You would not peck? I thank you for good will.” – cannot trust any man.
In the Round Tower at Jhansi:
o Atypical Victorian marriage; romantic and tragic. Emphasis that this kind of love is
not possible in Victorian society (seen in tragic end).
Quotes:
“Close his arm about her now, / Close her cheek to his” – this love is
desirable but unreal; too much control within Victorian society for such a
love to last. An ideal conforming to gender roles (he protects her), which is
unrealistic (ADH LINK: LINDE & KROGSTAD – NEED TO BREAK FREE FROM
ROLES FOR REAL LOVE/MARRIAGE TO FUNCTION).
Context:
Rossetti refused three proposals on religious grounds. Never married.
Fallen women – Highgate work.
Patmore’s Angel in the House = ideal Victorian woman.
Critical quotes:
Avery: “Rossetti examines women’s position in society through consideration of the
institution of marriage.”
