Many people have probably seen this play, and I myself bought this collection of Ibsen’s plays at the beginning of this year and read it. It’s truly well-deserved of its reputation. Ibsen incorporates his thoughts on society and family at the time into this play, even naming it “A Doll’s House.” Some people say that this is the first feminist script, and I think there is some truth to that.
In brief, the plot is that the protagonist Nora borrows money from the bank to help her husband treat his illness, and all of this is hidden from her husband. Because her husband doesn’t believe he’s sick, and if he knew, he wouldn’t be willing to spend so much money on treatment. At the same time, the loan process is a bit inappropriate, because in that era, women needed another man’s signature to borrow money, so Nora used her deceased father’s signature. All of this is discovered by her husband at the end of the play, leading to the climax, where he explodes with anger towards Nora, believing she is morally corrupt, skilled in deception and concealment. Nora, who expected her husband to forgive her, is extremely disappointed with his reaction. Looking back on their life together, he always treated Nora like a doll, making her happy, indulging her, urging her to become what he liked, and never really seeing Nora as a person with her own thoughts. So the original ending was Nora’s departure, as she seeks to find her own meaning.
This play, written in the 19th century, reflects the attitude of society towards marriage and women at the time. In the 21st century, things have improved a lot. But if you look at men and women in modern marriages, many still have these remnants. I believe that men bear the main responsibility in the issue of objectifying women. Men ignore the thoughts of those around them, do not explore the deep-seated needs and desires of those around them. Therefore, men should understand their partner more, especially how they think and what they value, and their role should be to assist and guide, so that those around them can also be fulfilled and satisfied in their nature. At the same time, women should not seek male indulgence in their relationships, as this only perpetuates this doll-like interaction pattern. They should dig deeper into themselves, reflect on themselves, and understand themselves better.
From this perspective, people ultimately need to do what they believe is meaningful. Regardless of gender, marriage should help these people fulfill their wishes, rather than distort these wishes and objectify their partners.