Shakespeare s A Doll s House Essay - 1352 Words

The Performance of Gender in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House It can be said that the sound of Nora Helmer slamming the door behind her as she leaves her husband and children in pursuit of self-actualization is one of the most famous in theatre history. The journey the characters in A Doll’s House take in order to build to this powerful moment is a fascinating one. Countless scholars have analyzed aspects of Ibsen’s famous play; some have examined the complicated marriage between Nora and Torvald Helmer, while others have found Ibsen’s social commentary piquing their interest. In this particular case, it is this paper’s endeavor to thoroughly examine the ways in which gender is performed in this classic play. Primarily, Judith Butler’s famous book, Gender Trouble:Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, will serve as the critical lens for this analysis. Two productions of Ibsen’s work will provide the performances for analysis: director P atrick Garland’s 1973 film starring Claire Bloom and Anthony Hopkins, and Mabou Mines’ postmodern adaptation. Butler’s gender performance theory will help to illuminate the social commentary and underlying themes present in Ibsen’s masterpiece and will hopefully reveal aspects of Nora and Torvald’s character that were perhaps hidden until now. Summary and Historical Context of A Doll’s House In A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen tells the story of a seemingly happy married couple, Nora and Torvald Helmer. Torvald is about to begin his new job as managerShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s A Doll s House Essay908 Words   |  4 Pagesreact more sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary The stereotypical an evil villain always has a damsel in distressed usually tied as a hostage while wearing dark and evil attire only out for money and power. 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