Although this was one of the main issues in this play, it is not the only one. There are also many things that affected Ibsen to write this play in a certain way.
Sociological context
What is sociological context? The definition for this is; ‘Ways in which a play can be a reflection or comment on society at the time it is set, or the time it is written’ There are many things that affect the play from society’s point of view at the time. Henrik Ibsen did not want this play to be just about the role of women but also about other things that are questionable about society. Here are some of the issues that could be taken from this play:
Marriage: The relationship that has been created in this play between the two main characters, Nora and Torvald, is one with a lot of dominance on behalf of the husband, and where the wife is like either a pet or a trophy. This relationship is however tense because of various factors. One form of tension that has built is the question of intelligence and expectation and most likely other factors. Since it is expected of her to be a house wife and look after the children and do ‘tricks’ for her husband, by the end of the play she comes to realise that is not who she is. This is represented in the play in the final act before Nora leaves, and also in the second act when the Tarantella is danced, because of the various commands that Torvald gives her but she can’t do and he gets angry.
Religion: Religion is not a matter that is too much explored in this play however it is touched upon during the last act when Nora and Torvald are talking about their marriage. When asked, ‘Don’t you have an infallible guide in these matters? Your religion?’ to which she replies, ‘Oh Torvald, I don’t even know what religion means.’ This could be true for most of the Victorian population, because of the industrial revolution and various pieces of literature such as Charles Darwin’s ‘Origin of the Species’, the church and religion was being questioned by the population.
Role of Women: The role of women during this time was very precise and very set in tradition. The main role of women was being a mother and a house wife. If however she was widowed, she could only do work as an office assistant or something equally ‘woman-like’ such as embroidery or dress making. Anything other than this would be above her station and not acceptable. This formalised role set out for women by men was one that during the time of the industrial revolution was being broken. Some men supported this but most did not. Ibsen could be seen as someone who supported the movement because of the play ‘A Doll’s House’ but it would never truly be known.
Historical context
The historical context of a play is how the play is influenced by the events or laws or social expectations of that time. The main thing that affected this play was Victorian expectation and tradition. Even though the industrial revolution changed many things, it did not change people’s expectation of theatre. This is exactly what Ibsen was doing however with some of his latter plays, the first of this kind being ‘Ghosts’, followed by ‘A Doll’s House’. His plays started to focus on realism and he even became known as the father or realism.
When A Doll’s House was first shown it was received with shock and horror as to the end of the play, when it was almost a convention to have a happy ending, it ended with Nora slamming the door on her way out. In fact, in Germany, when the play was released there, they felt that the ending was too disturbing so changed it to an ending to where she stays.
The sanctity of marriage was something that no one had before questioned and certainly not on stage, and although the ideas of the general belief of the role of women, it was still a long time before the idea of a woman being completely independent from men.
Cultural Context
How the culture of the time influences the writing or production of the play.
The main cultural effect that took a major role in the writing of this play is the Victorian values that dictated what was expected of a woman, but also what was expected of a husband. The fact that a husband was responsible for his wife’s actions in this play makes what Torvald do at the end of the play a reasonable reaction. The one thing that people of the Victorian era valued most is honour and credibility, even above love. This however was not always the case but in the majority of cases this is how it was.
Ibsen was in the end, renound for his new style of writing and was given the name ‘father of naturalism’ because of it. Although technically this style already existed, Ibsen used it to greater effect and refined it.
One other influence to be considered is the political out look of Ibsen. Even though he moved around a lot during his life, from country to county. There were still political changes that were arising that could not have just been put aside. Such as Karl Marx’s ‘Communist Manifesto’. This was the birth of the idea of communism, which challenged the idea of power and was a new idea of politics. This is in a way similar to what Nora does in ‘A Doll’s House.’ So there are indeed outside influences to Ibsen’s writing.
