A Study on Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House from a Feminist Point of View

Abstract

The following study shows how Henrik Ibsen emphasizes in A Doll ‘s House the hollowness of the
European male-dominated societies. This paper first attempts to focus on the feminist literary theory, considers
its role in literature. It then tries to explore to what extent Henrik Ibsen can be considered as a feminist. Finally,
it attempts to throw light on A Doll ‘s House from a feminist point of view. Thus, it questions the existing
traditional beliefs regarding the roles of men and woman in nineteenth century marriage as expressed in the
play. Thus, this paper enables us to see how the play makes people reconsider the ideology of the male dominated
European societies, here more particularly, the Norwegian society at that time. Furthermore, this
paper enables us also to realize why, to many Europeans then, the play became very scandalous, for they
considered the covenant of marriage as very holy; but the way Ibsen portrayed it in his A doll ‘s House was
very controversial.