An Analysis of the Characters in A Streetcar Named Desire and A Doll's House Essay

Throughout the stories of A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams and A Dolls House, by Henrik Ibsen, the different characters that are portrayed throughout the stories are well defined as to why they are who they are and how their fragileness, gullible ness, fakeness, and evilness, can lead to the ultimate stereotype of all the characters. Blanche, Stella and Nora are portrayed as three very different characters, but in reality, they are more similar than anyone ever imagined. In Isben's, A Dolls House, Nora, the protagonist is treated like a doll - the property of Torvald Helmer. In Act I, there are many clues that hint at the kind of marriage Nora and Torvald have. It seems that Nora is a doll controlled by Torvald. She relies on him for everything, from movements to thoughts, much like a puppet that is dependent on its puppet master for all of its actions. The most obvious example of Torvald's physical control over Nora is his re-teaching her the tarantella. Nora pretends that she needs Torvald to teach her every move in order to relearn the dance. This act shows her submissiveness to Torvald. After he teaches her the dance, he proclaims "When I saw you dance the tarantella, like a huntress, a temptress, my blood grew hot, I couldn't stand it any longer"(1530), showing how he is more interested in Nora physically than emotionally. When Nora responds by saying, "Leave me, Torvald! Get away form me! I don't want all this"(1530), Torvald asks, "Aren't I your husband?"(1530). By saying this, he is implying that one of Nora's duties, as his wife is to physically pleasure him at his command. Torvald also does not trust Nora with money, which exemplifies Torvald's treating Nora as a child. On the rare occasion when Torvald gives Nora some money, he is concerned that she will waste it on candy and pastry. Nora's duties, in general, are restricted to caring...

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