Masculinity in A Doll's House

Marriage has been a major part of society for as far back as history has been able to record. Each society has its own rules as far as marriage, and its own form of marriage; not every society has the same form of marriage, and with each form comes different roles that each partner must abide by based on their gender. Gender roles have been a huge factor in marriages, as people can see from the records of society. In society, men are expected to abide by the roles society places before them, and women are to do the same. Men are expected to be the bread-winner of the family and support the family financially, while the woman takes care of the house and the family. Women have been expected to be submissive to the husband’s needs, and the man is expected to be assertive and tough skinned. When a man can fulfill the roles society places on his gender he is then able to be considered a man. Torvald Helmer from A Doll’s House takes on the role of the husband, and is the portrayer of masculinity in the play. A Doll’s House is a play by Henrik Ibsen, consisting of three acts. The play focuses around Nora Helmer and her struggle to keep her husband Torvald from finding out she is in debt to Krogstad, one of Torvald’s employees at the bank; Torvald is the newly appointed vice president at the bank. When Torvald was sick a few years prior Nora asked Krogstad to loan her a large sum of money so that she could afford treatment for her sick husband; this put her in debt with Krogstad. When news begins to arise that Torvald is going to fire Krogstad from the bank Krogstad proceeds to bring Nora into the situation, resurfacing her debt to him. Nora’s options seem to be to either fess up to Torvald about the debt, or, let him find out himself. While the play seems to focus more around Nora, this response will focus on masculinity by looking at Torvald’s masculinity, how he asserts it, and how his wife Nora steps outside her gender roles and asserts her own form of masculinity.

            Tough-skinned, refusing to show emotions, and being assertive are all ways in which society defines masculinity, and how a man should act. Torvald Helmer is a good example of how society labels the male gender who takes on the character role of a husband. Torvald is the vice president of the bank, so he makes quite a bit of money to support his wife Nora, and the rest of the family; he also is assertive, and doesn’t seem to show much emotion other than happiness, irritation, and sometimes anger. These seem to be the only emotions that society deems appropriate for a man to show; emotion such as sadness was not looked highly upon as far how a man should properly perform his gender roles. Throughout the play the reader only sees slight forms of Torvald being assertive; one example is forbidding Nora from bringing macaroons into the house, he says they will rot her teeth out. The reader also sees Nora as slightly rebellious; when Torvald is away, Nora is able to sneak macaroons into the house. This is a sign that Nora is stepping outside her gender role as a woman, which society does not approve of. Women are expected to abide by the rules their husbands set, and be submissive to the husband or men in general; society views women as an inferior sex. Torvald seems to care a lot about his reputation and masculinity. In the scene where Nora confronts Torvald about firing Krogstad, she tries to persuade her husband to go against his choice; if Nora is successful, Krogstad will forget about blackmailing Nora and forget about her financial debt to him. When Nora tries to convince Torvald to keep Krogstad on his staff Torvald points out that if he lets his wife persuade him in such a way, and if others found out about it his masculinity would be ruined. It would appear to others that Torvald would not be able to make his own decisions, and he would be acting submissively to his wife’s propositions; he knows that he will be viewed as less of a man, so he chooses his reputation instead and chooses to follow up on his decision to get rid of Krogstad. The masculinity shown here is astounding, and it showed how men of this time period cared a lot about their reputation and how people viewed them. This particular scene shows the importance of masculinity and reputation in the eyes of a man.

Another form of assertiveness is Torval’s attention to detail; in the scene where Nora is practicing for her dance recital she purposely dances badly and acts childish so that Torvald will spend the rest of the evening helping her. The attention in which Torbald pays to Nora’s dancing and how strict he becomes is assertive, but at the same time Nora brought out the Torvald’s assertiveness to distract Torvald from reading the letter Krogstad placed in the letter box; this letter explains Nora’s debt situation fully, and Nora is doing what she can at all costs to keep Torvald from reading it. While society could see this as a stupid move for Nora because she is toying with her husband in this way, it shows just how smart a woman can be. This action by Nora is interesting because as far as intellect, society believes a woman should be educated, to an extent, in school and school does not teach a woman how to manipulate her husband, the woman learns that on her own.

While not much assertiveness is shown by Torvald throughout the play, his tough masculine side is revealed at the conclusion of the play. Torvald finally notices the letter in the letter box, and when he does he is enraged and takes his anger out on Nora. Not only is Torvald angry, but he becomes forceful and physical toward Nora; Torvald throws Nora on the couch to assert his dominance, and even goes as far as slapping her in the face. This scene is an example of how some believed a man should assert his dominance and prove his superiority. However, when a maid hands another not to Torvald revealing that Krogstad has wiped away Nora’s debt and made the slate clean, Torvald quickly changes from angry to joyful. At this point Nora decides she has had enough and asserts her dominance by becoming verbally assertive toward her husband. For once Torvald is not doing the talking, he is doing the listening; which is a revelation that the tables have turned and the gender roles are being switched. Nora shows a more masculine side here and leaves Torvald in shock, and sitting in silence and bewilderment; this is showing Nora proving a superiority over Torvald by being the “last one standing,” literaly.

The masculinity that Torvald shows in A Doll’s House is typical for men of this time period; men are expected to be assertive and firm when it comes to setting rules for the household. Torvald’s masculinity and his wanting to preserve his reputation shows he is the typical man who wants to be superior; he wants to prove he is the dominant sex by not being persuaded in any way by his wife or a woman in general. Interestingly enough, Torvald’s constant showing of masculinity is his downfall. Nora uses his masculinity against him, and changes up the gender roles that society placed. Henrik Ibsen’s play is obviously viewed by critics as a feminist play due to Nora’s uprising and how she steps over the boundaries of the female gender roles; but, though A Doll’s House is viewed as feminist, masculinity runs deep in the text, even in the female character at the conclusion.

Journal Entry #4: A Gossip Story

In this journal entry, I will discuss one of the topics brought up in class: what makes a good person? We discussed people in general then went in further by narrowing it down to men and women in relation to A Gossip Story by Jane West. The question of “what makes a good person?” is brought up quite a bit by society today, and to answer these question I  will relate qualities from West’s story to people of today’s society.

Nowadays we define someone as a good person depending on their actions, and if those actions reflect their true personality. It’s very common nowadays to find people who are liars and use people, to an extent, to fulfill what they want; we call it “using” someone. Quite often we see people use others for personal needs, such as sexual fulfillment or helping with certain problems someone may face; once the person has fulfilled the duties the other will get rid of them only to find someone else. I most definitely do not view these people as good people. I have known people who are like those which I just listed, and I have friends who have been affected by people like this; it is sickening! In my opinion, a good person is someone who is truthful and upfront with everything; if they are able to admit their problems and willing to overcome those problems I can see a slightly better person, though I may not agree with the choices. In relation to this point, I consider someone a good person if they can look beyond someone’s problems, if they have changed or are willing to do so, and see them for who they are or want to be. Unlike some people like we see in old literature, a good person is not based on how much money they have, or how much power they possess over people. However, what someone does with that money could easily factor into if they are a good person; example, giving to those who don’t have much, donating to charity or even their community. It is not the money that matters; it is what the person chooses to do with it. In Jane West’s story, and even other forms of literature, tend to show characters that have fortune as good people.

Usually in older literary works, if a man has a huge sum of money then he is viewed as a good person. Money shows that the man will be able to support the woman and the family; money helped assure financial security and usually meant that they were unlikely to struggle when it came to finding land, a house, food for the family, and decoration and furniture for that house. A lot of people who have money believe they are better than others because they are better off, and society tends to depict those people as a model citizen of how others should strive to be like. That is not the case because some wealthy people are extremely arrogant and snobs; but there are those who decide to use their money for good and as some say “share the wealth.” I also believe that a good man is someone who can respect a woman, and as describes in A Gossip Story respects virtue. A man who chooses to respect a woman’s morals and not her body, in my eyes, is a good man because then the man can get to know the woman on a personal level and for who she really is.

Men are not the only ones who tend to use people in cruel ways; women tend to do so as well. In literature, and even today, if a woman was not virtuous then she was viewed by society as a whore and a bad person. Just because someone chooses to have sex does not mean they are a bad person; but, if they approach sex in a way where it is meaningless and using someone to fill their sexual needs, then, it can be viewed as a problem mainly when they make it a habit and it affects their morals. I have met some girls who have used guys for sex and are complete snobs and disrespectful. But, I have met others who realize their mistake, and still try to treat people with respect, and want to change; those are the women I have a respect for and consider good people, those who can admit their problems. I have noticed that society puts more pressure on women, when it comes to sex, than with a man. If a woman sleeps with a certain number of guys she is considered a whore, yet, if a man does it he is viewed as almost heroic. In my opinion, if anyone, man or woman, is using someone for sex it does not make them a good person, but that can be debated by many others. Women have always had more pressure put on them so it is harder for them to be accepted. A woman could make bad choices, some being sexual, but if other decisions she makes and her personal character are good then she should be viewed as a good person. Society always focuses on the negatives when it comes to people; it all has to do with this feeling of superiority and wanting to come out on top. This societal view reminds me of the concept of “survival of the fittest;” society wants to knock other people down on the ladder of life so that they can be closer to the top.

What really makes a good person? Nowadays it is hard to tell because everyone seems to do something that we portray as bad, but maybe that is because society has clouded our view of what “being good” actually is. People can agree that being virtuous is a good thing, but just because someone steps outside of that and has sex does not make them a bad person. Someone could have a lot of money but that does not make them a good person, it depends on what they do with it. Many could agree with what A Gossip Story depicts as a good person: someone who can admit their problems, someone who can look beyond another’s problems, someone who is upfront and has nothing to hide, and someone who appreciates virtue and treats a woman’s body with respect. Many qualities listed could be viewed as some that make a good person, but in today’s society you cannot just go by actions, or so it seems. Nowadays, it is not how someone presents themselves in front of you, because sometimes people find out the hard way that the person was lying the whole time. I believe that if a person is able to prove that the person he/she portrays themself as is who they truly are as a person, then, they are a good person.

Journal Entry #3: Pride and Prejudice

One of the most well-known and valued love stories in English literature is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I enjoyed this story because it showed me how some writers, like Jane Austen, viewed love. I have noticed how a lot of literature from this time period talk about social class, and that sparked an interest for me as a reader on this topic. The story Pride and Prejudice deals with reputation and social class, and how people were supposed to act; as well as the topic of love and what Austen saw as “true love.”

            When reading older literature and looking at how the world is today I can see that not much has changed for society. It seems that most people, whether they like to admit it or not, care about their reputation in one way or another and do what they can to stay in the positive light of others. I say most people, not all, because there are some who just do not care what people think at all; but, they are not the topic of this discussion. Reputation is determined by how someone presents themself in multiple ways: how they act, the clothes they wear, how they talk, and even eat. If someone dresses in a sloppy way, chances are people will automatically view them as a sloppy person. But maybe those are just the clothes that the person is most comfortable in, or maybe those clothes are all the person can afford. In this story, the people who have the most pressure put on them when it comes to impressing someone are the women. In society, I think that is how it is in general, and how it has always been. According to the story, women are expected to be “proud and conceited…handsome…educated” and “have a fortune” (11). Women have always been expected to act a certain way in order to be respected and be considered a woman; if they were to go against what they were taught it would be considered un-ladylike. When looking at reputation it also ties in with social class, and in this story social class is an important topic. In the story, the Bennets are considered the middle class, and because so Mr. and Mrs. Bennet want their daughters to marry into a good fortune so that they will be well off in the future. Mrs. Bennet begins to play match-maker for her daughters, but it seems as if she does not take into account what her daughters want in a man. I could understand that parents want what is best for their children, but to pay no attention to what your kids want and just worry about who seems respectable and who has the right amount of money is just absurd. There is a saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” and I believe that goes quite well with this story. When it comes to love, money does not buy that either; love cannot be bought; it is something that takes hard work and the right people to make it happen.

            Based on the elements of the story, Jane Austen definitely seems to be in favor of love, and not just that, but, she seems to believe in ‘true love.’ I noticed the humor of Austen while reading the story; she seems to poke fun at one character, Charlotte Lucas, who marries into fortune. Lucas ends up marrying Mr. Collins, who could easily be defined as foolish. Austen did this to show that some people do not marry for love; yet, they marry so that they will be well off and set for the future. At the conclusion of the story, Jane and Bingley get married, as do Elizabeth and Darcy. With the incidents that split the four up it seemed as if they would not be re-uniting; however, you see this element that the love was actually meant to be and that it was fate. This is where the ‘true love’ element comes in; no matter what happens, if you truly love someone, and if the love is meant to be the feelings will not go away and it will work out. Some of my close friends have gone through situations where they fight with their significant other and it seems like the two will not be getting back together; but, they talk through it and work through it and end up keeping the relationship going. Some have even gotten married. I have always wondered if true love is real or not, and based on what I have seen happen with my friends, and even some family members I believe it is. Austen’s message is very clear, she reveals just how strong true love actually is; she shows that no matter what happens true love will never go away and will never be broken no matter what the situation might be.

            Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been viewed as one of the most treasured love stories, and it is easy to see why. The way that Austen captured true love and was able to express it in her story and show that it prevails even in the toughest of situations is a great one. I like how Austen included reputation and social class into the topic of love. The story revealed how society expected people to present themselves; it talks about how society defines a good man and how they viewed a good woman. It makes it seem like, no matter what we think ourselves our image is always defined by society; society controls everything. Austen also showed that it does not matter if you are an upper-class man, or a middle-class woman, if the two people are meant to be together then they will be because that is true love. At first, it did not seem like Elizabeth and Darcy were going to get together based off of how Elizabeth was reacting to him when the two first met. Yet, Darcy still developed feelings for Elizabeth. Overall, I really liked Pride and Prejudice and the message that true love does exist.

Journal Entry #2: The Way of the World

The Way of the World focuses a lot on the issues between loved ones and former loved ones. The story, I will admit, was a bit hard to understand; there was a lot going on at once, and some of the situations were not previously explained, so, it was left up to the reader to “fill-in-the-blanks” on some of the events in the play. One such event was the previous relationship love affair between Mirabell and Lady Wishfort. In the first act, not a lot of details were given concerning the upcoming situation the affair played a role in. Like stated before, the reader had to guess on what happened, however, later Congreve gave more of a background story on what had happened between Mirabell and Lady Wishfort. The reason that this affair is so important is because of the plot which Mirabell has come up with to successfully marry Millamant, Lady Wishfort’s niece.

A lot of the issues that were brought up in The Way of the World were distrust in marriages and relationships, and reasons for being with a certain partner. In this play, the reader sees Fainall mention that he only married his wife for her money, that way he would be well off in life and be able to finance his love. It’s clear to see that there is no faith or trust in the love they share. In Act II the reader finds out that due to the lack of “love” for his wife, Fainall is having an affair with Mrs. Marwood. I fnd it interesting, though, how Mrs. Fainall was so easily tricked in the beginning of Act II into believing that Mrs. Marwood had feelings for Mirabell; but of course that was just a cover up. The two were speaking of manipulating men, and one line that stuck out to me was what Mrs. Fainall said in the first line of Act II. She states, “if we will be happy, we must find the means in ourselves, and among ourselves. Men are ever in extremes, either doting or averse.” This line states how men’s opposing feelings tend to clash, and those feelings eventually lead to men losing interest and attraction in the woman they are with. The conversation continues and the reader sees how the two women seem to despise men because of their constant need for sex and how they see women as objects. I agree with this line, but at the same time I disagree. For centuries, women have been degraded and used by men; it’s sickening. Women have been used as objects of lust just to feed the sexual desires that men possess; but, in this opening scene, Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood seem to be directing this toward all men. This reminds me of a saying that I hear quite often: “men are all the same.” While that may be true in some senses, as a whole, no man is the same. Some men have desires that they can control much easier than some men, but because women have been screwed over and “played” so many times the men are judged based on the acts of so many other men.

Nowadays, these womanizing acts are frowned upon a lot more than they were in earlier times.Men are not the only ones performing these acts. As I stated previously, Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood were speaking of how they like to manipulate men, so, it is not just men who are doing the manipulating. But sometimes, the reason for women doing the manipulating is because they have been hurt by a man in some way. In Act III the reader begins to see the plot unfold, but at the same time unravel. One scene that stood out was when the reader sees how the feelings that Mrs. Marwood has for Mirabell quickly change; her love becomes hatred. What I found interesting was the connection between two of Congreve’s plays. In his play The Mourning Bride, lies the famous line “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” and in The Way of the World Mrs. Marwood is the woman who is being scorned. By this scene, and by that relating line, the reader can tell that Mrs. Marwood seeks revenge. Her revenge involves telling Lady Wishfort about Mirabell’s plot in hopes that Lady Wishfort’s feelings toward Mirabell will arise, causing her to foil the plan.

Obviously, we can see the dangers in messing with a woman’s heart. Manipulation can go a long way, and so does lack of trust. Any relationship, whether marriage, friendship, or dating, needs trust; at the conclusion of the play we see the “friendship” between Mrs. Marwood and Lady Wishfort wither. When Fainall is revealed as the villain in the play, and Mrs. Marwood being his protégé, Lady Wishfort clearly sees that the friendship that she and Marwood had was a lie; and as a result she forgives Mirabell for the past, and allows him to marry her niece. This play is filled with a lot of information and is hard to follow at times; as a reader, you have to read the lines very carefully or else you will miss what the author is trying to say. Though, in some parts it was hard to understand and follow along with, other parts made up for that and helped me grasp the message that Congreve was trying to show. Trust and faith are what makes for lasting relationships, and manipulation will get you nowhere. If you want to succeed in anything, especially relationships, do not play with the emotions of your partner; trust them and give them a reason to trust you; and if you marry someone do not marry them for the wrong reasons and have them believe that you love them when you don’t, because that is manipulation, and it will come back to bite you. In my opinion, Congreve was saying that love is found through trust and faith, and once you can trust someone, then, you can love someone.