36 example when they want to married they can’t make decision except if they are
widow.
4.2. Analysis of A Doll’s House
The play is written in the eighteenth- nineteenth century, it was written in the note of the novel, Henrik Ibsen write in 1879 and it can be popular in 19
th
century.
In the note Henrik write it because of the delusions of romantic idealism and denounced as a degenerate attack upon traditional family values. How the family
values that he wants to say, namely the wife must obey for all the rule of their husband.
The setting place of the story is in Helmer’s house. In the beginning of the play the situation of Hermer house has been explained and Nora and Helmer talk and talk in
their house, about of money in this quotation
Helmer. Don’t disturb me. A little later, he opens the door and looks into the room, pen in hand.
Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?
Nora. Yes, but, Torvald, this year we really can let ourselves go a little. This is the first Christmas that
we have not needed to economize.
Helmer. Still, you know, we can’t spend money recklessly.
Nora. Yes, Torvald, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn’t we? Just a tiny wee bit You
are going to have a big salary and earn lots and lots of money. Page 2
In the story the reader can find Helmer and Nora talk about money because Helmer saw that Nora was shopping something for Christmas day and Helmer thinks
37 that she is wasting money again. In the conversation above between Helmer and
Nora, has been explained that husband organize circulation of money. Actually circulating of money was decidable by the both of husband and wife. But in this
conversation was shown that husband boss of all situation in their family included circulate of money.
The story happened is in Christmas day, in the beginning of the story how Nora wants to buy something for Christmas day, it can be proved by:
Nora. Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it till this evening, when
it is dressed. To the PORTER, taking out her purse. How much? Page.1
The character of Nora is spendthrift and the condition of the simplicity of their house, it can be the exposition and the quotation that support it is, in that
quotation when she buys the Christmas gift she spend money easily and don’t take the change.
Nora wants to give Christmas surprise for her children. This is sign that Nora loves her children very much it can be proved by the conversation above, she wants
to make something special for her children and from this conversation Nora shows that she want to organize her house also by making surprise for children but in the
story it can not be proved because of Helmer bans her to use money. In the story Helmer is true that Nora cannot be wasting money but Nora has a right to make
decision for her family.
In the play wife cannot give decision in this family it can be proved by how Nora always asking for all about the decision for her husband and her husband didn’t
38 give his wife make the decision, this quote to support my opinion, Helmer say to
Nora in quotation below,
Nora. For myself? Oh, I am sure I don’t want anything.
Helmer. Yes, but you must. Tell me something reasonable that you would particularly like to have.
Nora. No, I really can’t think of anything — unless, Torvald — page 2
And the opinion of Helmer about the thing which Nora do about money, helmer said “still you know we can’t spend money recklessly” from this quotation,
Helmer doesn’t give her power to make decision for their problem as especially about money. In the conversation above actually Nora was wasting money not for
her self but to organize her family as a wife but the answer of Helmer at the conversation is “tell me something reasonable that you would particularly like to
have” this words as if Nora must be obey for the regulation of Helmer. The conflict is bigger because of Nora lies to her husband about the money
that she borrows from Bank. Helmer, “You are an odd little soul. Very like your
father. You always find some new way of wheedling money out of me, and as soon as you have got it, it
seems to melt in your hands. You never know where it has gone. Still one must take you as you are. It is
in the blood; for indeed it is true that you can inherit these things Nora.” Page 4
Helmer says that Nora is an odd little soul. Odd means “Something is not Natural” little means “Small” and soul means “jiwa”.Words which Hendrik uses for
woman in this drama have negative elements. Woman as if didn’t know how to
39 organize the circulate of money, in this conversation Helmer compare Nora with her
father, it is means that Helmer didn’t respect for her father. In this quotation her husband explained the character. And the character of
Nora is liar, it is proved when she borrows money, she said that the money is from her father, and her husband doesn’t know it, it can be proved by,
“Mrs. L said “and did your husband never get to know from your father that the money had not
come from him?” page 12
Nora doesn’t love her husband fully, because in the dramas Nora says, “Then I used to sit here and imagine that a rich old gentleman had fallen in love with me”.
From this quotation the character of Nora who is more love money than her husband. And then the character of Nora namely is not dare for her husband, it can be proved
by ” it’s something I should dearly love to say if
Torvald could hear me, I daren’t it’s so shocking” page 12
From this quote has been explained how the character of Nora namely didn’t have a freedom in her house and afraid to tell something wrong for her husband. She
is not open for her husband because she afraid of him, Torvald could not hear of her and that is why she can’t say anything about her and about decision that she has
made alone. Mrs. L says that,” Listen to me, Nora. You are still
very like a child in many things, and I am older than you in many ways and have a little more things. And
I am older that you in many ways and have a little more experience. Let me tell you this –you ought to
make an end of it with Doctor Rank.” Page 32
40 In the drama has explained that Nora is like a child or childish. Mrs. L, Her
friend says that she is child and can not make decision for her family. Actually in conversation her friend didn’t know the situation how Nora is a doll’s house of
Torvald. And she needs a friend namely Dr.Rank to tells everything that she has done in their house. Not only that Helmer says like that, because He can’t
understand to his wife, about the feeling of his wife, he doesn’t recognize his wife, that is why Torvald says his wife is like a child in conversation below,
“You talk like a child. You don’t understand about the condition of the world in which you live”
page 69, Actually as a good husband he must listens his wife before he judge Nora,
because everybody has reason why she makes a decision. Torval as if make his wife didn’t understand about this world.
And Nora said that she is patient it can be proved by, when she is become Helmer wife, she feel not freedom but in the eight years she can be patient to be her
husband doll it can be proved by, “I have waited so patiently for eight years for
goodness knows, I knew very well that wonderful things don’t happen every day” page 69
The character of Nora is easy to be influenced, it can be proved when her father says anything about her family with Helmer, she directly take the decision to
leave him and her children, it can be proved by, “When I was home with papa he told me his opinion
about everything, and so I had the same opinions, he called me his doll child.” Page 66
41 The character of Helmer in this play, Helmer believes that the culture of their
values family that wife must obey the rule of husband, so Helmer wants to protect her wife and guide her for everything, it makes his wife become like a doll, and it can
be proved when Helmer guide the money and what she want to do. Nora describe Helmer character namely in quotation below,
Nora said for Mrs. L; “Good heavens, no how could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions
about these things. And besides how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his mainly
independence to know that he owed me anything It would be upset our mutual relations altogether; our
beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now.” Page 12
From this quote was known that hold with his opinion, and Helmer loves his wife very much, it could be proved when Nora wants to go from their home, he
always holds her and want her to stay in home with his children, he become not have power when Nora wants to get out from their home.
This character can be a motif of woman emancipation in the drama because the motif of the story is the character of Helmer who don’t want to give the decision
to his wife because of the character of Nora is spendthrift it can be proved by, “Don’t disturb me [a little later he opens the door
and looks into the room, pen in hand] bought, did you say? All this things? Has my little spendthrift
been wasting money again?” page 2
But the other one has explained that Torvald not only that, the motif of the woman emancipation is the culture of western at the time, namely woman and man
has a different position at the time, because this drama was take from a family that live in America at the time, can be concluded that the situation of America at the
time describe a life of America culture at nineteenth century. In the drama was
42 explained that woman has no right to spare her old dying father or save her
husband’s life. Woman can not arrange her family life because the position of woman in the house is number two. The drama explains that world make woman is
number two, because they weak and can not think like man thinking. In the novel also has explained that Nora can not wear good things and
bought something that she want because Helmer did not give her money and right to make decision for her life. She bought the simplest and cheapest things but it is often
very hard on Nora because she thinks that it is delightful to be really well dressed Nora. Of course. Beside I was the one
responsible for it. Whenever Torvald has given me money for new dresses and such things I have never
spent more than half of ot; I have always bought the simplest and cheapest things. Thank heaven any
clothes look well on me, and so Torvald has never noticed it. But it was often very hard on me,
Christine- because it is delightful to be really well dressed, isn’t it? page. 13
She wants to do and want to buy must be agreed by her husband. In the quotation below,
“Good heavens, no how could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these
things. page 12 This is opinion of Nora about Torvald to Mrs.L because Mrs.L order Nora to
say the truth about the money, but in the drama has been explained how the character of Helmer that has a strong opinion about things, she can not make decision for her
family. And then Nora explained that she has not freedom, all of things must be agreed by her husband, and she was daren’t tell something for him and in the drama
was explained that Nora can’t hit upon anything that will do, everything Nora think of seems so silly and insignificant. From this conversation has known that Helmer
never hear his wife opinion and busy for all his business
43 The theme of the story is about feminist because in the last she can take
decision for her life, namely leave her husband and she doesn’t want be dominated by her husband, it can be proved by quotation below she said,
” I have waited so patiently for eight years for goodness knows, I knew very well that
wonderful things don’t happen every day. Then this is horrible misfortune came upon me, and then I felt
quite certain that the wonderful thing was going to happened at last…” page 68
And then she makes the decision to leave her husband and her children it can be proved by quotation below,
“Now it’s all over. I have put the keys here. The maids know all about everything in the house-
better then I do. Tomorrow after I have left her, Christine will come here and pack up my own things
that I brought with me from home. I will have them sent after me.” page 71
These quotes can prove that there is a change of the character of Nora from the spoil woman become can give decision for her life. She braves to construct the
culture and the power of her husband in the story.
44
4.3 Finding Similarities and the Differences of Woman Emancipation in The Two Literary works:
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