A Doll’s House and The Cherry Orchard - 1520 Words

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard were famous for the way in which they depicted the changing of cultures. Both plays act as a sort of social commentary during times of widespread liberation, and use the contortive nature of these seemingly stereotypical characters’ actions to speak about groups of people as a whole. Throughout the course of both plays, this subversion of how different groups of people were typically perceived created a distinct contrast which often shocked and appalled audiences of the time. However, the effects of these plays were felt long after they were presented. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, written in 1879, is set in late-19th century Norway. Upon publication, Ibsen’s biting†¦show more content†¦In furtherance of this, Torvald even begs and pleads for her to stay, all to no avail. Nora explains: â€Å"I have waited for eight years. I felt quite certain that the wonderful thing was going to happen at last. . .I was so absolutely certain that you would come forward and take everything upon yourself (Ibsen 70).† Torvald responds, in accordance with popular male thinking,† No man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves (Ibsen 70).† At this point, Nora decides she must leave Torvald. This decision is the ultimate act of insubordination, as no woman of late-19th century Norway would have dared to act in such a bold way. As the play concludes, Torvald is left sad and weak, his masculinity diminished, but realizing that the way which he treated Nora was improper and immoral. The final line leaves a lingering hint of hope for a resolution, tying together the social commentary with a possible solution: more equal treatment of women. Likewise, Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard also uses subversion techniques and insubordination in order to bring to light many prevailing social themes of late-19th century Russia. During this period of time, Russia was faced with a massive change. In 1861, serfdom was eradicated in Russia and serfs were freed. This action had enormous social implications, as an entire generation of serfs were now free to roam amongst the masses of wealthy people. Of course,Show MoreRelatedThe Cherry Orchard and A Doll’s House.1208 Words   |  5 Pages People bring their downfalls upon themselves. Do certain habitually practice leave them wondering what wrong they did? Torvald from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Madame Ranevsky from Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard are left to start afresh at the end of the plays after they neglected a key element in their lives. Torvald toys with Nora, his wife, fulfilling only his wants and only his needs and abases her; never considering her his equal. The fallacious choice Madame Ranevsky makes concerningRead MoreThe Cherry Orchard: Reality, Illusion, and Foolish Pride1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cherry Orchard: Reality, Illusion, and Foolish Pride Chandler Friedman English 231 Dr. Clark Lemons In the plays The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, and Galileo by Bertolt Brecht, the protagonists mental beliefs combine reality and illusion that both shape the plot of each respective story. The ability of the characters to reject or accept an illusion, along with the foolish pride that motivated their decision, leads to their personalRead More A Doll’s House - Nora Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesNora is the central character in the book A Doll’s House and it is through her that Ibsen develops many of his themes To what extent is loyalty shown by the lead female characters characters? What are the consequences of this? Within these two books loyalty is a minor theme and one that is easily missed, indeed it is narrow. However, it is still one which weaves a thread through both of the books encompassing major and minor characters, the material and the abstract. In commencing this Read MoreTaking a Look at Realism2663 Words   |  11 Pagesdelved into the world of realism. After living in a bankrupt family, tutoring for money, and living on his own since he was fifteen, Ibsen had a unique perspective on life, and his work reflected this (â€Å"Henrik Ibsen†). His later plays such as A Doll’s House, Hedda Gabler, and Ghosts dripped with realism. They contained many controversial topics that challenged the beliefs of the time period. In Ghosts, Ibsen wrote about illegitimate children, sexually transmitted diseases, and incest. These wereRead MoreEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 Pageson the Floss The Awakening Moby-Dick Billy Budd Mrs. Dalloway Bleak House Native Son Bless Me,Ultima One Hundred Years of Solitude Catch-22 Othello Crime and Punishment The Scarlet Letter The Crucible Slaughterhouse-Five A Farewell to Arms Song of Solomon Ghosts The Stone Angel The Great Gatsby The Stranger Heart of Darkness A Tale of Two Cities The House of Mirth Their Eyes Were Watching God Jude the Obscure 2003 (Form A): According