Character Qualities of Nora and Antigone in A Doll’s House...

Marlo Thomas says, ‘‘One of the things about equality is not just that you be treated equally to a man, but that you treat yourself equally to the way you treat a man.† Antigone, written by Sophocles, and A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, are two plays about two women who defy the rules of society. In Antigone, an ancient Greek play, the girl breaks the king’s law in favor of the gods’ law by giving her brother, Polynices, a proper burial. In the end, Antigone dies because of her behavior, but not before she shows how strong she is when she stands up to Creon. In A Doll’s House, a Norwegian play that takes place in the late 1800s, Nora Helmer appears to be a normal, subservient wife to her husband, Torvald. However, throughout the†¦show more content†¦And she scoops up dry dust, lifting it high and pouring, she crowns the dead with three full liberations,† (Sophocles, page 29, lines 474-480). This excerpt from Antigo ne shows her dedication to her brother and the gods because she does not just give up after the first attempt to bury him fails. Antigone goes to bury her brother again, even though she knows it could very well result in her death. Both Nora and Antigone’s persistence in their goals help them succeed in getting what they desire, but that is not the only quality that makes them unique from other women of their time. One of the main themes in both Antigone and A Doll’s House is how both women are against the expectations of society. In the duration of A Doll’s House, the reader learns that in the beginning of her marriage with Torvald Helmer, Nora takes out a loan from a man named Krogstad. She does this because Torvald is deathly ill, and the only way he will live is if they take a trip to Italy. Because Nora takes out the loan without his permission, she has to keep it a secret from him the whole time they are married, (Ibsen). Not only does Nora take out the lo an without her husband’s permission, but she also forges her father’s signature to do so. She ends up breaking the laws of both society and state. If anyone ever finds out about what Nora has done, then her reputation will be ruined. Because she is a woman, that will be almost like suicide for Nora.Show MoreRelatedComparison of A Dolls House and Antigone1248 Words   |  5 Pagesown feet. The characters of Nora and Antigone, from Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ and Sophocles’ ‘Antigone’ respectively, completely fit my description of ‘the empowered woman’. As inspiring figures, they left me wondering how they maintained their identities even in their patriarchal societies. What touched my heart the most is the way they fight for what they feel is moral and just instead of following what society dictates. I believe that each and every woman possesses the qualities like ‘the empoweredRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero1664 Words   |  7 Pageshard-working mother who gives so much day in and day out gets the graphite gratitude of â€Å"hero†. Heroes are the characters that are consistently strong, selfless, and intelligent. In Shakespeare’s legendary play, Hamlet, the main character is faced with a journey of vengeance and self-discovery. Even though in the beginning of the play Hamlet is a depressed young man, he develops into a character of intelligence, courage, and strength. First, instead of confronting his uncle about murdering his fatherRead MoreA Doll House by Henrik Ibsen7379 Words   |  30 PagesMa. Jennifer S. Yap Dr. Sherwin Perlas World Literature January 14, 2012 A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen Translated by Rolf Fjelde I. Introduction During the late nineteenth century, women were enslaved in their gender roles and certain restrictions were enforced on them by a male dominant culture. Every woman was raised believing that they had neither self-control nor self-government but that they must yield to the control of a stronger gender. John Stuart Mill wrote in his essay, â€Å"The Subjection