Awakening and a Doll\'s House the Plight

¶ … Awakening" and "A Doll's House"

The plight of women in the nineteenth century becomes the focus of Kate Chopin's short story, "The Awakening" and Henrik Ibsen's play, "A Doll's House." Moments of self-realization are the predominant themes in these stories, which result in enlightenment coupled with tragedy. This paper will examine Nora and Edna and how their situations push them toward the path of self-discovery.

Nora and Edna have much in common; they are married with children. Both women also undergo a transformation that leads them to make drastic changes in their lives in order to discover who they really are. Edna's transformation occurs over a considerable amount of time. She learns that she enjoys painting and through her relationships, she is also able to discover other parts of herself that create a separate identity from her husband and her children. In fact, she becomes quite liberated for a woman of her time. For example, Mademoiselle Reisz, an independent waoman, influenced her. In addition, she allows herself to fall in love with Robert. Edna also became very aware of who existence independent of anyone else. For instance, we're told, "She began to look with her own eyes; to see and apprehend the deeper undercurrents of life. No longer was she content to 'feed upon opinion' when her own soul had invited her" (Chopin 124). She was searching for meaning in her life beyond her family.

In contrast, Nora's realization takes place within a few minutes. While witnessing her husband's self-serving temper tantrum, she sees a stranger. She also realizes that as long as she remains Torvald's "doll wife," he would happily take care of her. Nora becomes aware that her husband does not take her seriously and becomes saddened by this thought. She tells him, "I have existed merely to perform tricks for you... It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life" (Ibsen 195). She also realizes and admits to him that she has never been happy, only "merry" (195). These truths direct her to "Stand quite alone if I am to understand myself and everything about me" (196). Nora realizes there is more to live that a "merry" existence in her doll's house.

Both women realize their discoveries do not come without a price, and as a result, demonstrate a certain level of irresponsibility when it comes to their children. Edna finds herself thinking of her children occasionally. We are told, "She meant to think of them; that determination had driven into her soul like a death wound -- but not to-night" (Chopin 148). The children appeared before he like antagonists who had overcome her; who had overpowered and sought to drag her into the soul's slavery for the rest of her days" (151). Even as she is swimming out into the water for the last time, she thinks of her husband and children -- but that thought is still tinged with a kind of selfishness that is hard to accept. She thinks to herself, "They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul" (152). Similarly, Nora disregards her children to seek self-discovery. She tells Torvald, "I won't see the little ones. I know they are in better hands than mine. As I am now, I can be of no use to them" (Ibsen 200).