Reading Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL HOUSE （2） Let's take a quick look at the conversation between Nora and his husband Mr. Helmer, this is one of my favourite act: NORA What do you think are my most s

Lucie

Reading Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL HOUSE （2） Let's take a quick look at the conversation between Nora and his husband Mr. Helmer, this is one of my favourite act: NORA What do you think are my most sacred dutied? HELMER And I have to tell you that! Aren't they your duties to your husband and children? NORA I have other duties equally sacred. HELMER That isn't true. What duties are they? NORA Duties to myself. HELMER Befor all else, you're a wife and a mother. NORA I don't believe in that anymore. I believe that, before all else, I'm a human being, no less than you--or anyway, I ought to try to become one. I know the majority thinks you're right, Torvald, and plenty of books agree with you, too. But I can't go on being satisfied with what the majority says, or what's written in books.I have to think over these things myself and try to understand them. I remembered that in another American writer Harper Lee's novel TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD, the father Atticus asked his litte girl Scout, but I can't remember the exact words, he said something like do not use your violence to fight against the world, but use your MIND. I think what's Nora said has the same inspiration, and that the first step to find oneself is to critical thinking, to doubt and to rethink what others and what the main social values tell you. It will be easier for women to find their own balance in the society, among work, family and oneself if they can get freedom and independence through self-education and self-exploration rather than live in a sugar covered "happy" doll house. A Chinese writer Lu Xun(鲁迅) was inspired by the play A DOLL HOUSE and wrote a novelle named Shangshi (《伤逝》)，meaning grieve over the deceased and regret for the past. Lu Xun tried to inspire the readers to think what happened to Nora after she left home, and he wrote a different chinese love story in Shangshi, trying to elaborate the other world of love with a self narration of soul: the dialogue between the living and the dead.

Jul 16, 2013 2:59 AM

Corrections · 1

Reading Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL HOUSE （2）

Let's take a quick look at the conversation between Nora and his husband Mr. Helmer, this is one of my favourite act:

NORA What do you think are my most sacred dutied?

HELMER And I have to tell you that! Aren't they your duties to your husband and children?

NORA I have other duties equally sacred.

HELMER That isn't true. What duties are they?

NORA Duties to myself.

HELMER Befor all else, you're a wife and a mother.

NORA I don't believe in that anymore. I believe that, before all else, I'm a human being, no less than you--or anyway, I ought to try to become one. I know the majority thinks you're right, Torvald, and plenty of books agree with you, too. But I can't go on being satisfied with what the majority says, or what's written in books.I have to think over these things myself and try to understand them.

I remembered that in another American writer Harper Lee's novel TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD, the father Atticus asked his litte girl Scout, but I can't remember the exact words, he said something like do not use your violence to fight against the world, but use your MIND. I think what's Nora said has the same inspiration, and that the first step to find oneself is to critical thinking, to doubt and to rethink what others and what the main social values tell you. It will be easier for women to find their own balance in the society, among work, family and oneself if they can get freedom and independence through self-education and self-exploration rather than live in a sugar covered "happy" doll house.

A Chinese writer Lu Xun(鲁迅) was inspired by the play A DOLL HOUSE and wrote a novelle named Shangshi (《伤逝》)，meaning grieve over the deceased and regret for the past. Lu Xun tried to inspire the readers to think what happened to Nora after she left home, and he wrote a different chinese love story in Shangshi, trying to elaborate the other world of love with a self narration of soul: the dialogue between the living and the dead.