A Doll’s Home and Tess of the D’Urbevilles

Through the late nineteenth century, girls had been beginning to break out from the usual molds. Two authors from that time period wrote two separate but incredibly equivalent pieces of literature. Henrik Ibsen wrote the play A Doll’s Property, and Thomas Hardy wrote Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

Ibsen and Hardy both use the male characters to contrast with their female counterparts to illustrate how girls are stronger by following their hearts instead of their minds. Ibsen uses Torvald, to depict a world where men choose to adhere to their minds in location of their hearts. Ibsen has Torvald believe that he is genuinely in adore with his wife Nora. Torvald believes he will “threat my life’s blood, and every thing, for your sake.”(63) The author sets the reader up to believe that Torvald is a chivalrous guy who would give life and limb to defend his accurate enjoy, as the author believes that any real man would. Later in the play, a circumstance arises where he is provided the chance to defend his wife. He does a 180 degree turn around and explains to his wife that “no man would sacrifice his honour for the a single he loves.”(71) The author shows the stupidity of Torvald with his misconception of honor. In actuality when a man sacrifices himself for the one particular he loves it brings him honor. Torvald is viewed as a true hypocrite. Torvald also believes the most essential thing is to “save the . . . look.”(65)

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