Feminist Element in “the House of Bernarda Alba and “a Doll’s House”

Feminist element in “The House of Bernarda Alba and “A Doll’s House”

Many writers speak about feminism or how women are treated in diverse parts of the world. These writers include female as well as male authors who try to present or voice the women’s equality and freedom. Though it is familiar when a woman writes about feminism we see a contrasting factor when a male write about it. Federico Garcia Lorca and Henrik Ibsen, a Spanish and a Norwegian writer respectively, speak about how women were treated during 20th and 19th century in their most popular plays” The house of Bernarda alba” and “A Doll’s house”. This topic is very controversial and universal since there is a doubt whether “women” are still treated the same way not only by the people in the society but also by the norms and mores in the society.

Gender plays an important role from the time of our birth. It is a norm of the society that a girl should be dressed in pink and a boy should be dressed in blue. These norms prevail in numerous societies and cultures in distinct ways, how it affects individuals living in that society varies. But one important factor to remember is even without conscious we are taught and learned to follow strict code of behavior depending on our sex. And most of the time male will lead a privileged life in which he is taught to be standard for human experience and the female will lead a subjugated, subservient life.

The majority of feminist theorists are women but however Federica Garcia Lorca and Ibsen are exceptions. Lorca who was one of the most important Spanish dramatists of the twentieth century was born on June 5th, 1898. He had written more than 100 poems and performed five plays which carries the theme feminism, social status etc. “The House of Bernard Alba” which is one of the five plays was written in 1936 speaks about repression, sexuality and tyranny in Bernarda Albas house as well as women in the village of Spain. Lorca named this piece of drama as the “turning point” of his life. Yet it is very sad since he was not able to watch it being staged since he was shot to death by his own people for his “violating society rules ideas”.

Henrik Ibsen one of the theatres most notorious characters was born on march 20th 1828. “A Doll’s house” written by this play writer is one of the most widely produced plays today. The sacrificial role held by woman of all economic classes and the attempt

for freedom is highlighted throughout the play. Ibsen who himself had a daughter had a personal view that women should be treated equally. Though the setting is different in 20th century in Spain and Norway in 19th century both the plays relate in illuminating their female protagonists, “Adele” and “Nora”.

When considering the marriages and the society during Ibsen’s time (1879), we see that it was a period when there was an increasing concern about individual liberty and gender equality. Nora is seen as a victim of social status and social roles who was caged and thought to be having a happy life. “I have three of the loveliest children”. During nineteenth century, the treatment of women was extremely negative. The role of woman was always inferior to that of a man especially in marriages. The main duties of a woman were centered around home and they were expected to fulfill their domestic duties, such as caring children, cooking, washing and cleaning the household. Addition to this woman were supposed to keep their husbands merry and not to involve in the financial decisions of the house because they were thought to have a less logical mind which only thinks about parties, children and dresses. And also it allowed the man counterparts to control the household since” money” was greater and more valuable.

In the play “A doll’s house” Nora too finds happiness in keeping her husband pleased. She always play-acts for Torvald. “you should just know, Torvald, what expenses we larks and squirrels have.” Nora acts childishly so that Torvald can enjoy dominating her and also by calling her with various play-names such as “sweet little song bird, my little lark, squirrel, my little spendthrift” etc. The names he uses directly relates how Torvald feels about her at the time. He tends to treat her view and opinions as less than important and trifling. Nora acts as a woman who cannot take responsibilities in the beginning of the play but when analyzing we see how she manages her house work and also how she pays off her debt by working hard and also by sacrificing the money given for her to buy clothes. “I shut myself up every evening and wrote far onto the night”. Nora is naturally a rebel just like Adela in Garcia’s plot. She works hard and doesn’t give up until she reaches her goal. She is a woman to admire.

The climax of the play is seen when Nora realizes who she is and the “doll like life” she has lived on and how she was manipulated all this time. She realizes how her life was only an act just like Torvalds love.” But our house has been nothing but a playroom.

Here I have been your doll wife, just as at home I used to be papas doll child. And the children in their turn have been my dolls”. She realizes that she no longer can live up to the expectations of the society or her husband. She no longer can pretend to be a wife or a mother without any sense nor feelings. Thus she begins to be the real her, the “true rebellion”. When Torvald says “before all else you are a wife and a mother”. we see how the writer voice his idea about the position women had in Norwegian society. He clearly states what a woman’s duties and responsibilities are. But Nora says “that I no longer believe. I think that before all else I am a human being, just as much as you are”. She fights for who she is and for the entire womanhood. Her outburst of feelings expressing that women are also human beings is very pathetic. Nora symbolizes the women in that society.

When considering Lorca’s plot of the rural women we see that in Spain during that time women were exploited and dominated by male counter parts. This society believed that women should have and live up to their status. They were not allowed to speak or allowed to even look at a man unless the man happens to be a priest. “look at no man but the priest, and at him only because he’s wearing skirts”. Throughout the story Lorca presents the rules and regulations a woman has to follow through Bernarda’s