The Practices of Dr. Rank in A Dolls House Essay examples

The Practices of Dr. Rank In the play A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen, the convention of marriage is examined and questioned for its lack of honesty. The play is set in the late 1800s, which provides the backdrop for the debate about roles of people in society. Ibsen uses the minor character, Dr. Rank, to help develop the theme of conflicts within society. This, in turn, creates connections with the plot. Dr. Ranks function in the play is to foreshadow, symbolize, and reflect upon the truth of life and society and to break down the barrier between appearance and reality. One function of Dr. Rank in the play is to foreshadow events to come. Upon Ranks introduction in Act I, the reader is immediately given†¦show more content†¦It is also believed that Ranks illness is a product of his morally corrupt father, which widens the connection with societys ignorant beliefs. On the night of Ranks final examination, one can see the symbolic connection between Ranks death and the death of Nora and Torvalds marriage. This can clearly be seen in what happens after the statement Nora makes about receiving Ranks calling cards telling of his coming death, That when those cards came, hed be taking his leave of us. Hell shut himself in now and die (1604). It is with this extremely symbolic statement that the reader can see the connections between Rank, the death of a society which does not allow honesty in marriage, and the end of pretending by Nora. Almost immediately after Nora makes the statement about Dr. Rank, she decides to perform a final e xamination of her life and lets the letter from Krogstad be revealed. It is through the symbolism of Rank that the reader sees the deterioration of society as it was known by the main characters. Another function that Dr. Rank serves is that of reflecting upon the true personalities of Nora and Torvald. Ranks friendship with Nora and Torvald is thought to be the same, yet they are independently different. Nora is able to talk more seriously with Rank then she is with Torvald. This aspect of Ranks friendship with Nora becomes evident in her statement: You see, TorvaldShow MoreRelatedA Doll s House And Ghosts1118 Words   |  5 Pagesas a motif to represent the moral corruption that lies within the characters in A Doll’s House and Ghosts. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can result in extremely fatal consequences if not treated properly and in a timely matter. Syphilis, in Ghosts, leads Mrs. Alving having to make a life-changing decision for not only herself but a person she loves dearly, her son Oswald. 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Ibsen uses non-verbal elements such as screen directions and setting descriptionsRead MoreA Dolls House Critical Analysis1477 Words   |  6 PagesIn Henrik Ibsen’s controversial play, A Doll’s House, the audience witnesses Nora Helmer, a Norwegian housewife, struggle to hide a secret financial transaction from her husband, Torvald Helmer. At the conclusion of the play, Nora decides to leave Torvald and her children in order to find self-fulfillment. Throughout the play, Henrik Ibsen offers vivid criticism on the social expectations imposed upon women in Victorian-era society. Ibsen communicates this central message of the play by utilizingRead MoreThe Doll House by Henrik Ibsen1215 Wor ds   |  5 PagesTHE DOLL HOUSE The Society above Individual Freedom or The Suppression of the Woman The author Henrik Ibsen used the play to elaborate on the irony of the 19th century culture of restriction of individual freedom and excessive adherence to ‘societal norm’ at all cost without paying attention or having recourse to the core values and norms that brings about individual happiness and freedom. Torvald Helmer tried to elucidate the abnormality of seeking individual freedom instead of societal norm whenRead MoreExploration Notes- as Level Drama and Theatre Studies- Metamorphosis and a Dolls House4285 Words   |  18 PagesExploration Notes 1) Discuss and compare the exploration of characterisation in Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff and (A Doll’s House). Draw your own practical understanding of the skills used including use of language and voice to portray character. In our practical sessions of Modelling Gregor in â€Å"Metamorphosis†, we thought about how we would physically see Gregor. To do this, we had to individually create the shape of Gregor with our bodies. We all started off thinking about it really