A Doll’s House and The Cherry Orchard Essays -- Comparative, Ibsen, Ch

Henrik Ibsens A shuttles House and Anton Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard were famous for the way in which they depicted the changing of cultures. Both nobbles act as a sort of social gossip during times of widespread liberation, and use the contortive nature of these seemingly stereotypical characters actions to declaim about groups of people as a whole. Throughout the course of two plays, this subversion of how different groups of people were typically perceived created a decided contrast which often shocked and appalled audiences of the time. However, the effects of these plays were felt vast after they were presented. Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House, written in 1879, is set in late-19th century Norway. Upon publication, Ibsens biting commentary on 19th century marriage stereotypes created widespread uproar. In the plays first act, the viewer is introduced to a young married couple by the names of Nora and Torvald. In tune with stereotypes of the time, the relationship is contro lled almost dictatorially by the husband. Nora is often treated by Torvald the way one might reckon a father to treat his daughter. For instance, Torvald incessantly refers to Nora by child-like nicknames such as my little squirrel and skylark and often speaks to her in a condescending manner. Nora, who acts as a symbol of all women of that time, initially fits in very salutary with the common perception of women in late-19th century Scandinavia. Torvald himself even extends this sentiment of manly infallibility and female submissiveness to the whole female race, saying, Almost everyone who has gone to the bad primaeval in life has had a deceitful mother (Ibsen 27). However, throughout the play Nora begins to break the mold of lacking(p)ity that was associ... ...Russian society and social norms. The greatest monitor of this is found in the fact that Lopahkin, the man who Ranevsky once spoke to condescendingly, is flat the familys last hope for survival. Ironically enough, Lo pahkin is often glancing at his watch, a reminder that time is changing, and a message that he, himself, is a testament to.In both Anton Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard and Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House the subversion of perception and the insubordination of supposedly inferior characters has massive implications on the overall message of the play. These mechanisms bring to light a multitude of questions about the correctness of social norms and the future of both Russian and Norwegian society. They are powerful reminders of ever-changing society and the nature of benignant relationships, and they leave the reader at once confused and motivated for change.