Works of literature often contain a secret which is eventually revealed with great dramatic effect

Résumé du document

Henrik Ibsen in his drama A Doll's House vividly shocked his contemporary audiences of 1879, unaccustomed to the radical and novel insights on the relationship between husband and wife he displayed through his heroines' emancipation, from her role of a self content wife in a superficial marriage to her brave refusal of this specific role society was imposing on her. Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire, one of his most successful and psychologically-rich modern tragedies, presents to us the progressive mental demise of a genteel aristocratic Blanche Dubois, confronted and trapped in a society whose modern values she cannot comprehend. In these works, both Ibsen and Williams created some of the most vivid and influential depictions of women in our literature, figures which still inspire us and live on today. Nora's emancipation and Blanche's spiritual death, the outcome of each play are brought upon them by the revelation of a secret they both have endeavoured to hide from their entourage.

Extraits

[...] In the symbolic light she places on the table, she claims, eight whole years we have never exchanged a single word on a serious subject”, realizing just what a romantic masquerade her wedding had been. Affirming that now she “must educate [her]self”, having been a mere instrument of her husband's desire, she reveals to Helmer a truth he may have never wanted to acknowledge: have been your doll, just as I used to be papa's doll, and the children have been my dolls.” By slamming the street door and thus abandoning her husband she symbolically and forcefully completes her emancipation by putting a dramatic end to the stultifying and infantilised relationship her marriage had been. [...]

[...] Works of literature often contain a secret which is eventually revealed with great dramatic effect Henrik Ibsen in his drama A Doll's House vividly shocked his contemporary audiences of 1879, unaccustomed to the radical and novel insights on the relationship between husband and wife he displayed through his heroines' emancipation, from her role of a self content wife in a superficial marriage to her brave refusal of this specific role society was imposing on her. Tennessee Williams in A Streetcar Named Desire, one of his most successful and psychologically-rich modern tragedies, presents to us the progressive mental demise of a genteel aristocratic Blanche Dubois, confronted and trapped in a society whose modern values she cannot comprehend. [...]

[...] The tragedy of the moment of revelation is expressly emphasized by the deliberately cruel manner in which Stanley delights in revealing to Stella, in an organised, ferociously logical way, numbering all the complexities and dishonours of Blanche's past. He extensively exposes Blanche's strong tendency to promiscuous behaviour, revealing her reputation at the Flamingo Hotel and the sad truth of her expulsion from Laurel high school for having seduced a boy. He takes a veritable pleasure in destroying Stella's image of her psychologically fragile sister and she at first refuses to believe this, yet such a revelation has much to relate to Blanche's placement in a psychic ward at the close of the tragedy. [...]

[...] Nora who believes the revelation of her secret would have catastrophic consequences to her relationship, devotes her action to delaying Torvald's discovery of Krogstad's letter exposing her crime, a letter which Ibsen purposefully leaves in the mail box, untouched and menacing until Act III, enhancing a sense of persistent tension in the omniscient audience who is painfully aware of Nora's torment. She expressly pleads that Torvald would not open his letters until the next day which, although puzzled, Torvald accepts. [...]

[...] Deluded by his affirmations of “when the real crisis comes you will not see me lacking in strength and courage”, Nora had placed her last hope on her husband's protection he had assured her, what she develops as the “miracle”. When the IOU is conveniently returned, Helmer, who had totally disowned her, claims am saved”, focusing yet again on his sole sense of self-importance, returns to his prior desire of using his “physical” rights of a husband. Yet through the revelation of her dark secret, Nora realises a darker and more deranging truth. At the term of a great personal evolution, Nora incarnates authority, demanding Helmer to down”. [...]