The Final Conversation in A Dolls House :: Dolls House essays

The Final Conversation in A Doll's House The final scene of A Doll's House is one of the most famous and hotly debated moments in modern drama, endlessly argued about. I make no attempt here to account for all the complexities of this fascinating scene, but once again I'd like to offer some observations to fuel further discussion. Torvald's behaviour once he reads Krogstad's letter totally demolishes the illusion Nora has taken refuge in, and the lectures he delivers to Nora at the start of the scene remind us unmistakably of what a total social prig he is, determined to salvage what he can by deception and very angry at Nora for what she has done. We are right to find what he says very offensive, especially since he makes no sympathetic attempt to talk to her, to explore her motivation, to share the crisis together as two individuals at a critical point in their lives together. [Naturally, the staging of the first part of this scene is absolutely crucial for shaping our response to what happens later. If, for example, Torvald's angry abuse leads him to hit Nora, the impact of his tirade will be very different indeed from what it would be if we sense a genuine pain and panic under his insults, if it deflates him rather than energizing him to violence against her] At the same time, we need to recognize that much of what Torvald says is right. If this gets out, he will be ruined. We know enough about his society to understand that the slightest accusation of criminal conduct will destroy them both (and that, we know, is so much more than just losing a job). And we have seen that for Torvald his social role is who he is, his entire identity. He has no conception of himself outside that role. So, in effect, Nora has, in his eyes, destroyed him. We may deplore the shallowness of his character, but we should not dismiss the intensity of his feelings or the accuracy of his perception of how society will react. Everything he believes in is in danger of being taken away. And that's why, once the danger has passed, he can instantly become himself again: his identity has been restored. So when he utters (and keeps repeating) that line which so often earns a laugh in the modern theatre ("I forgive you everything") he is making (in his eyes) a sincere concession.

Emily’s Refusal to Allow Change in Her Life in “A Rose for Emily”

â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short story written by William Faulkner, an American author. Uniquely narrated in the first person perspective with the use of we, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a story about a woman named Emily who had a strong attachment or dependence on her father. It seemed time stopped when her father died that contributed to Emily’s refusal to see and accept change.She experienced true aristocracy with her father who ruled her life and constructed a different reality for her. He let her believe that she is different from anybody else and that no man truly deserves her. Her father’s restrictions towards her and her social roles dominated her life even after her father’s death. Thus, in this short story, Faulkner highlights that social roles restrict an individual to manifest his or her true self, constraining rather than liberating her.As Faulkner used the pronoun â€Å"we,† it can be inferred that the narrator is some of the to wnspeople sympathizing with Emily. By means of flashbacking, the narrator presents well-structured and detailed events of Emily’s life that can provide a deeper understanding of why there is pride and isolation in her character.The story begins with Emily’s death at the age of 74 and flashes back to the near distant past of Emily’s life. Emily is a spinster perceived as a lonely woman who is so attached to the traditions and aristocracy of the past to the extent that she cannot accept change.She shuts herself to the world and continually personifies the past until her death. Even with the emergence of materialism and when aristocracy was no longer a trend, Emily constantly believes that she would still be respected. This makes her a grotesque or unique personality in the setting that encourages the townspeople to analyze her life.Emily’s father who represents the ruling class of the South contributed most to her arrogant personality. Emily was raised in a n upper class home which made them prominent in the community. Hence, she perceived herself as rich and powerful, and their position in the community had unconsciously taught her to hold herself high from the surrounding people even after her father’s death.As time passed by, perspective about class and status changed. People accepted the changes of time and ideas. However, Emily, who was a complex and well-developed character, chose not to adapt because of the social roles she grew up with. Thus, the story illustrates that privilege and aristocracy can sometimes be a prison.The Negro who was an obedient gardener and cook and who provided Emily’s basic and practical needs is also symbolic in the story. This man connected Emily outside her small world. Yet, he isolated himself from the community for fear that he may disclose something about Emily that will disdain his loyalty.Thus, the Negro unconsciously killed her relationship with the world outside and supported Emil y’s violence against herself.   The Negro somehow fed Emily’s perception towards herself. The Negro, whom Emily had control over encourage Emily’s role in the society as aristocratic.The rose in the story represents affection. It is the affection given by the narrator to Emily. Other people may perceive Emily’s pride and violence as something immoral, but the narrator’s point of view towards Emily is different. He clearly sympathizes with Emily and understands the reason behind Emily’s arrogance. The narrator justifies her actions through presenting series of events about her past. She was a victim of bitterness and complete attachment.The community itself during her father’s time constructed a different reality for her that caused her to become so confident. The rose in the story may also signify Emily’s love for Homer. It represents the soft side of Emily which the outside world cannot see. She was perceived by the people a s scandalous and proud. Yet, like any other person, Emily needs love and affection. Her love was violent and harsh though which represents the thorns of the rose.

Beyond The Northlands The Vikings And Their World

1171 Beyond the Northlands: the Vikings and their World Eleanor Barraclough Word Count: 1941 Compare and contrast the Frankish annals AND the Irish annals as sources for Viking history. Considerable difference and similarity can be observed in the records of the Vikings and the different peoples that they interacted with. This largely has to do with geography, as the landscape of Viking Age Norway, Denmark, and Sweden were divided and rugged; this lead to various groups of people vying for power. When a person or group lost a power struggle, they would often use the waterways of the North Sea to gain access to potential raiding lands. The seafaring technological advances of previous centuries enabled interaction between the raiders of Sweden, Norway and Denmark and the peoples of Ireland and the Carolingian Empire. Because of the technological advances and geographical situation, the Viking raiders were able to interact with many different peoples but also come from the same fundamental background. This caused a multitude of similarities between the Viking activity in the Carolingian Empire and Ireland, but there were also many differences. Due to the fact that the Carolingian Empire and Ireland were both Christianized by the time of the Viking Age, both countries utilized writing to describe their interactions with the Vikings. While both countries annals have resemblances - such as raids and plundering leading to settlement - they also have considerable differences.