How To Read Literature Like A Professor Henrik Ibsen Analysis

Does every piece of writing have a purpose? Are there reasons why authors choose specific characteristics, storylines, and plots? Thomas C. Foster, the author of How to Read Literature like A Professor, would argue yes, almost every type of writing has a purpose. More specifically, these "purposes" that are written about, are viewed as political literature. Authors discover things that interest them, or that they have a strong viewpoint on, and convey their opinion on this subject through their writing. In A Doll's House, the author, Henrik Ibsen, explores the controversial role of women and their roles during the time period. A heavily debated topic at the time, Ibsen used his influence as a writer to display viewpoints on the matter. Through detailed characterization of both Nora Helmer and Torvald Helmer the Ibsen satires gender roles in a stereotypical marriage. In Chapter 10, It's All Political, of How to Read Literature like a Professor, Foster analyzes the underlying social meanings in stories. Aside from the characters, setting, and conflict, there is typically a theme just waiting to be learned. To display his viewpoint on the social structure between a man and a woman, Ibsen first has to characterize a stereotypical
Ibsen uses his influence as a writer to touch on important topics such as gender roles in a marriage and display his viewpoints on the issue. Through characterization of Torvald Helmer, the reader begins to understand the role of a dictatorial husband. He treats Nora as an object, instead of the capable women that she is. Although in the beginning of the play Nora is depicted as a dependent housewife, after a lifetime of ridicule, Nora breaks free to show she as not as naïve as the men in her life have thought. Through this it is shown that a woman is not to be dependent on any man, and can create a life of their own, making the world their