A central theme in A Doll's House

The Central Theme in
“A Doll’s House”
by Amy Graziano
One of the central themes in the play “A Doll's House” is secession from society. It is demonstrated by several of its characters breaking away from the social standards of their time and acting on their own terms. No one character demonstrates this better than Nora.
During the time in which the play took place, society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions were left to the males. Nora's first secession from society was when she broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husband’s treatment. By doing this, she not only broke the law, but she also stepped away from the role society had placed on her of being totally dependent on her husband. She proved herself not to be helpless like Torvald implied: "You poor help...