Character progression and change is an extremely important theme in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Throughout the play, the key characters evolve and develop into something different then the reader’s first impression. Instead of keeping the same personality and traits they possesses at the beginning of the play throughout the play, they main characters seem to change their personality as well as their role in the play as a whole. By, making the characters progress alongside the progression of the play, Ibsen allows the readers or audience watch and observe each character as they evolve using their dialogue and actions. The character that changes the most throughout the play is Nora Helmer. Nora starts out as an extremely submissive and childish middle-class housewife and behaves accordingly. This is shown by the way Torvald treats her at the begging of the play. He does not allow her to eat sweets, especially macaroons, and treats her much like a father would treat his spoiled daughter. Another example of Nora’s apparent immaturity is her attitude towards money. She believes that their family should borrow immediately in order to improve their quality of living and pay it back when her husband receives his promotion. This shows her childish and impatient personality that we are met with at the beginning of the play. However, as the first act progresses the reader sees unexpected hints of a different side of Nora. She stands up to Krogstad when he confronts her about the money and forgery, and refuses to be intimidated by his attempts at blackmail. Nora’s biggest change comes in the third act when she decided, quite surprisingly, to uproot herself from her tedious existence and start out on her own. However, it is unclear whether the reader is supposed to agree with Nora in her decision or not. We are proud that Nora has stood up for herself and abandoned her childish ways, but we are shocked that she has forsaken her husband and her children in order to do so. However, the reader’s perception of Krogstad was the one that changed the most dramatically. However it is important to realize that Krogstad’s traits and character did not directly change, but only our perception of him changed. The side of Krogstad that manifested itself near the end of the play was there all along, but had not been given the chance to be displayed. Ibsen makes an important point about human nature here saying that good times can bring out the best in someone, while harsh times can bring out the worst. Overall, character progression and sometimes revelation is key theme in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

Pride and Downfall in Antigone

Irony is the main concept that drives the ending of the play Antigone by Sophocles. However, this irony is far from humorous and is actually quite tragic. Sophocles uses this irony in order to convey the fact that too often in one’s life wisdom and humility come too late to do any good. The ending of Antigone displays this message all too clearly. The play ends in catastrophe as Creon’s decisions throughout the play lead to his son, Haemon, eventually killing himself after first attacking his father and his future daughter-in-law. Although Creon finally accepts that what he was doing is wrong, his epiphany comes much too late as the situation around him dissolves quickly into chaos and horror. The implied statement that humility and wisdom oftentimes come too late to do any good and that pride leads to downfall is a common theme in many works of literature and in often times seems to occur in everyday life. However, pride can be a very valuable trait to have and in many cases helps one achieve one’s goals. However, if pride comes in excess (hubris) then it can easily lead to downfall. Creon’s pride blinds him to the basic fact that he is committing a extreme wrongdoing by not letting Antigone bury her own brother. And although his humility and wisdom to come, they arrive much too late to stop the horrible tragedy that befalls his family.