In Henrik Ibsen's Spirits and Moliere's The School for Wives, the playwrights portray the idea of male domination by making use of the relationships between your individuals. Ibsen depicts male dominance in the late 1800 Norwegian population mainly through the character types of Mr. Manders and Mrs. Alving. On the other hand, Moliere portrays male dominance in French Renaissance contemporary society using the individuals of Arnolphe and Agnes. The playwrights portray their societies through miniature home with stereotypical character types. Men domination in both takes on is depicted by the careful use of speech, actions and sociable beliefs. This similarity shows upon both 17th century Western societies, the Norwegian and the French Renaissance. The writers establish dissimilarities in perception using characterization. The usage of rhetoric speeches of Mr. Manders in Spirits shows that domination in Norwegian modern culture is elusive. At exactly the same time, the use of simple terminology in The School for Wives illustrates man domination that is prominent in the French Renaissance contemporary society. Important areas of culture and world have also been incorporated in both plays.
In Spirits, and School for Wives the playwrights convey male dominance through dialogue and action. However, the difference lies in the way in which of portrayal. Ibsen employs ideas and public norms in his speech to bring out the oppressive figure of Mr. Manders and to affect Mrs. Alving. The insurance of the orphanage is an exemplory case of indirect influence working as a tool to dominate. After Mrs. Alving determines to guarantee the orphanage, Mr. Manders asks, "But how about the opinion of people hereabouts?" The ultimate aim of Mr. Manders is to avoid common sense by public. The type of Mr. Manders allows Ibsen to provide the thoughts of common people in the Norwegian contemporary society who do not have the courage to deter from the norms of contemporary society. The problems in a home household like the turmoil between Mr. and Mrs. Alving act as a microscopic portrayal of Norwegian culture. It is apparent that this portrayal of male dominance in Spirits was not approved by the Norwegian norm as it was suspended from being staged in several theatres in Scandinavia.
Similarly, Moliere depicts complete male dominance through words and actions. The character of Arnolphe can be used to draw out the theme of oppression of women. Arnolphe's dialogue and soliloquys are being used for this purpose. For instance, he control buttons the upbringing of Agnes and restricts her to modern education. Arnolphe says, "A partner who writes is aware of more than can be best for her. " This excerpt of Arnophe's conversation shows that the society presented in the play found educated women as unsuitable wives. Arnolphe operates as a "director" when he says, "A trusty soldier understands his place, however hard, and shows obedience to the captain of the safeguard; a valet acts his professional, and a child obeys his daddy, and a priest does what the bishop says". On this talk, Moliere metaphorically compares the substandard ranks of occupations to women and the superior to men in French household. This price also implies that hierarchy and domination exist in all parts of the French contemporary society as shown in the play. The God-like number of Arnolphe is often portrayed throughout the play as he says "She never should presume to look him in the face- Except if he appears kind, and smiles at her with sophistication. " It also shows that the admiration that men receive from women and culture is like a myth or action that is meant to be done disregards to the individual person. The Maxims of Matrimony mentioned in Work III Picture II of the play is the portrayal of male domination in French Renaissance modern culture. Each maxim theme depicts the characteristics expected by the man in an ideal wife. For example, the maxim areas that a good wife should never "dress to tease" or "must never play cards ". The wives must follow the maxim as a bible whether they want to or not. Through this, Moliere portrays a French local household and complete male dominance in a marriage.
Another strategy of the playwrights in portraying man domination is through characterization and different traits between the male and female characters. In Ghosts, Mrs. Alving and Mr. Manders are the two extreme other people. Ibsen makes Mr. Manders a dutiful priest who signifies conservative society while he makes Mrs. Alving a widow who presents modern beliefs and radical thoughts. This characterization approach is an instrument allowing the male heroes to influence the female characters. By doing this, Ibsen portrays various conflicting values and ideas which exist in the Norwegian culture: conventional and unorthodox.
Similarly, in the play THE INSTITUTION for Wives, Moliere uses characterization to portray male dominance. Arnolphe is a man of society who have prosperity and property to his name. Alternatively, Agnes is portrayed at the start of the play to be an orphan with no wealth or position. She is uneducated and incredibly young in comparison to Arnolphe. The relationship between Arnolphe and Agnes serves as a reflection image to the French Society. This difference and the lack of education of women allow men to regulate women's life in all respects as Arnolphe says "Whichever way I choose, I'll shape her very life- I'll mould her in my own hands, just like a lump of polish, and then I'll sculpt her, in whatever form she lacks. " A graphic of your toy or a body being created out of clay is portrayed. This talk of Arnolphe, represent men in society, means that men do not want to marry a specific woman but they want to marry anyone who's, matching to them, a great wife. In Action III, arena IV, this long passing illustrates that he wanted to marry a female who built in his vision of idealism in a relationship. Arnorphe's soliloquy can be an understanding to the insecurities of French men in the 17th hundred years. Moliere dedicated a scene for this lengthy conversation of Arnolphe to see the audience about the selfish thoughts of men. The structure of this passage also shows Moliere's use of punctuations to increase the speed of the monologue. It also makes the audience feel just like Arnolphe is reciting a lyrical poem; hence the audience is kept interested until the end of the picture. The importance given to this field by Moliere suggests that male dominance is a primary theme which he wishes to bring out in this play.
The playwrights use a few of the components of the society as an instrument to portray male dominance. In Ghosts, Ibsen depicts male dominance through concepts of duties, general population opinions and specific beliefs as themes or templates. For example, Mr. Manders says "What right have we to joy? No! we must do our duty, Mrs. Alving. " This emphasizes the thought of conservatism in the Norwegian population. General responsibility irrespective to the non-public situation or being applies to everyone in the population.
Similarly, Moliere depicts male dominance using tools such as education, naivety and religious beliefs in the play THE INSTITUTION for wives. The limitation of basic protection under the law of Agnes is may very well be immoral, but at that point of time, men considered it to be always a venture as Arnolphe says "Then you'll see the consequence of my experiment, " Religion is used to portray men as God-like body in modern culture. "As well as the profound value she must show, in a word, to him, for he's her partner, ruler, main and lord, " This part of Arnolphe's conversation illustrates the overall image of relationship between husbands and wives in the French renaissance society. Men aren't only husbands but also the owners of the wives. Naivety takes on an important role in allowing men to dominate women's thoughts. "I want her ignorant, since all she needs to know is how to love me, pray to God, and spin and sew. " This quotation again emphasizes the point that stereotypical husbands do not want educated wives because they are considered too sensible to be always a good wife. Really the only qualities needed in a perfect partner are adeptness at chores and respect their husbands. Moliere employs Arnolphe's talk to bring out the image of who was simply believed to be an ideal wife in renaissance world.
In summary, Ibsen and Moliere symbolize their views on male dominance in Norwegian and French Renaissance societies respectively through Spirits and THE INSTITUTION for Wives. Using light hearted farce and comical elements, Moliere depicts individuals folly and elaborates the concealed motives such as fear of electric power of women. Similarly, Ibsen disorders the sanctity of relationship and identity of women. He accomplishes the purpose of portraying taboos and making a direct effect on the Norwegian population. By analyzing both of these has, we understand the type and culture of Norwegian and French societies. Male dominance is out there in every societies but it is portrayed in a other ways with regards to the mother nature of the modern culture.
