The Master’s Fall: The Fall of the Bourgeoisie Through the Fall of Patriarchy

When in 1884 Henrik Ibsen expressed his support of a bill presented to the Norwegian parliament proposing “separate property rights for married women,” he famously commented that “to consult men in such a matter is like asking wolves if they desire better protection for the sheep” (1964, 227–228). By the time that Ibsen was strongly advocating for the women’s property bill, he had already written A Doll’s House (1879) in which Nora had to leave home to gain her autonomy, not Torvald. However, she did not have a home of her own to take refuge in. After the meeting in 1884 when Ibsen signed the petition in favor of women’s property rights, he went on to portray women such as Rebecca West, Ellida and Bolette Wangel, and Hedda Gabler who were also financially dependent on male protagonists and trapped in either their father’s or husband’s home. While Toril Moi correctly asserts that women “admired Ibsen’s heroines for claiming their right to an independent life of the mind,” it is worth noting that none of these characters were financially independent, nor had they any property (2021, 91). While they tried to proclaim their emancipation, they were still financially dependent on men to support them. Women’s financial subordination, as a result, would reassure men that women’s autonomy is limited, especially for those who keep an eye on their husband’s purse strings. Torvald’s relationship with Nora is corroborative evidence in this regard.