Manipulation is a multifaceted and sophisticated concept that plays a core element in Ibsen’s’ A Doll’s house’ and Shakespeare’s “Othello” narrative. Markedly, while the two narratives are different and unique with various themes, both playwrights delve into the complexities of human relations, power, and influence dynamics, not overlooking the unfortunate implications of manipulation. In this light, this research paper explores the inherent theme of manipulation in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and William Shakespeare’s Othello.
Manipulation through the masks of tracheary
In both plays, the playwrights explore the manipulation through a deceitful lens. Notably, in the literature by Shakespeare, Othello’s susceptibility is exploited and manipulated through deceit. According to Shakespeare’s literary work, Lago, an antagonist in the literature, cultivates jealousy and bitterness in Othello through deception by lying about his wife Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, which stirs Othello’s jealousy to mess him to the extent that he murders Desdemona and later himself. Notably, Lago wears a mask of deceit as he manipulates Othello as vengeance for being overlooked during a promotion. On the other hand, in A Doll’s House literature, deceit is a mask used by the characters to conceal the truth and manipulate other characters. For instance, in front of Torvald, Nora wears a deceitful mask of a naïve and innocent girl who plays along to the tune of Torvald to get whatever she needs from him. Further, decent and manipulation are evident when Nora wildly dances the tarantella and dresses in the Neapolitan fisher girl attire to distract Torvald from going through the letters in the letterbox. In this light, both works of literature illuminate deceit as one of the various forms of manipulation from which the characters hide their true selves and intentions underneath a mask.
Societal Expectations and Gender Manipulation
The two literary works explore the nexus between societal expectations, manipulations, and gender roles. In this light, Nora in The Doll’s House is confined and manipulated by societal norms, while on the other hand, Othella, Emilia, and Desdemona are subject to patriarchal societal constraints (Vaughan 33). Contemporary research indicates that women are more vulnerable to manipulation, and men are more likely to engage in emotional manipulation than women (Grieve et al. 158). Further, through A Doll in the House, the societal expectations and definitions of gender are manipulative. In this case, for instance, in the literary work by Ibsen, women play while men work, which manipulates Nora to be a doll. Through the eyes of Helmer, Nora is a submissive wife and is childish due to how she is treated. Notably, Helmer treats Nora as a doll that can be manipulated and played anytime, attributing Norta to nicknames such as the little songbird, obstinate little woman, and little Nora, among others. Markedly, the significance of the little is that Nora is in control and, therefore, dependent on Helmer (Pravitasari 7). However, it is integral to note that Nora might be mature and enlightened; however, the societal expectations and definition of gender roles might have made her instinctively guess that relationships are built on masks of lies of others and self, not overlooking that complexity is codependent on the layers of lies (Siddall 14).
In the other play by Shakespeare, women are degraded and viewed as inferior in society, similar to the inferiority in the doll’s house. Lago, for instance, uses the women only as a means of getting whatever he needs, and in a conversation with Desdemona and Emilia, he refers to women as ” wild cats in your kitchen’ among other symbolic expressions of degrading women; Lago further manipulates and takes advantage of Emilia and only using her as a means to an end. Throughout the literary work, Lago’s perspective negatively influences other characters’ perspectives into degrading the females. As earlier established, the two plays exhibit women as inferior and victims due to male dominance in the contemporary era. Through the plays, an account of women’s disobedience and deceit is instigated by their circumstances and societal expectations. In the Othea play, for instance, Desmodema decides to marry Othella, which is against societal expectations as the female is not allowed to choose a suitor. Lago attempts to break the marriage between Desdemona and Othella through deceit and manipulation, which destroys it.
Power Dynamics and Manipulation
Comprehending the power dynamics and control is a crucial cornerstone in understanding relationships. Notably, while power in the two plays involves manipulation, it is imperative to note that power can be effectively leveraged not to involve coercion. Reflecting on the Dollhouse, for instance, Torvad’s superiority in financial status gives him considerable fiscal power over Nora. In this light, while the forging of Noras’ father’s signature is manipulation from her side, it is intended to protect Torvald’s pride and maintain the thriving family façade. Markedly, this manipulation revelation exposes the susceptibility of the power dynamics within the powerful family, which highlights the vulnerability of those who hold fiscal power when challenged.
Similarly., in Shakespeare’s work, manipulation can be seen through the military hierarchy of power dynamics. Markedly, Othello is a general holding a position of power and authority. However, he becomes susceptible to manipulation, revealing power’s fragility.
The Consequences of Manipulation
The implications of manipulation are evident in both tales. In Othello, for instance, Lagos’s manipulation takes a wrong turn and instigates jealousy, bitterness, anger, and distrust among a plethora of negative emotions in Othello, provoking his insecurities. Markedly, the manipulation is instigated through false accusations and insinuations, which leads to the murder of Desdemona and the suicide of Othello. In this light, the destructive power of manipulation is seen through personal insecurities and its exploitation to disrupt societal and individual harmony. On the other hand, In A Doll’s House, Nora’s manipulation revelation and Torvald’s reaction lead her to radically reevaluate her decisions and lead to the splitting of the marriage. In a nutshell, manipulation destructive power goes beyond individual relationships to the extensive societal repercussions.
Conclusion
Summatively, manipulation is an inherent theme in both “A Doll’s House” and “Othello,” which serve as a lens through which the writers explore the societal expectations and gender roles, power dynamics, and the implications of treachery. Both plays stand in different cultural and historical contexts, and their works illuminate the various characters and their manipulation approaches that shape societies and individual circumstances. Through the in-depth analysis of manipulation through the lens of the two literary works, there is an invaluable gain into the global and timeless aspects of manipulation as human experience pervasive element. Manipulation, as a common thread in both plays, explores the various forms and the implications of manipulation on society and individuals. In that light, the light is still relevant and instrumental in the contemporary era as the lessons gleaned from the plays act as cautionary t=alles that examine the motivates and the implications of manipulation.
Works Cited
Grieve, Rachel, Evita March, and George Van Doorn. “Masculinity might be more toxic than we think: The influence of gender roles on trait emotional manipulation.” Personality and Individual Differences 138 (2019): 157-162.
Pravitasari, Destarina Intan. “Nora’s struggles for life independence in Ibsen’s Doll’s House: A Feminist Study.” (2013).
Siddall, Stephen. Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House. Humanities-Ebooks, 2013
Vaughan, Virginia Mason. Othello: A contextual history. Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Bibliography
GGI Insights. “Power Dynamics: Mastering the Unspoken Language.” Gray Group International, 2023, www.graygroupintl.com/blog/power-dynamics. Accessed 2023.
Grieve, Rachel, Evita March, and George Van Doorn. “Masculinity might be more toxic than we think: The influence of gender roles on trait emotional manipulation.” Personality and Individual Differences 138 (2019): 157-162.
Musings, Mindful. “Power and Control: The Role of Coercion and Manipulation in Abusive Relationships.” Medium, 10 June 2023, medium.com/@MindfulMusingsPsychology/power-and-control-the-role-of-coercion-and-manipulation-in-abusive-relationships-d7fb0fe57920.
Pravitasari, Destarina Intan. “Nora’s struggles for life independence in Ibsen’s Doll’s House: A Feminist Study.” (2013).
Siddall, Stephen. Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House. Humanities-Ebooks, 2013.
Vaughan, Virginia Mason. Othello: A contextual history. Cambridge University Press, 1996.
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