Henrik Ibsen's famous play A Doll's House was first published in 1879 and contains elements and characters that appear to support feminism and attracted the attention of women's rights movement. However, Ibsen himself claimed that he was not a feminist; rather, her work speaks to human nature in general and not specifically to women's rights. Over the years, this has been the opinion that most scholars have used to interpret the work, but more recently scholars have produced an opposing argument. Margaret Stetz, one such scholar, writes that “Calling Ibsen a feminist playwright or describing A Doll's House as a women's rights play is no longer controversial” (150). The most obvious example of Ibsen's view on gender roles is the relationship between Nora and Helmer and, more specifically, Nora's self-discovery at the end of the play. Other characters, however, such as Mrs. Linde and Krogstad, as well as Anne-Marie, play a role in defining gender roles in A Doll's House. In this essay, I will discuss the ways in which Ibsen represents gender roles in A Doll's House through the characters in his play and the different views on feminism and gender roles in the play. At the beginning of the play, the relationship between Nora and Helmer appears. be a typical marriage in the 1800s. Helmer, as the man, is the head of the house and Nora is portrayed as the naive and “spendthrift” wife who has nothing to do with the family's financial situation. However, as the story evolves, a different side of Nora emerges. She attempts to conform to society's views of gender roles in order to keep her "home nice and happy" and fears that telling her husband what she has done will "completely upset the balance of [their] relationship" (891). ...... middle of the paper ...... and society, and the differences between Nora and Anne Marie, the nanny. Anne Marie, as Stetz points out, was forced to “give up her own daughter, born out of wedlock, to take on the task of raising Nora” (151). However, she doesn't seem unhappy with her position in life; in fact, she seems quite pleased to have obtained “such a beautiful situation” (905) by becoming Nora's nanny, and then that of Nora's children. Works Cited Kennedy, XJ and Dana Gioia. "A doll's house." Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 4th ed. New York, NY Longman/Pearson, 2008. 881-939. Print Templeton, Joan. “The Dollhouse Backlash: Criticism, Feminism, and Ibsen.” PMLA 104.1 (1989): 28-40. Print.Stetz, Margaret D. "Mrs. Linde, Feminism, and Women's Work, Then and Now." Isben Studies 7.2 (2007): 150-68. Press.