Reactions to Abuse in “POOF!” and “A Doll House” Katie Davis College

Loureen, the protagonist of Lynn Nottage’s play, “POOF!”, and Nora, the main character of Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll House”, are both abused by their husbands. While Nora’s abuse is primarily emotional and Loureen’s is physical, their abuse led them both to a breaking point in which they reacted in extreme ways. Loureen turned her husband into ash and promptly covered up her crime while Nora’s decided to abandon her family. These acts, made out of sheer desperation, can be interpreted as acceptable by some and completely unacceptable by others.

Loureen and Nora’s actions were made out of desperation to get out of their abusive situations. Loureen’s husband hit her and after she killed him, she revealed to her friend that he used this abuse to control every aspect of her life, even the manner in which she spoke, saying that: “Samuel always said if I raised my voice something horrible would happen” (Nottage 1584). Nora was also abused, but in a much more subtle manner. Nora’s husband constantly belittled her and treated her like a child rather than the grown, intelligent woman that she is. He gave her childish nicknames, dressed her up, gave her money in the same manner that a father would give his child an allowance, made her dance...