Final answer:
Nora Helmer in 'A Doll's House' challenges the traditional role of a wife and mother, as she seeks to become an independent and reasonable human being, culminating in her decision to leave her family to find her own identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House, the protagonist Nora Helmer initially appears to accept the traditional role of a wife and mother as defined by her controlling husband, Torvald Helmer, and societal expectations. However, Nora's realization that she is first and foremost a 'reasonable human being' leads to her rejecting these roles. This dramatic change is reflected in her decision to leave her husband and children in order to discover her own identity and learn to be independent, which upends the expectations of the time regarding women's roles in society. Nora's response to Torvald's demeaning attitudes and her quest for self-realization constitute the core of the play’s commentary on gender roles and individual freedom.
Nora's departure at the end of the play signals a move towards personal autonomy, a significant shift from traditional gender norms. Her refusal to remain in a marriage that treats her as an inferior and disempowered ornament effectively confronts the patriarchal structures embodied by Torvald and echoed by Elizabeth Poole Sanford's traditionalist views on women's roles. Ultimately, Nora's actions serve as a bold statement for self-determination and challenge to socially prescribed roles for women.