The term "social criticism" refers to a type of condemnation that reveals the reasons for harmful conditions in a society considered deeply flawed. Indeed, both Ibsen and Osborne, in their respective plays A Doll's House and Look Back in Anger, use theater as a means to express their views on the imperfections of their societies and the crippling effects these defects will inevitably cause. The plays' corresponding protagonists Jimmy Porter and Nora Helmer are presented as “realistic human individuals” through the literary genre of social realism, which, as George Shi accurately expressed, reveals “the ugly realities of contemporary life.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Nora is presented as the epitome of a nineteenth-century Norwegian wife, “An Angel in the House,” enslaved by marriage to submissively adhere to the needs of her husband and children, while being trapped in a chauvinized family. The title "A Doll's House" serves as a metaphor for Nora's confinement and lack of humanitarian rights within the patriarchal society of 1870s Norway. The social criticism is effectively conveyed through the treatment of Nora as "a doll", "a little girl" and a "silly little girl", and is further reinforced by the lowercase and misogynistic simile "just like a woman". However, Nora's dramatic “door slamming” climax taints her title as a “realistic human individual,” as her ephiphanic moment of anagnorisis might be considered too audacious and unrealistic for the male sphere of 1870s Norway. In contrast, the claim that Jimmy Porter is "little more than a mouthpiece for the playwright's protest against society" can only be regarded as totally and irrevocably unfair. Jimmy's raw passion which "permeated British culture in thousands of ways" (Aleks Sierz) exemplifies him as a "realistic human individual". effectively conveys the social criticism of 1950s Britain, in total contrast to Nora's atypical actions. On the other hand, it could be argued that Ibsen effectively conveys the social criticism of the discriminatory treatment of women in A Doll's House, through the initial introduction of Nora in the first act due to Nora's lack of autonomy, she is forced to embody the facade of a metaphorically “carefree” woman, and the alliterative, onomatopoeic sensorial detail of her “happy hum” suggests her forced pretence. Ibsen actually presents Nora as a “realistic human individual,” as women were expected to be socially, politically, and economically dependent on men. Furthermore, Ibsen uses Nora to convey a social critique, as he reveals that Nora was located in an “exclusively male society with laws written by men and with lawyers and judges who judged female conduct from the male point of view.” Nora was trapped in society's cruel misogyny, as like other women she was believed to possess no reason or logic. Because of this, women gained the right to university education only three years after the first performance of A Doll's House in 1879. Ibsen presents Nora's alienation from the possibilities of the outside world, as she is confined to Helmer's apartment throughout the time. the whole play. This domesticated setting, as well as the abundant use of the visual metaphor “doors,” serves as a symbol of Nora's total lack of autonomy. Thus, Ibsen's somewhat flawed portrayal of Nora as a "realistic human individual" in the patriarchal society of early Norwaynineteenth century is nevertheless an effective demonstration of social criticism. Similarly, Osborne immediately reveals his social critique in Look Back in Anger through the squalid setting of the couple's simplistic and isolated “bedsit”. The oppressive environment, reinforced by the "smoke-filled room", creates a suffocating atmosphere for conflict, while the smoke also serves as a symbol of Jimmy's inability to seek clarity and satisfaction within the class divisions of the 1950s . Although there are three windows mentioned in the description of the “Mid-land apartment,” they prove to be a metaphor for Jimmy and Alison's inertia, as they simply do not work. Instead of serving as an outlet for elementary display, two windows are "covered by a large oak dressing table", while the other "looks out onto the landing", revealing Osborne's critique of the immobility of working-class Britain in the early 1900s. 1950s. Jimmy and Alison are simply "locked" in an attic, revealing a social criticism complementary to the ignorance of the upper echelons of society towards the working class. Members of the latter are treated as if they were a complete humiliation. Furthermore, Osborne's stage directions skillfully present Jimmy's paradoxical nature as a "realistic human individual" through repetitive oxymorons, "a disconcerting mixture of sincerity and cheerful mischief...tenderness and dishonest cruelty." Therefore, Jimmy must be more than just a "writer's spokesperson", as Osborne goes to great lengths to reveal realism and social criticism through his personalized characterization. The play was in fact the crucible in which the idea of ​​"Angry Young Men" was forged: a group of British playwrights and novelists, mostly working-class and middle-class, who became famous in the 1950s for their disillusionment with British culture. Like Osborne himself, Jimmy was a member of the "Non-U intelligentsia" who possessed powerful intelligence, as evidenced through the "newspaper jungle" metaphor and repetitive references to T. S. Eliot, who ironically was the author of "The Wasteland". In this poem, T. S. Eliot reveals how he survived “never alive, nor dead,” an idea that simply echoes Jimmy's cyclical existence. Furthermore, Osborne disseminates social commentary on the indolence of 1950s Britain, through Jimmy's deep desire for “a bit of ordinary human enthusiasm,” which he reveals through his powerful but rambling monologues. A sense of nihilism is created due to the social criticism of Jimmy's position in the oppressed classes of society, as like Nora he is ultimately limited by his identity, making him a victim of post-war torpor. However, it could also be argued that Osborne's initial description of Jimmy emphasizes his ambiguity, projecting him as "nothing more than a mouthpiece". He is therefore simply an antithetical character, somehow faithful to life but lacking the credibility necessary to be declared socially realistic in all respects. In contrast, Ibsen's portrayal of Nora presents her simply as a "spokesperson" for his views, and not as a largely, if not entirely realistic, human individual like Jimmy. Nora's opinionated feelings, extravagant courage, and climatic confrontation provided Ibsen with a platform from which he could criticize the evils of nineteenth-century Norway, but not necessarily in a socially realistic way. Ibsen's social criticism can be seen through Nora's projection of the law as "a fool" because she is "not interested in reasons" and the diagnosis of society as a metaphorical "nursing home." She is simply a “spokesperson” for Ibsen, since the tragic reality is that women.