Freedom as Choice: Ambivalent Position of Ellida in Ibsen's Play The Lady from the Sea

Abstract

Ellida is a self conscious and sensitive female protagonist in Ibsen's play The Lady from the Sea.At first she seems to be a rebellious woman. She struggles against the discrimination, oppression, suppression, and exploitation of patriarchy to women. She does revolt to secure her selfhood and individual identity. But when the time comes to act accordingly, she rejects her stranger lover, the symbol of freedom, autonomy and selfhood and prefers to stay with her husband, and the patriarchal oppressor. Thus, Ellida's rejection of patriarchy through out the play and its acceptance in the end not only makes her an ambivalent character but also casts an ironic doubt on her assertion of very selfhood, autonomy, and individual identity. Ellida's own action makes her the victim of irony. The very irony scrutinizes the protagonist, Ellida and renders the search for autonomy and freedom ambivalent.