“The House of Bernarda Alba” by Federico Garcia Lorca and “A Doll's House” by Henrik Ibsen both protest the confinement of women of their times. Although the Houses are set differently in 20th century Spain and 19th century Norway respectively, both works relate in illuminating their respective female protagonists, Adela and Nora, as they ultimately develop a sense of individuality and self-expression, emerging as free individuals. from repression. The authors' attempts to do so allow the audience to gain insight into the social norms that each protagonist is up against. This increases the tension as the action develops. Both Adela and Nora are inherently individualistic and their innate nature is shown especially when they secretly show defiance on occasions of high social expectations. Despite Bernarda's declaration of a long period of mourning and the order to remain within the walls of the house and to dress only in black, Adela cheerfully puts on a colorful dress of a zealous green and leaves the house, disobeying Bernarda, “to seek what is [hers], what belongs to [her]” – Pepe el Romano. In 'A Doll's House,' while Mrs. Linde states that "a wife cannot borrow without her husband's permission," Nora, whom her husband Torvald calls "[her] independent little creature," betrays her insubordinate loan action. She even dares to forge her father's signature, but, more importantly, she decides individually for herself why she must do so: to save "her husband's life" herself. The pressure to conform to traditional social conventions causes the central characters of both comedies to masquerade. Appearing to Magdalena as an innocent "poor creature", Adela thinks confidently... middle of paper... the whole city against me, branding me with their fiery fingers, persecuted by people who claim to be decent and proper I will place a crown of thorns before them, like the lover of a married man!” The free flow of words from Nora and Adela's hearts pushes the audience to think about the power of transformation. Despite their initial confinement and dishonesty, both Nora and Adela are courageous and passionate, possessing the strength to pursue freedom; they are risk takers who defy circumstances despite the uncertainties of the future. Their choices of self-expression and freedom – through abandonment and death, respectively – and the characters themselves representatively express the potential energy of women and relentlessly protest for the independence of women of every era and culture. Works cited Bernarda Alba's house A doll's house