Examine the importance of duty in Ibsen's 'A Doll's House'

The writing of Henrik Ibsen presents 'duty' as a conflicting and demanding force in society. This can particularly be seen in the theme of religion in his play A Doll's House. While it has been argued by Doctor Sophie Duncan that "naturalism is synonymous with secularism," it can be seen that Ibsen's naturalistic play contains unambiguously religious themes. Ibsen's protagonist 'Nora' seems disillusioned with religion as an institution due to her understanding of social injustices. Within the character's moral revolution in the final scene, it is clear that she has not only lost faith in marriage and patriarchal control, but also religious ideologies as she states "maybe Pastor Hansen was right, but that's for me to find out." This declarative statement can be seen as representative of the growing secularisation which paralleled the growth of scientific knowledge and female liberation at the time of Ibsen's writing. However, Ibsen also presents the audience with a 'Christ-like' moral compass in the character of Kristine. The dramatic function of this character is made obvious through her name 'Kristine' which immediately connotes 'Christ', along with the fact that she arrives on Christmas Eve. So, while typically naturalism as a writing style rejects religion and focuses on human nature, Ibsen uses religion as a lens through which humans can be examined.