Toby Stanford

Forbidden fruits taste the sweetest

Temptation as a literary theme pervades both Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House and
Christina Rossettis anthology of poems, with myriad subjects succumbing
thereof, even if it transgresses a particular moral or societal code. Despite this,
there are also many instances of said subjects rejecting and overcoming said
temptation, either in favour of a higher cause, such as religion in Rossettis work
in particular, or by doing what may be morally right.

Objective temptation is especially prevalent in both Ibsens and Rossettis works,

with a character being attracted to a forbidden substance, directly linking to the
interpretation that forbidden fruits taste the sweetest. In A Dolls House, this is
presented with the most clarity through Noras continued consumption of
macaroons throughout, despite them having been forbidden by her husband,
Helmer; this transgression is identified in the first Act, with the stage direction
stating Nora hurriedly stuffs them (the macaroons) into her pocket. Such a
transgression reneges upon the 19th Century societal constraints put upon the
female component of a marriage, as they would be expected to act in a
subservient manner to, and obey the imposed rules of, their husband. By
illustrating Noras breaking of these rules, Ibsen may have been exercising his
own quasi-feminist ideals, the likes of which had been growing in society; the
linking of Noras transgression to the sweet, desirable macaroon suggests that
said transgression is a positive thing, whilst the patriarchal forbidding of the
macaroons is therefore condemned. From this feminist standpoint, then, Ibsen
could indeed be implying that forbidden fruits do taste the sweetest. Such
transgressional temptation can also be seen in Rossettis Goblin Market, in which
Laura succumbs to the calls of the goblin men and partakes of their wares,
namely luscious fruits and berries, despite the warnings of her sister Lizzie not to
even peep at goblin men, let alone eat their goods. However, in contrast to
Ibsen, the forbidden fruit here is not necessarily representative of female
emancipation, but could rather be the opposite, the oppression of the patriarchy;
Rossetti directly links the goblins to the patriarchy with the phrase goblin men,
and this case it is the sister Lizzie, not a male as is seen in A Dolls House, who
warns against surrender to temptation. However, despite this patriarchal
symbolism, Lauras initial apparent enjoyment of the fruits suggests that
forbidden fruits do indeed taste the sweetest, particularly of a material form.

Temptation of a romantic kind is also indicative of a situation in which forbidden

fruits taste the sweetest, in both literary works. This form of temptation is
especially evident within the character of Dr Rank in A Dolls House, shown in his
declaration of love for Nora. Dr Ranks temptation, and Noras semi-reciprocity, is
indicated and consolidated through the use of aphrodisiac language in the scene
of Act II, with the description of oysters and foie gras being particularly
sensual in nature. Whilst a 21st Century perception might not perceive as
especially sexual, to the 19th Century Norwegian audience, to which the play was
first performed, it would appear so, due to the increasingly consumeristic aspect
of society, with more luxuriant goods made more readily available to common
people with the rise of industry and mass production, at that time which
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rendered such foodstuffs especially desirable. However, the connotations of

sweet, rich foods in A Dolls House are largely negative, shown instantly with the
forbidden macaroons and Noras subjugation by Helmer as a result, and
therefore the prospect of oysters and foie gras in the context of A Dolls House
might not be so appealing, due to the expected repercussions. Despite this, the
connotations of food in Ibsens play magnify the forbidden fruit aspect, making
the sexual undertones of Dr Ranks and Noras conversation all the more
tantalising. Romantic temptation and ideas of forbidden love also pervade
Rossettis anthology, especially in the poem Soeur Louise de la Misericorde.
Soeur Louise was allegedly the mistress of Louis XIV of France, until the rise of
Jansenism, a particularly strict form of Catholicism, rendered such a mistress
unacceptable and she was forced to become a disgraced nun. Despite this
societal change, Soeur Louises desire and love for Louis XIV prevails, as
emphasised in the very last line of the poem: O vanity of vanities, desire!.
Similar to the relationship of Nora and Dr Rank in A Dolls House, which finds its
temptation in euphemism and implied transgression, Souer Louises sexual
feelings towards the French monarch are merely magnified by the constraints
and regulations imposed upon it, in this case societal rather than extra-marital.
Therefore, romantic temptation, in both A Dolls House and Rossettis anthology,
could be argued to be a fruit that tastes the sweetest.

However, there are numerous cases in both works in which the temptation is
recognised for its faults and difficulties, and the subject opts for the arguably
more morally based, rather than the more entrancing, decision. The most
obvious case of this in A Dolls House is possibly Noras abandonment of the
domestic sphere, including her husband and her three children, in order to lead a
more independent life. Whilst superficially this may seem to be an example of
Nora giving in to temptation, and the 19th Century audience may have vilified
Nora for such an act as to abandon the domestic sphere was tantamount to a
cardinal sin in Norwegian society due to the expectations placed upon women,
Ibsen identifies the abandonment of children in favour of individual betterment
as a noble act with the example of the Nurse, who left her own family to tend to
a young Nora, and subsequently Noras children. Therefore, whilst from a 19 th
Century standpoint it could be argued that Nora abandoning the domestic sphere
was indicative of moral corruption, a 21st Century perspective may be more
sympathetic and draw the parallel between the Nurse and Nora, as well as
applying feminist thought to the situation and drawing the conclusion that Nora
possesses the right to live as an individual, despite how tempting it might be to
remain in the domestic sphere. A similar concept is addressed by Rossetti in her
poem Twice, in which the narrator essentially abandons the domestic sphere
also, by rejecting any possibility of romantic love and fully embracing religion,
and godly love instead. This reflects Rossettis own experiences romantically, as
she herself rejected two marriage proposals, both partially on the grounds of
doctrinal differences as Rossetti herself was an ardent Anglican, and a member
of the very specifically ceremonially orientated Oxford Movement, which
endorsed Tractarianism. Therefore, romantic temptation is rejected in Twice, as
was rejected by Rossetti, and thus any prospect of the domestic sphere, similarly
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to Noras own rejection of the domestic sphere; in this, the forbidden fruit is
spurned, as its sweet taste does not redeem its moral implications.

In conclusion, the ideas of temptation, and forbidden fruits tasting the sweetest,
pervade both Ibsens A Dolls House and Rossettis anthology of poems, with
both authors exploring the tantalising aspects of both material and romantic
temptation. Although they do refute these ideas partially, which each illustrating
a rejection of a forbidden fruit, the prevalence of the motif and the subsequent
succumbing thereof suggests that forbidden fruits do, at least according to Ibsen
and Rossetti, taste the sweetest.