will not conform or pay lip-service to anyone, even in the interests of furthering his own ends.  Nora has no concept of honor for honor's sake and would rather risk everything to protect her husband- save his life in fact- despite what society may demand. She is painfully aware that she is acting outside the boundaries but it is for the greater good which she rationalizes means that good will prevail and her indiscretion will be excused. Alceste  and Nora then are similar in this respect as each believes that their form of sincerity will overcome all else.

It seems contradictory that Nora and Alceste should have similarities as described above as there are also stark differences between them. Nora spends much of her married life keeping a secret and maintaining her appearance as a fickle, "little spendthrift" amongst other descriptions her husband labels her with, discounting her opinion and worth outside the domestic life. Alceste would not condone Nora's deception - even though it saved her husband's life - as there can be no substitute for the truth to prevent  "this stinking sink of evil." He would see that Torvald Helmer, Nora's husband had been  "betrayed ... cheated." Alceste refuses to view life as "a... game.... (that) must be played"

Ultimately Alceste reveals his own insincerity, insisting that, to spite Celimene, Eliante must marry him. This actually makes him more like Torvald whose own understanding of the "norms" dictates that  others must bow to his version of the truth.

The similarities between these two characters lie in their attitude to honesty and their rejection of simulation and pretence. Both characters in these dramatic works refuse to take the easy option of pretending to feel emotions that they do not actually feel in order to please others or to fit in to society. For example, the opening scene of Moliere's comedy begins with Alceste berating his friend Philinte because he has just pretended to know and care for somebody much more than he actually does. Alceste's position is stated in the following quote:

I expect you to be sincere and as an honourable man never to utter a single word that you don't really mean.

Alceste's position then right from the start of this play puts him in conflict with those around him and with society at large. He does not fit in because he is not willing to yield on his beliefs about honesty. This is something that separates him from Nora, because Nora only comes to recognise the value of honesty through the course of A Doll's House. The opening scene makes clear that she is able to pretend to feel emotions that she does not actually feel, and it is only in Act III that she realises she has to be honest with herself and also with Helmer. Note what she says to him:

Torvald, that was the moment that I realised that for eight years I'd been living with a stranger, and had borne him three children... Oh, I can't bear to think about it! I could tear myself to shreds.

It is this act of honesty that results in her leaving her husband and her children and taking the defiant and brave step of setting up her own life independently, which, given the context of her time, was a massive risk to take. The differences between these two characters therefore lie in the way that Alceste remains a static character, hating dishonesty throughout the entire play, whereas Nora is a dynamic character, who comes to realise the need for honesty in her life during the course of the play.

The similarities between Nora in A Doll's House and Alceste inThe Misanthrope can be categorized in the following three aspects:

• characters versus their society
• purpose versus misunderstanding
• their essential nature

When it comes to characters versus their society , Nora and Alceste are alike in that their ideas and values are not appreciated. Although their values are different and the way they use their values also differs, the fact remains that Nora and Alceste are literally working against the social wave. Nora cannot be appreciated for doing the sacrifice of saving her husband's life simply because her position as a wife makes any other type of activity be deemed "inappropriate". This is a direct characterization of women as weaker, simpler, and less important people. Alceste's strong sense of morality crashes against the debauchery of the society with which he interacts on a daily basis. His sermons are ignored, and his ways are criticized by everyone equally.

Purpose vs. Misunderstanding - both, Nora and Alceste are essentially trying to do what is right. Nora pleases her husband, entertains her children, abides by the wifely rules, and even made a major social faux pas in getting a loan from another man in aims of saving her husband. Alceste wants people to learn good values such as telling the truth, being sincere, and leading an honorable life. This is done also with the best intentions. Yet, nobody seems to understand the purpose of these character's actions. Instead, people abide by the status quo and refuse to entertain that the actions of others have a meaning and purpose behind them.

The essential nature of Nora and Alceste is basically "good". There is no evidence of any deviance nor mischief in their characters; their actions seem to be altruistic for the mere fact of doing onto others the right way. Moreover, they are quite victimized, although in a passive manner; Nora is a victim of her historical time and of her gender, and of the expectations placed upon her. Alceste is victimized by his peers in that they see him as an anachronous piece of work. However, both Nora and Alceste have a lot to offer and their actions denote nothing but an inherent sense of basic decency.