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Kristine tells Krogstad that she only married her husband because she had no other means to support her sick mother and young siblings and that she has returned to offer him her love again. She believes that he would not have stooped to unethical behavior if he had not been devastated by her abandonment and in dire financial straits. Krogstad changes his mind and offers to take back his letter from Torvald. Kristine, however, decides that Torvald should know the truth for the sake of his and Nora's marriage. Kristine arrives to help Nora repair a dress for a costume function that she and Torvald plan to attend the next day. Torvald returns from the bank, and Nora pleads with him to reinstate Krogstad, claiming she is worried Krogstad will publish libelous articles about Torvald and ruin his career.
Essays for A Doll’s House
We will only shout with joy, and keep saying,“It’s all over! Youdon’t seem to realise that it is all over. My poor little Nora, I quite understand; you don’t feelas if you could believe that I have forgiven you. But it is true, Nora, I swearit; I have forgiven you everything.
A Doll's House Full Play Summary
Theatre review: A Doll's House Part 2 dives adeptly into heady musings on marriage and independence — Stir - Stir
Theatre review: A Doll's House Part 2 dives adeptly into heady musings on marriage and independence — Stir.
Posted: Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
DOCTOR RANK.[comes out of HELMER’S study. Before he shuts the door he calls tohim]. No, my dear fellow, I won’t disturb you; I would rather go into your wife for a little while. [Shuts the door and sees Mrs LINDE.] Ibeg your pardon; I am afraid I am disturbing you too. It is you that must not be angry with me, dear. Theworst of a position like mine is that it makes one so bitter.
Nora Helmer
It is revealed that Krogstad is the person who Nora borrowed money from. He explains that he is being fired by Torvald, and that Nora must stop this happening or else Krogstad will tell everyone her secret. He adds that he has evidence that Nora forged her father’s signature in an IOU. Krogstad exits, and Torvald returns. Nora tries to persuade him not to fire Krogstad, but is unable to.
HELMER.Because such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of ahome. Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs ofevil. And about the children—thatis the most terrible part of it all, Nora. But below your signature there were a few lines constituting your fathera surety for the money; those lines your father should have signed. KROGSTAD.I promised to get you that amount, on certain conditions. Your mind was sotaken up with your husband’s illness, and you were so anxious to get themoney for your journey, that you seem to have paid no attention to theconditions of our bargain.
Wikipedia Entries for A Doll’s House
Nora’s entire outlook on life shifts by the end of the play, and she now understands that marriage needs equality to work. The maid brings a note from Krogstad saying he no longer wishes to blackmail Nora; the IOU is enclosed. Torvald rejoices, saying he is saved and that he forgives Nora.
A Summary and Analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House
[Takes her hands.]Now you look like your old self again; it was only the first moment—Youare a little paler, Christine, and perhaps a little thinner. HELMER.Of course you couldn’t, poor little girl. You had the best of intentionsto please us all, and that’s the main thing. But it is a good thing thatour hard times are over. But there is no need; as a matter of course he will come to dinner with us.However, I will ask him when he comes in this morning.
Do you know, Nora, I have often wished that you might be threatened bysome great danger, so that I might risk my life’s blood, and everything,for your sake. I know you are my truest and best friend, and so I willtell you what it is. Well, Doctor Rank, it is something you must help me toprevent.
He drops a letter detailing her forgery in a letterbox outside her husband’s office. Yet her self-sacrificing actions—illegally obtaining a loan to save her husband’s life and then keeping this loan a secret in order to placate his manly pride—prevent her from attaining this freedom. As Nora realizes that her selfless actions are now the source of her sorrow, she begins to question whether the life she leads is capable of providing her with happiness. The next night, as the costume party takes place upstairs, Krogstad meets Mrs. Linde in the Helmers’ living room. Their conversation reveals that the two had once been deeply in love, but Mrs. Linde left Krogstad for a wealthier man who would enable her to support her family. She tells Krogstad that now that she is free of her own familial obligations and wishes to be with Krogstad and care for his children.
She tells him that she is leaving, that she knows he never loved her, and that they have been strangers for their entire marriage. Now disillusioned with her religion and her place in society, Nora compares herself to a doll in a toy house that has been abused and manipulated for Torvald’s pleasure. She reveals that she had expected Torvald to be on her side and to risk his reputation to defend her, and that she nearly committed suicide in order to save his reputation. Torvald blanks in response, still unable to empathize with women because he only knows how to belittle them. Nora discards her house keys and wedding ring, causing Torvald to sob as he registers the scene. Nora walks out into the world, slamming the door behind her.
Look, he sends you yourbond back. He says he regrets and repents—that a happy change in hislife—never mind what he says! —no, first I must destroy these hateful things.Let me see—. [Takes a look at the bond.] No, no, I won’tlook at it.
The wife in the play ends by having no idea what is right and what is wrong; natural feelings on the one hand and belief in authority on the other lead her to utter distraction. At this point, Nora has an epiphany, as she realizes her husband only cares about appearances and loves himself above all other things. She gave up her daughter, whom she had out of wedlock, in order to accept a position as Nora's nurse. It’s not hard to see why, in fact. And the answer lies in the conventional domestic scenarios that were often the subject of European plays of the period when Ibsen was writing. Indeed, these scenarios are well-known to anyone who’s read Ibsen’s play, because A Doll’s House is itself a classic example of this kind of conventional play.
Meanwhile, Krogstad, a low-level employee at Torvald’s bank, arrives and proceeds to Torvald’s study. His arrival brings discomfort to Nora, but somehow she manages to hide her concern. Dr. Rank also encounters Krogstad and speaks about his bad reputation. Once Torvald ends talking to Krogstad, he comes to the living room and announces that he has decided to give Krogstad’s position to Mrs. Linde.
Nora tells Kristine of her difficult situation, gives her Krogstad's card with his address, and asks her to try to convince him to relent.
It is only some of the trimming come unsewn hereand there. NORA.And if my little ones had no other mother, I am sure you would—Whatnonsense I am talking! You will see tomorrow how charming I shall look. NURSE.At last I have found the box with the fancy dress. NORA.[takes her hand out of his and goes to the opposite side of the ChristmasTree]. How hot it is in here; and I have such a lot to do.
Still, one must take you asyou are. It is in the blood; for indeed it is true that you can inherit thesethings, Nora. A play about society’s deep internalization of male supremacy, A Doll’s House illuminates the irony that it can be both obvious and unconscious.
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