A Doll’s House

Act III Discussion Questions

1. Why is Kristine willing to “risk everything” for Krogstad?

Because she so badly wants to be a mother but does not have children of her own. Krogstad's
wife had died and he has children that Kristine wants to raise. “Risk everything” because she
wants to have a family with him but he has a bad reputation. She is willing to be associated with
a man who is known for doing something bad because she wants to raise his family.

2. Why does Kristine encourage Krogstad to let Torvald read the letter revealing Nora’s
deception?

She thinks Nora and Torvald’s relationship needs it. Krogstad wants to ask to take the letter out
so that Nora’s secret doesn't get out but after thinking about it, Kristine thinks Nora just finally
needs to tell torvald. She says their (Nora and Torvald’s) relationship needs understanding.

3. Dr. Rank suggests Nora should go to the next masquerade dressed as “Charmed Life,” and
that she should dress “just as she looks every day.” What is the implication about Nora’s daily
life? Is it charmed? Or is the charm a masquerade? Explain.

I think this says that everyday Nora is pretending to love her life. The charm of her life is a
masquerade; she is unhappy and has a meaningless marriage that she pretends to enjoy. She
puts up a facade of being dumb and loving life but this is just the cahracter seh has been forced
into performing because she is a women. Nora tells everyone (and this is shown with her talking
with mrs. Linde in the begining) that she is very happy and dumb.

4. Discuss the irony in Torvald’s accusation that Nora has played with him “like a puppet.”

Is Torvald that has basically controlled her life because he is a man and has authority over her
who is a woman. The society they live in has made it so that Nora is a puppet to the men in her
lives. The irony is Torvald who is the real puppet master in this situation thinks he is the victim
because he has had a taste of unfairness which is something Nora deals with on the daily as a
woman.
5. Helmer’s pronouncement that “before all else, (Nora is) a wife and mother” is contradicted
by Nora’s “before all else, I’m a human being.” Is this issue significant today, or is it only a sign
of Ibsen’s time? Explain.

I think this can apply to today, but I think it is mostly just the past it shows. Women back then
were expected just to grow up in order to have and raise children and be there for a man. The
reason I don’t think this really applies to today is because I think it is a lot more socially
acceptable to not have children or get married. I guess there actually is an expectation that
people will grow up to get married and have children, but today I don’t feel it comes from a
place of “because you're a woman”. Everyone is just kind of expected to get married and have
children because that’s what a lot of people want I guess.

6. Discuss Nora’s decision to leave her family. Is it truly the only way she can reclaim her
identity and humanity?

Her whole life she has been pushed to being a “woman” which at this time means giving up a
lot of rights and freedom. Torvald tells her that she needs to do her duties which is to be a wife
and mother but Nora now believes that she has a duty to herself. Leaving her family is what she
believes will give her freedom to be herself. I do believe that this is the only way to reclaim her
identity, women in this society were never treated as anything but a doll by the men in their
lives so her leaving would give her a chance she’s never had before of being someone instead of
a toy.

7. The last sound the audience hears is the door slamming shut after Nora’s departure. Examine
the theatrical, literary, and historical significance of this stage device.

This kind of reminds of when people say “when one door closes, another one opens”. I think
this shows that Nora has a whole life to start ahead of her. She has closed this moment of her
life and is starting a new one. I feel like “when one door closes, another one opens” is usually
used optimistically, I think this shows Nora is finally free and going to be able to actually live
life.