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Summary and Analysis of Act I
Nora enters a late nineteenth-century living room furnished comfortably and tastefully but not extravagantly carrying a Christmas tree and presents. After she nibbles on a few macaroons, she begins unwrapping parcels. Torvald, from his study (adjacent to the living room), hears her and comes out. Nora hides her macaroons. When Torvald sees the numerous purchases Nora has made, he chastises her for being a spendthrift. Torvald's tone is of a father talking to a small child. Nora responds to Torvald's concerns by saying that money is not important and that, should it become so, they will simply borrow money until Torvald gets paid again. Torvald gently objects to the idea of being in debt. Seeing that Nora is put out by his chastisement, Torvald offers her money for housekeeping, much to Nora's excitement. Nora shows him the presents she has bought. Torvald then asks Nora what she would like for Christmas. After hesitating for a bit, Nora says that she would most like money. Laughing, Torvald again patronizingly accuses Nora of being a spendthrift. Torvald then asks if Nora has been breaking rules and eating sweets. Nora lies and denies that she has been eating macaroons, protesting that she would never go against Torvald's wishes. Torvald believes her and they begin discussing how much they are looking forward to Christmas. They reminisce about the past, including how Nora locked herself up in a room in order to surprise everyone with homemade ornaments the year before only for them to be torn up by the cat. Nora begins to talk to Torvald about her plans for after Christmas when the maid interrupts with news of visitors. Torvald retreats to his study where his friend Doctor Rank has gone while Nora receives Mrs. Linde, an old friend from school. At first, Nora does not recognize Mrs. Linde, who she has not seen for about a decade. The two quickly catch up on the events of their lives, including the death of Mrs. Linde's husband. Mrs. Linde reports that she feels that she has become much older but quickly asks Nora to tell her about herself. Nora happily shares that Torvald has been appointed to manager of the bank and that she is relieved that they will soon have heaps of money. Mrs. Linde, smiling, chastises Nora for fixing on money and they reminisce about Nora being a spendthrift when they were younger. Nora qualifies this comment by revealing that she and Torvald have both had to work very hard to make what they have. In fact, she reports that, early in their marriage, Torvald fell ill from overwork and they had to take a very costly vacation to Italy, paid for by Nora's father, in order to allow Torvald to recover. Nora laments the fact that, because she was looking after Torvald and expecting her first child, she could not nurse her father when he fell fatally ill just prior to their departure for Italy. Returning to the present, Nora happily reports that Torvald has been in good health ever since their trip. The two women then turn to a discussion of Mrs. Linde. At Nora's request, Mrs. Linde explains why she married her husband despite the fact that she did not love him, reporting that the draw of his financial status was too compelling, given her circumstances. Mrs. Linde reports that, unfortunately, her husband died penniless and she has had to work to make ends meet and support her relatives for the last few years. Now that her mother is dead and her brother comfortable, Mrs. Linde says that she feels empty because she has no one for whom to care. She slyly asks Nora if Torvald would be able to secure some work for her. Nora agrees. Mrs. Linde makes an off-hand remark about how little Nora has had to worry about in life, calling Nora a child. Nora objects, challenging Mrs. Linde's superior attitude. To prove how much she has been through, Nora shares with Mrs. Linde that, despite what she had just told her, it was actually Nora who, through a loan from an undivulged source, procured the money necessary to go to Italy and save Torvald's life. Mrs. Linde wonders aloud if Nora has not acted imprudently, having never shared this secret with her husband. Nora rejects this view, claiming that Torvald and her marriage could not sustain the knowledge of this secret. Mrs. Linde questions Nora as to whether Nora ever plans to tell Torvald. Nora replies that she may some day, if her good looks and charm wear off and she is in need of some compelling way to keep Torvald, but not for quite a while. She then launches into a description of how hard it has been to find the money she has needed to repay this loan and how happy she is that she will be free of its burden thanks to Torvald's promotion. The doorbell rings and the maid informs Nora that Krogstad desires to see Torvald. Nora, shocked and worried that Krogstad has come to inform Torvald of Nora's secret, questions Krogstad about his business. Krogstad assures her that it is mere bank business and so Nora assents. Mrs. Linde reveals that she once knew the man. When Krogstad goes into the study, Dr. Rank comes out to chat with Nora and Mrs. Linde. Discussing the human urge to sustain life, Dr. Rank grudgingly admits that he does want to preserve his own despite his physical pain resulting from a disease. He then begins to discourse on the pervasiveness of morally corrupt characters, including Krogstad. Nora feigns ignorance and inquires about Krogstad about whom Dr. Rank only has unflattering reports. Nora suddenly breaks out into laughter. Avoiding a direct reply to the questioning looks of Mrs. Linde and Dr. Rank, she asks if the employees of the bank will be under the power of Torvald after his promotion. She revels in the idea. Still happy, she offers a macaroon to Dr. Rank, falsely claiming that they were a gift from an unaware Mrs. Linde after Dr. Rank expresses surprise (knowing that they are forbidden). Nora then impulsively shares with Mrs. Linde and Dr. Rank that there is something that she would very much like to say if Torvald was able to hear: "I'll be damned!" Her companions' reactions are cut short, though, by the emergence of Torvald from the study. Hiding the macaroons, Nora introduces Torvald to Mrs. Linde after he emerges from the study. After the initial introductions and explanation of Mrs. Linde's situation, Torvald agrees to secure a bookkeeping job for her at the bank. Torvald and Dr. Rank then exit followed by Mrs. Linde, who is going off to look for a room. As they are leaving, the nurse enters with the children. The maid leaves for a bit and Nora proceeds to play with her children. While they are engrossed in a game of hide-and-go-seek, Krogstad knocks and half enters the room. The game abruptly stops when his presence is recognized. Nora sends the kids to the Nurse and talks to Krogstad at his request. Krogstad inquires whether Mrs. Linde has been given an appointment at the bank. Nora confirms this and cautions Krogstad to be careful about offending those in power since he is in a subordinate position. Krogstad then asks Nora to use her influence to ensure that he will be able to keep his own position at the bank. Nora is confused and explains that she has no influence on such matters. After making a disparaging remark about Torvald, Krogstad reveals that he is prepared to fight for his position at the bank as if for his life, implying that he will not hesitate to reveal Nora's secret. Torvald explains that his reputation at the bank, sullied by an indiscretion of the distant past, is extremely important to him because it will influence the lot of his maturing sons. Nora again replies that she has no power to influence his status. Krogstad threatens again to reveal her secret to which Nora replies that she is not worried; she believes that Torvald's knowledge would not bring great harm to the family. As a last resort, Krogstad points out the fact that Nora had committed fraud by signing her father's name for him, to which Nora admits. Nora scoffs that surely her indiscretion was not important but Krogstad calls that into question by comparing it to his own problem of the past and the potential reaction of a court of law. Nora is in disbelief that what she sees as an act of love could ever be considered illegal or wrong but is perturbed nonetheless. Krogstad threatens her one last time with legal action and leaves. When Krogstad leaves, Nora's children enter. Nora tells them not to mention Krogstad's visit to Torvald and reneges on her earlier promise to play with them, shooing them away. She then busies herself with needlework and asks for the Christmas tree. While Nora is dressing the tree and talking the problem out aloud to herself, Torvald returns and questions whether Krogstad has visited. After first denying it, Nora admits to the meeting because Torvald tells her that he believes that she is acting out of pity for a man who has come begging her to put a good word in for him to Torvald. Torvald reprimands her for participating in a lie and dealing with a man of questionable character. He then dismisses the subject. Nora, still dressing the tree, weaves a conversation that alternates between discussing the approaching fancy-dress ball (and asking for Torvald's help with it) and Krogstad. Torvald finally takes the bait and reveals that he plans to dismiss Krogstad because he despises Krogstad's character. Divulging that Krogstad's past indiscretion had been a forgery, Torvald admits that he would have forgiven the man had Krogstad owned up to his lie. Instead, Torvald vigorously condemns the lie that Krogstad used to escape his problem, claiming that Krogstad's hypocrisy is treacherous because it even infects his family; Torvald even goes so far as to claim that each breath that Krogstad takes necessarily pollutes his home and children. Nora mildly questions this and Torvald replies that he has often seen this sort of thing. In fact, Torvald claims that all children who go bad do so as a result of bad mothering (and perhaps fathering). Telling Nora never to pled Krogstad's case again, Torvald says that he would be unable to work with Krogstad because Torvald becomes physically ill in his presence. Nora is agitated and comments on how hot she is. Torvald, oblivious, goes off to his study to take care of business while Nora whispers to herself that the situation cannot be real. The Nurse asks if the children can come in and play, to which Nora strongly refuses. Left alone, Nora is pale with terror and wonders if she can really be depraving her children. As the act closes, Nora tosses her head and states that these fears cannot be true. AnalysisAct I, in the tradition of the well made play in which the first act serves as an exposition, the second an event, and the third an unraveling (though Ibsen diverges from the traditional third act by presenting not an unraveling, but a discussion), establishes the tensions that explode later in the play. Ibsen sets up the Act by first introducing us to the central issue: Nora and her relation to the exterior world (Nora entering with her packages). Nora serves as a symbol for women of the time; women who were thought to be content with the luxuries of modern society with no thought or care of the world in which they lived. Indeed, there is some truth in this (the extent of this is debatable). As the play reveals, Nora does delight in material wealth, having been labeled a spendthrift from an early age. She projects the attitude that money is the key to happiness. By presenting this theme of the relationship between women and their surroundings at the beginning, Ibsen indicates to the reader that this is the most basic and important idea at work in the play. However, it is also clear that Nora's simplistic approach to the world is not entirely her fault. Torvald's treatment of Nora as a small helpless child only contributes to Nora's isolation from reality. Just as Nora relates to the exterior world primarily through material objects, Torvald relates to Nora as an object to be possessed. The question becomes who is more detached from reality? Though Torvald's attitude pervades every word he speaks to Nora, his objectification of her is most evident in his use of animal imagery. He refers to her as his little "lark" and "squirrel"small harmless animals. Similarly, Torvald repeatedly calls Nora his "little one" or "little girl", maintaining the approach of a father rather than husband. Nora is fully dependent on Torvald, from money to diet (the macaroons); and, because she is so sheltered, her perception of the world is romanticized. Nora's skewed vision of the world is most evident in her interactions with Mrs. Linde. Whereas her old school friend is wizened and somber, Nora is impetuous. Her choice to tell Mrs. Linde about her secret seems to be more of a boast of a small child than a thoughtful adult; in fact, Nora only reveals her secret after being called a child by Mrs. Linde. Similarly, in her talk with Krogstad, Nora seems unable to accept that what she sees as acts of love could be seen as illegal and wrong. She refuses to believe that she is just as guilty as Krogstad. However, it is apparent that Nora is at least partly aware of the falseness of her life. When pressed as to whether she will ever tell Torvald about the loan, she replies that she would, but only in time. For now, she believes that it would upset the lies that have built her home: Torvald's "manly independence" and even the basis of their marriage. This suggests that Nora is at least vaguely aware that Torvald's position as the manly provider and lawgiver is just as fabricated as her role as the helpless child-wife and mother. Indeed, it is important to examine the language of the opening scene between Nora and Torvald and realize that Nora's words can be read as both sincere and insincere; the text suggests an ambiguity in Nora's awareness of her situation. However, though Nora is somewhat aware, she does not want to face the implications of this reality, believing that material wealth will render her "free from care", allowing her to play with her children, keep the house beautifully, and do everything the way that Torvald likes. The lie can be preserved. Moreover, it seems that it is her lie, her knowledge that she has done something for Torvald that keeps Nora happy. Mrs. Linde's complaint that she feels unspeakably empty without anyone to care for reinforces the importance of this role for women in general in the text. Consequently, Nora is content to continue to act as a child, romping with her children as if she is one of them. Indeed, it is clear that, just as she is not as much a wife as a child in her marriage, she is not a mother in any real sense either. It is the nurse who actually takes care of the children; Nora mostly plays with them and occasionally takes on more serious responsibilities but only because she views them as "great fun". When Nora realizes that all may not go to plan after her talk with Krogstad because she is unable to either influence Torvald or talk to him on a straight level about her predicament, she begins to feel helpless. In the last scene of the act, when Nora is trimming the tree and conversing with Torvald, the full falseness of her situation becomes clear. Acting helpless, Nora tells Torvald that she absolutely needs his help, even with such a trifling thing as picking a costume for the upcoming ball. Torvald is not surprised and is even delighted, promising to help her. When the subject turns to the more serious matter of Torvald's views on Krogstad, it becomes apparent that Torvald is perhaps hopelessly invested in a false and twisted image of the world in which women are charged with the moral purity of the world, claiming that if men turn out badly it is because of poor mothering. As a result, at the end of the scene, when Nora reassures herself that "it must be impossible", she is worried both about the impossibility of her position in the immediate sense (i.e., concerning the loan) as well as the impossibility of her larger situationas a participant in a marriage and family built on lies. In fact, it is possible to view her last words of the acta defiance of Torvald's views on womenas the beginning of her rejection of the marriage altogether.
ClassicNote on A Doll's House
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