Act III- A Doll's House

Mrs. Linde and Krogstad

1.  How did Linde’s and Krogstad’s previous relationship end? Why?

2.  What metaphor does Krogstad use to describe himself at the present moment?

3.  What kind of mutual deal do they, Linde and Krogstad, reach?

4. What do they decide to do about the letter?  Which one is behind the decision?

Linde, Nora and Helmer

1.  Where have they just come from?

2.  What comment about Nora’s appearance does Helmer make?

3.  What foreshadowing promise does Nora make to Helmer about taking her away from the dance?

4.  What is the reason that Helmer gives for taking her away so soon?

5.  What does Linde tell Nora she must do? Why?

6.  What does Helmer say about Mrs. Linde, after she has gone?

Nora, Rank and Helmer

1.  What does Helmer confess to Nora about his imagination?  What does Helmer “make believe to himself”?

2.  What is Nora’s overall response to Torvald?

3.  Who interrupts Nora and Torvald and what do they want?

4.  What message do Nora and Torvald receive in their mailbox from Dr. Rank?

5.  Explain fully the reason why Helmer will miss Dr. Rank?

Nora and Helmer

1.  What does Helmer call Nora’s proclamation of love?

2.  What realization does Nora come up with besides the knowledge of her crime, during Torvald’s tirade?

3.  Who does Torvald blame for Nora’s behavior, besides Nora?

4.  What conditions does Helmer put on their relationship?

5.  What is the most important thing that is important to Helmer?

6.  What does the new letter, given to the maid, mean for Helmer?

7.  Why is Nora not as relieved as Helmer?

8.  What does Helmer conclude about Nora’s sense of responsibility?

9.  What decision does Nora make, in response to the above question and the last two Acts?

10.  Why does she plan to take the action explained above- what reasons does she give?

11.  What odd aspect of their relationship does Nora point out to Helmer?

12.  Who does Nora believe she has been “wronged” by? And why? List them in order.

13.  What is the significance of the title of the play, as summarized by Nora’s character?

14.  What does Nora plan to achieve by her course of action?

15.  For what reasons is this irresponsible, according to Helmer?

16.  Why would it be irresponsible for her to stay, according to Nora?

17.  What ideas does Nora call into question?  List at least three ideas.

18.  What is “the wonderful thing [that] did not happen”?

19.  What do Helmer and Nora exchange?

20.  What does Nora refer to Torvald Helmer as?

Act II- A Doll's House

Nora/Nurse

1.  Before the nurse comes in, what is it that Nora is carrying on about?  Who is the “someone”?  What is the “thing”?

2.  What did the nurse do with her children, that Nora asks about?  And why?

3.  How often does the nurse daughter see her?

4.  What does Nora hint at to her nurse?

Nora and Mrs. Linde

1.  Why has Nora called Christine back to the house?

2.  What are Nora and Christine’s differing opinions of the day before and why?

3.  What does Christine notice about Doctor Rank?

4.  What does Doctor Rank suffer from and why?

5.  What advice does Christine give to Nora and why?

6.  On the top of page 33, who is it that Nora refers to as “the other one” that “she must make an end of it with”?

7.  What does Nora conceal from Christine?

Nora and Helmer

1.  What does Nora ask of Helmer?

2.  What reason does Nora give Helmer for sparing Krogstad (concerning her father)?

3.  What difference doe Helmer point out between Nora’s father and himself?  How is his statement ironic?  Which kind of irony?

4.  What is it that Helmer explains is the reason he must dismiss Krogstad?  Include two reasons why.

5.   What is Helmer’s response to Nora’s “obstinacy”?

6.  What promise does Helmer make to Nora about “sharing” a burden?

7.  What happens in the stage direction that informs the audience about Nora’s mood and Dr. Rank’s future?

Dr. Rank and Nora

1.  What does Dr. Rank inform Nora of?

2.  Who is Doctor Rank jealous of, taking his place?

3.  What else does Dr. rank admit to Nora?

4.  What does Nora admit about love and companionship? 

5. Who does Nora compare Torvald with?

Nora and Krogstad

1.  Why has Krogstad come to speak with Nora?

2.  What does he explain he will do?

3.  What are Krogstad’s long term plans for Helmer and the bank?

4.  What does Krogstad leave in the letterbox?

Nora and Christine

1.  What does Nora explain to Christine?

2.  What is the “wonderful thing” that is going to happen, according to Nora?

3.  What do Christine and Nora plan to do to divert disaster?

The Tarantella

1.  What observation does Helmer make about Nora?

2.  What does Nora request of Helmer? Why?

3.  What does Helmer discover?

4.  Who plays the piano?  Who’s first, second and third?

5.  For what reason is Nora dancing so wildly?

6. “What is it that you are waiting for?”  Mrs. Christine Linde asks this question of Nora.  What do you think she is waiting for?  What “wonderful” thing?

Act I A Doll's House

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

As we read and discuss the full length play A Doll’s House, complete these questions below and those that will follow.  

Act I

Helmer and Nora

1.  What is Helmer’s new job?

2. Why is Helmer so concerned about “spend[ing] money recklessly”?

3.  On page 2, what does Helmer say is “like a woman”?

4. What does Nora buy Ivar?

5.  What does Nora buy for Bob?

6.  What does Nora buy for Emmy?

7. Who are Ivar, Bob and Emmy?

8.  What do Nora and Torvald agree will be Nora’s Christmas present?

9.  What is a person called who is always spending money? From the play?

10.  What has Nora given her word that she will not do?

Mrs. Christine Linde and Nora

1.  How has Mrs. Linde changed since Nora and she last met?

2.  Does Christine Linde have any children?  And how did she feel about her deceased husband, before his death?

3.  What kind of jobs has Nora taken up to ‘make ends meet,’ during her marriage to Helmer?

4. Why did Nora and Helmer go to Italy, according to the conversation?

5.  Whose death happened right around the same time as the trip to Italy?

6.  What is Christine Linde’s reason for marrying her late husband?

7.  What is it specifically that Nora has  “to be proud and glad of”?

8.  Who “procured the money” for the trip to Italy? And how?

9.  What is Nora’s “great secret”?  Explain your answer.

10. What does Nora spend her money on, mostly?

11.  What is that Nora states is “like being a man”?

12.  From the stage directions, how does Mrs. Linde feel about Krogstad?

13.  What is it that Krogstad has to discuss with Helmer?

14.  What is Krogstad’s marital situation?

Dr. Rank

1.  Why can’t Mrs. Linde “manage stairs very well”?

2.  What illness does Rank believe Krogstad to suffer from?

3.  What subject do Linde and Rank get into an argument about?

4.  What exactly is Nora laughing about that breaks up the argument?

5.  For what purpose does Nora introduce Christine Linde to Helmer?

6.  What is it that Christine has accomplished by her visit?

Krogstad and Nora

1.  For what purpose does Krogstad come to speak with Nora?

2.  What is Christine Linde’s and Krogstad’s prior relationship?

3.  How did Nora become associated with Krogstad?

4.  How, exactly, does Krogstad plan to “compel” Nora to “plead his cause”?

5.  What legal indiscretion is Nora guilty of- what does she confess to Krogstad?

Nora and Helmer

1.  What lie does Helmer catch Nora in?

2.  What is  Torvald responsible for at the bank, after New Years?

3.  What is it that Torvald Helmer supposes is the root of  ‘criminal’ behavior- “those who have gone to the bad”?

4.  Why does Nora’s temperature rise, at this point in the Act?

5.  Why won’t she see her children?