A doll’s house by h e n ri k ib s e n After seeing The Underpants, have students read the synopsis of A Doll’s House (or read the entire play!).
still refusing to reveal the name of her lender. Nora again tries to convince Torvald not to fire Krogstad, but he again refuses and instead has the maid send Krogstad a dismissal letter.
As A Doll’s House opens, it is Christmas Eve, and Nora Helmer has just returned home from a last-minute shopping trip. She is met by her husband, Torvald, a bank manager, whose first act is to reprimand her for her excessive spending and lack of financial responsibility. As Torvald goes to his study to meet with family friend, Dr. Peter Rand, Nora receives an unexpected visitor. Her school friend, Christine Linde, has been recently widowed and arrives to ask Nora’s help in securing a job at Torvald’s bank. During the course of their conversation, Nora confides to Christine that she is guilty of borrowing a large sum of money without Torvald’s knowledge and that she has been secretly paying off the debt.
In the meantime, Dr. Rank has arrived to tell Nora that he is close to death, losing the battle with the illness he has had for some time. Nora tries to comfort him but is shocked when he reveals his love for her. She sends him to talk to Torvald, as the maid announces a visitor, Krogstad. Krogstad again demands that Nora get him rehired and at a higher level. When she again refuses, he leaves a letter outlining the details of her debt and forgery. Nora, in a panic, confesses everything to Christine, who advises her to keep Torvald from the mail while she attempts to intervene with Krogstad. Nora distracts Torvald by showing him the dance she will perform at the party, and even though he is displeased with her show, he agrees to ignore the mail until after the party.
As Nora and Christine renew their friendship, Nils Krogstad, a clerk at the bank, arrives to speak with Torvald. After their brief meeting, Torvald dismisses Krogstad, and having been introduced to Christine, offers her a job. Krogstad appears to leave the house with Christine, Torvald and Dr. Rank, but reenters, scaring the children who have been playing with Nora. She sends them to their room so that she may speak privately with Krogstad.
While Nora and Torvald are at the party, Christine meets with Krogstad. It is revealed that they have had a past relationship and now that Christine is a widow, she is free and willing to be with him again. Krogstad is so happy that he offers to take his letter to Torvald back but Christine feels that it will benefit both Nora and Torvald if the truth is finally out in the open.
Krogstad has come to ask Nora’s help in keeping his job at the bank. When Nora refuses, he reminds her that it was he who lent her the money and that he has figured out that Nora forged her father’s signature on the loan documents. He threatens to reveal her secret if she does not help him. When Torvald returns, Nora does try to advocate for Krogstad but Torvald refuses and advises Nora to have nothing to do with him.
The party over, Torvald and Nora return home and Torvald praises Nora for her attractiveness as she danced at the party. Dr. Rank also comes by and leaves two cards in the mailbox, each with a black mark. Nora tells Torvald that this is the doctor’s way of letting them know that he will die soon.
The next day, Christine returns to help Nora with a costume for a party she and Torvald are to attend. Christine guesses that it is Dr. Rank who lent Nora the money she borrowed but Nora dismisses this thought,
Nora also insists that Torvald read Krogstad’s letter. He does and is enraged, calling Nora a hypocrite
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