Act 2 Analysis

           Things got pretty interesting during Act II. Everything picks up speed and we find out more about the characters.

It starts off with Nora talking to the nanny about running away and caring for her children, and Nora and Mrs. Linde discussing Dr. Rank. Mrs. Linde thought Nora borrowed the money from Dr. Rank, and she was very suspicious. In reality, Nora borrowed the money from Krogstad (which we already found out in Act I.)

Now Nora must ask Torvald to keep Krogstad’s position at the bank, or Krogstad will send the letter revealing all her secrets and she will pay her retribution. Torvald did not in any way want to hear what Nora had to say to defend Krogstad. He was only worried about his reputation. He says to Nora “..Suppose it were to get about that the new Manager had let himself be influenced by his wife…” (Ibsen 188) He viewed Krogstad as disreputable person and a criminal, and he did not want it to seem as if they were friends. He said it would make his job very intolerable.

Torvald is also a very sexist person and does not see Nora as an equal almost, and calls her a woman as an insult. There was no way she was going to be able to persuade him.

After that was over and the letter to Krogstad has been sent, Nora and Dr. Rank were talking. He confesses that he loves her and that he thinks he is dying. “As soon as I’m quite certain my end has come, I shall send you my card with a black cross on it and then you’ll know that my disgusting end has begun.” (Ibsen 191) This is kind of surprising because you don’t think that he will die. Then, he says he loves her I didn’t know what to think. “To have loved you as deeply as anyone else- was that horrid?” (Ibsen 195) Maybe Nora loved him back; by the way they were flirting.  

Towards the end of the act, Nora decides she will kill herself. What is so ironic is that, when Helmer has her rehearse the tarantella. Helmer keeps critizing her and he says “But Nora darling, you’re dancing as if your life depended on it!” (Ibsen 205) The funny thing is, her life did depend on it. She also asks the maid about having champagne and macaroons. She needed to somehow enjoy the last moments of her life before she would kill herself. No one else understood what was going to happen to her.