Play-'A Doll's House'

8/3/2019 Play-'A Doll's House'

1/108

A DOLL'S HOUSE

by Henrik Ibsen

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Torvald Helmer.

Nora, his wife.

Doctor Rank.

Mrs. Linde.

Nils Krogstad.

Helmer's three yo n! children.

"nne, their n rse. " Ho semaid. " #orter.

$The action takes %lace in Helmer's ho se.&

Act I

(SCENE.--A room furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagantly. At the back, a door

to the right leads to the entrance-hall, another to the left leads to elmer!s study. "et#een the

doors stands a $iano. %n the middle of the left-hand #all is a door, and beyond it a #indo#. Near

the #indo# are a round table, arm-chairs and a small sofa. %n the right-hand #all, at the farther

end, another door& and on the same side, nearer the footlights, a stove, t#o easy chairs and a

rocking-chair& bet#een the stove and the door, a small table. Engravings on the #alls& a cabinet#ith china and other small ob'ects& a small book-case #ith #ell-bound books. he floors are

car$eted, and a fire burns in the stove. %t is #inter.

A bell rings in the hall& shortly after#ards the door is heard to o$en. Enter N)*A, humming a tune

and in high s$irits. She is in outdoor dress and carries a number of $arcels& these she lays on the

table to the right. She leaves the outer door o$en after her, and through it is seen a +)* E* #ho

is carrying a Christmas ree and a basket, #hich he gives to the A% #ho has o$ened the door.

N R".

Hide the (hristmas Tree caref lly, Helen. )e s re the children do not see it ntil this evenin!, when

it is dressed. ( o the +)* E*, taking out her $urse. How m ch*

# RT+R.

i-%ence.


2/108

N R".

There is a shillin!. No, kee% the chan!e. $The # RT+R thanks her, and !oes o t. N)*A shuts the

door. She is laughing to herself, as she takes off her hat and coat. She takes a $acket of macaroons

from her $ocket and eats one or t#o& then goes cautiously to her husband!s door and listens. /es,

he is in. (Still humming, she goes to the table on the right.

H+LM+R. $calls o t from his room&.

Is that my little lark twitterin! o t there*

N R". $b sy o%enin! some of the %arcels&.

es, it is/

H+LM+R.

Is it my little s0 irrel b stlin! abo t*

N R".es/

H+LM+R.

1hen did my s0 irrel come home*

N R".

2 st now. $ +uts the bag of macaroons into her $ocket and #i$es her mouth. (ome in here,

Torvald, and see what I have bo !ht.

H+LM+R.

Don't dist rb me. (A little later, he o$ens the door and looks into the room, $en in hand. )o !ht,

did yo say* "ll these thin!s* Has my little s%endthrift been wastin! money a!ain*

N R".

es b t, Torvald, this year we really can let o rselves !o a little. This is the first (hristmas that we

have not needed to economise.

H+LM+R.

till, yo know, we can't s%end money recklessly.

Nora.

es, Torvald, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn't we* 2 st a tiny wee bit/ o are

!oin! to have a bi! salary and earn lots and lots of money.

H+LM+R.

es, after the New ear3 b t then it will be a whole 0 arter before the salary is d e.


3/108

N R".

#ooh/ we can borrow ntil then.

H+LM+R.

Nora/ $ 0oes u$ to her and takes her $layfully by the ear. The same little featherhead/ %%ose,

now, that I borrowed fifty %o nds today, and yo s%ent it all in the (hristmas week, and then on

New ear's +ve a slate fell on my head and killed me, and4

Nora $ $utting her hands over his mouth .

h/ don't say s ch horrid thin!s.

H+LM+R.

till, s %%ose that ha%%ened,55what then*

N R".

If that were to ha%%en, I don't s %%ose I sho ld care whether I owed money or not.H+LM+R.

es, b t what abo t the %eo%le who had lent it*

N R".

They* 1ho wo ld bother abo t them* I sho ld not know who they were.

H+LM+R.

That is like a woman/ ) t serio sly, Nora, yo know what I think abo t that. No debt, no

borrowin!. There can be no freedom or bea ty abo t a home life that de%ends on borrowin! and

debt. 1e two have ke%t bravely on the strai!ht road so far, and we will !o on the same way for the

short time lon!er that there need be any str !!le.

N R". $movin! towards the stove&.

"s yo %lease, Torvald.

H+LM+R. $followin! her&.

(ome, come, my little skylark m st not droo% her win!s. 1hat is this/ Is my little s0 irrel o t of

tem%er* ( aking out his $urse. Nora, what do yo think I have !ot here*

N R". $ turning round 1uickly .

Money/

H+LM+R.

There yo are. (0ives her some money. Do yo think I don't know what a lot is wanted for

ho sekee%in! at (hristmas5 time*


4/108

N R". $ counting .

Ten shillin!s55a %o nd55two %o nds/ Thank yo , thank yo , Torvald3 that will kee% me !oin! for a

lon! time.

H+LM+R.

Indeed it m st.

N R".

es, yes, it will. ) t come here and let me show yo what I have bo !ht. "nd all so chea%/ Look,

here is a new s it for Ivar, and a sword3 and a horse and a tr m%et for )ob3 and a doll and dolly's

bedstead for +mmy,55they are very %lain, b t anyway she will soon break them in %ieces. "nd here

are dress5len!ths and handkerchiefs for the maids3 old "nne o !ht really to have somethin! better.

H+LM+R.

"nd what is in this %arcel* N R". (crying out &.

No, no/ yo m stn't see that ntil this evenin!.

H+LM+R.

6ery well. ) t now tell me, yo e-trava!ant little %erson, what wo ld yo like for yo rself*

N R".

7or myself* h, I am s re I don't want anythin!.

H+LM+R.

es, b t yo m st. Tell me somethin! reasonable that yo wo ld %artic larly like to have.

N R".

No, I really can't think of anythin!55 nless, Torvald55

H+LM+R.

1ell*

N R" $ $laying #ith his coat buttons, and #ithout raising her eyes to his &.

If yo really want to !ive me somethin!, yo mi!ht55yo mi!ht55

H+LM+R.

1ell, o t with it/

N R". (s$eaking 1uickly &.

o mi!ht !ive me money, Torvald. nly 8 st as m ch as yo can afford3 and then one of these

days I will b y somethin! with it.


5/108

H+LM+R.

) t, Nora55

N R".

h, do/ dear Torvald3 %lease, %lease do/ Then I will wra% it % in bea tif l !ilt %a%er and han! it on

the (hristmas Tree. 1o ldn't that be f n*

H+LM+R.

1hat are little %eo%le called that are always wastin! money*

N R".

%endthrifts55I know. Let s do as yo s !!est, Torvald, and then I shall have time to think what I

am most in want of. That is a very sensible %lan, isn't it*

H+LM+R. $smilin!&.

Indeed it is55that is to say, if yo were really to save o t of the money I !ive yo , and then really b y somethin! for yo rself. ) t if yo s%end it all on the ho sekee%in! and any n mber of

nnecessary thin!s, then I merely have to %ay % a!ain.

N R".

h b t, Torvald55

H+LM+R.

o can't deny it, my dear little Nora. $ +uts his arm round her #aist .& It's a sweet little s%endthrift,

b t she ses % a deal of money. ne wo ld hardly believe how e-%ensive s ch little %ersons are/

N R".

It's a shame to say that. I do really save all I can.

H+LM+R. $ laughing .

That's very tr e,55all yo can. ) t yo can't save anythin!/

N R". $ smiling 1uietly and ha$$ily &.

o haven't any idea how many e-%enses we skylarks and s0 irrels have, Torvald.

H+LM+R.

o are an odd little so l. 6ery like yo r father. o always find some new way of wheedlin!

money o t of me, and, as soon as yo have !ot it, it seems to melt in yo r hands. o never know

where it has !one. till, one m st take yo as yo are. It is in the blood3 for indeed it is tr e that yo

can inherit these thin!s, Nora.

N R".


6/108

"h, I wish I had inherited many of %a%a's 0 alities.

H+LM+R.

"nd I wo ld not wish yo to be anythin! b t 8 st what yo are, my sweet little skylark. ) t, do yo

know, it strikes me that yo are lookin! rather55what shall I say55rather neasy today*

N R".

Do I*

H+LM+R.

o do, really. Look strai!ht at me.

N R". $ looks at him &.

1ell*

H+LM+R. $ #agging his finger at her &.

Hasn't Miss weet Tooth been breakin! r les in town today* N R".

No3 what makes yo think that*

H+LM+R.

Hasn't she %aid a visit to the confectioner's*

N R".

No, I ass re yo , Torvald55

H+LM+R.

Not been nibblin! sweets*

N R".

No, certainly not.

H+LM+R.

Not even taken a bite at a macaroon or two*

N R".

No, Torvald, I ass re yo really55

H+LM+R.

There, there, of co rse I was only 8okin!.

N R". $ going to the table on the right &.

I sho ld not think of !oin! a!ainst yo r wishes.

H+LM+R.


7/108

No, I am s re of that3 besides, yo !ave me yo r word55 $ 0oing u$ to her .& 9ee% yo r little

(hristmas secrets to yo rself, my darlin!. They will all be revealed toni!ht when the (hristmas

Tree is lit, no do bt.

N R".

Did yo remember to invite Doctor Rank*

H+LM+R.

No. ) t there is no need3 as a matter of co rse he will come to dinner with s. However, I will ask

him when he comes in this mornin!. I have ordered some !ood wine. Nora, yo can't think how I

am lookin! forward to this evenin!.

N R".

o am I/ "nd how the children will en8oy themselves, Torvald/

H+LM+R.It is s%lendid to feel that one has a %erfectly safe a%%ointment, and a bi! eno !h income. It's

deli!htf l to think of, isn't it*

N R".

It's wonderf l/

H+LM+R.

Do yo remember last (hristmas* 7or a f ll three weeks beforehand yo sh t yo rself % every

evenin! ntil lon! after midni!ht, makin! ornaments for the (hristmas Tree, and all the other fine

thin!s that were to be a s r%rise to s. It was the d llest three weeks I ever s%ent/

N R".

I didn't find it d ll.

H+LM+R. $ smiling &.

) t there was %recio s little res lt, Nora.

N R".

h, yo sho ldn't tease me abo t that a!ain. How co ld I hel% the cat's !oin! in and tearin!

everythin! to %ieces*

H+LM+R.

f co rse yo co ldn't, %oor little !irl. o had the best of intentions to %lease s all, and that's the

main thin!. ) t it is a !ood thin! that o r hard times are over.

N R".


8/108

es, it is really wonderf l.

H+LM+R.

This time I needn't sit here and be d ll all alone, and yo needn't r in yo r dear eyes and yo r

%retty little hands55

N R". $ cla$$ing her hands &.

No, Torvald, I needn't any lon!er, need I/ It's wonderf lly lovely to hear yo say so/ $ aking his

arm .& Now I will tell yo how I have been thinkin! we o !ht to arran!e thin!s, Torvald. "s soon as

(hristmas is over55$ A bell rings in the hall .& There's the bell. $ She tidies the room a little .& There's

some one at the door. 1hat a n isance/

H+LM+R.

If it is a caller, remember I am not at home.

M"ID. $ in the door#ay ." lady to see yo , ma'am,55a stran!er.

N R".

"sk her to come in.

M"ID. $to H+LM+R&.

The doctor came at the same time, sir.

H+LM+R.

Did he !o strai!ht into my room*

M"ID.

es, sir.

$H+LM+R !oes into his room. The M"ID shers in Mrs. LIND+, who is in travellin! dress, and

sh ts the door.& Mrs. Linde $in a de8ected and timid voice&. How do yo do, Nora*

N R". $do btf lly&.

How do yo do55Mrs. Linde. o don't reco!nise me, I s %%ose.

N R".

No, I don't know55yes, to be s re, I seem to55$ ddenly.& es/ (hristine/ Is it really yo *

MR . LIND+.

es, it is I.

N R".


9/108

(hristine/ To think of my not reco!nisin! yo / "nd yet how co ld I55$In a !entle voice.& How yo

have altered, (hristine/

MR . LIND+.

es, I have indeed. In nine, ten lon! years55

N R".

Is it so lon! since we met* I s %%ose it is. The last ei!ht years have been a ha%%y time for me, I can

tell yo . "nd so now yo have come into the town, and have taken this lon! 8o rney in winter55that

was %l cky of yo .

MR . LIND+.

I arrived by steamer this mornin!.

N R".

To have some f n at (hristmas5time, of co rse. How deli!htf l/ 1e will have s ch f n to!ether/) t take off yo r thin!s. o are not cold, I ho%e. $ el$s her .& Now we will sit down by the stove,

and be cosy. No, take this armchair3 I will sit here in the rockin!5chair. $ akes her hands .& Now yo

look like yo r old self a!ain3 it was only the first moment55 o are a little %aler, (hristine, and

%erha%s a little thinner.

MR . LIND+.

"nd m ch, m ch older, Nora.

N R".

#erha%s a little older3 very, very little3 certainly not m ch. $ to%s s ddenly and s%eaks serio sly.&

1hat a tho !htless creat re I am, chatterin! away like this. My %oor, dear (hristine, do for!ive me.

MR . LIND+.

1hat do yo mean, Nora*

N R". $!ently&.

#oor (hristine, yo are a widow.

MR . LIND+.

es3 it is three years a!o now.

N R".

es, I knew3 I saw it in the %a%ers. I ass re yo , (hristine, I meant ever so often to write to yo at

the time, b t I always % t it off and somethin! always %revented me.

MR . LIND+.


10/108

I 0 ite nderstand, dear.

N R".

It was very bad of me, (hristine. #oor thin!, how yo m st have s ffered. "nd he left yo nothin!*

MR . LIND+.

No.

N R".

"nd no children*

MR . LIND+.

No.

N R".

Nothin! at all, then.

MR . LIND+. Not even any sorrow or !rief to live %on.

N R". $ looking incredulously at her &.

) t, (hristine, is that %ossible*

MR . LIND+ $ smiles sadly and strokes her hair &.

It sometimes ha%%ens, Nora.

N R".

o yo are 0 ite alone. How dreadf lly sad that m st be. I have three lovely children. o can't see

them 8 st now, for they are o t with their n rse. ) t now yo m st tell me all abo t it.

MR . LIND+.

No, no3 I want to hear abo t yo .

N R".

No, yo m st be!in. I m stn't be selfish today3 today I m st only think of yo r affairs. ) t there is

one thin! I m st tell yo . Do yo know we have 8 st had a !reat %iece of !ood l ck*

MR . LIND+.

No, what is it*

N R".

2 st fancy, my h sband has been made mana!er of the )ank/

MR . LIND+.

o r h sband* 1hat !ood l ck/


11/108

N R".

es, tremendo s/ " barrister's %rofession is s ch an ncertain thin!, es%ecially if he won't

ndertake nsavo ry cases3 and nat rally Torvald has never been willin! to do that, and I 0 ite

a!ree with him. o may ima!ine how %leased we are/ He is to take % his work in the )ank at the

New ear, and then he will have a bi! salary and lots of commissions. 7or the f t re we can live

0 ite differently55we can do 8 st as we like. I feel so relieved and so ha%%y, (hristine/ It will be

s%lendid to have hea%s of money and not need to have any an-iety, won't it*

MR . LIND+.

es, anyhow I think it wo ld be deli!htf l to have what one needs.

N R".

No, not only what one needs, b t hea%s and hea%s of money.

MR . LIND+ $smilin!&. Nora, Nora, haven't yo learned sense yet* In o r schooldays yo were a !reat s%endthrift.

N R". $la !hin!&.

es, that is what Torvald says now. $ 2ags her finger at her .& ) t :Nora, Nora: is not so silly as

yo think. 1e have not been in a %osition for me to waste money. 1e have both had to work.

MR . LIND+.

o too*

N R".

es3 odds and ends, needlework, crotchet5work, embroidery, and that kind of thin!. $Dro%%in! her

voice.& "nd other thin!s as well. o know Torvald left his office when we were married* There

was no %ros%ect of %romotion there, and he had to try and earn more than before. ) t d rin! the

first year he over5worked himself dreadf lly. o see, he had to make money every way he co ld,

and he worked early and late3 b t he co ldn't stand it, and fell dreadf lly ill, and the doctors said it

was necessary for him to !o so th.

MR . LIND+.

o s%ent a whole year in Italy, didn't yo *

N R".

es. It was no easy matter to !et away, I can tell yo . It was 8 st after Ivar was born3 b t nat rally

we had to !o. It was a wonderf lly bea tif l 8o rney, and it saved Torvald's life. ) t it cost a

tremendo s lot of money, (hristine.


12/108

MR . LIND+.

o I sho ld think.

N R".

It cost abo t two h ndred and fifty %o nds. That's a lot, isn't it*

MR . LIND+.

es, and in emer!encies like that it is l cky to have the money.

N R".

I o !ht to tell yo that we had it from %a%a.

MR . LIND+.

h, I see. It was 8 st abo t that time that he died, wasn't it*

N R".

es3 and, 8 st think of it, I co ldn't !o and n rse him. I was e-%ectin! little Ivar's birth every dayand I had my %oor sick Torvald to look after. My dear, kind father55I never saw him a!ain,

(hristine. That was the saddest time I have known since o r marria!e.

MR . LIND+.

I know how fond yo were of him. "nd then yo went off to Italy*

N R".

es3 yo see we had money then, and the doctors insisted on o r !oin!, so we started a month later.

MR . LIND+.

"nd yo r h sband came back 0 ite well*

N R".

"s so nd as a bell/

MR . LIND+.

) t55the doctor*

N R".

1hat doctor*

MR . LIND+.

I tho !ht yo r maid said the !entleman who arrived here 8 st as I did, was the doctor*

N R".

es, that was Doctor Rank, b t he doesn't come here %rofessionally. He is o r !reatest friend, and

comes in at least once everyday. No, Torvald has not had an ho r's illness since then, and o r


13/108

children are stron! and healthy and so am I. $2 m%s % and cla%s her hands.& (hristine/ (hristine/

it's !ood to be alive and ha%%y/55) t how horrid of me3 I am talkin! of nothin! b t my own affairs.

$ its on a stool near her, and rests her arms on her knees.& o m stn't be an!ry with me. Tell me,

is it really tr e that yo did not love yo r h sband* 1hy did yo marry him*

MR . LIND+.

My mother was alive then, and was bedridden and hel%less, and I had to %rovide for my two

yo n!er brothers3 so I did not think I was 8 stified in ref sin! his offer.

N R".

No, %erha%s yo were 0 ite ri!ht. He was rich at that time, then*

MR . LIND+.

I believe he was 0 ite well off. ) t his b siness was a %recario s one3 and, when he died, it all

went to %ieces and there was nothin! left. N R".

"nd then*55

MR . LIND+.

1ell, I had to t rn my hand to anythin! I co ld find5 5first a small sho%, then a small school, and so

on. The last three years have seemed like one lon! workin!5day, with no rest. Now it is at an end,

Nora. My %oor mother needs me no more, for she is !one3 and the boys do not need me either3 they

have !ot sit ations and can shift for themselves.

N R".

1hat a relief yo m st feel if55

MR . LIND+.

No, indeed3 I only feel my life ns%eakably em%ty. No one to live for anymore. $;ets % restlessly.&

That was why I co ld not stand the life in my little backwater any lon!er. I ho%e it may be easier

here to find somethin! which will b sy me and occ %y my tho !hts. If only I co ld have the !ood

l ck to !et some re! lar work55office work of some kind55

N R".

) t, (hristine, that is so fri!htf lly tirin!, and yo look tired o t now. o had far better !o away

to some waterin!5%lace.

MR . LIND+ $walkin! to the window&.

I have no father to !ive me money for a 8o rney, Nora.


14/108

N R". $risin!&.

h, don't be an!ry with me/

MR . LIND+ $!oin! % to her&.

It is yo that m st not be an!ry with me, dear. The worst of a %osition like mine is that it makes one

so bitter. No one to work for, and yet obli!ed to be always on the looko t for chances. ne m st

live, and so one becomes selfish. 1hen yo told me of the ha%%y t rn yo r fort nes have taken55

yo will hardly believe it55I was deli!hted not so m ch on yo r acco nt as on my own.

N R".

How do yo mean*55 h, I nderstand. o mean that %erha%s Torvald co ld !et yo somethin! to

do.

MR . LIND+.

es, that was what I was thinkin! of. N R".

He m st, (hristine. 2 st leave it to me3 I will broach the s b8ect very cleverly55I will think of

somethin! that will %lease him very m ch. It will make me so ha%%y to be of some se to yo .

MR . LIND+.

How kind yo are, Nora, to be so an-io s to hel% me/ It is do bly kind in yo , for yo know so

little of the b rdens and tro bles of life.

N R".

I55* I know so little of them*

MR .

LIND+ $smilin!&. My dear/ mall ho sehold cares and that sort of thin!/55 o are a child, Nora.

N R". $tosses her head and crosses the sta!e&.

o o !ht not to be so s %erior.

MR . LIND+.

No*

N R".

o are 8 st like the others. They all think that I am inca%able of anythin! really serio s55

MR . LIND+.

(ome, come55

N R".


15/108

55that I have !one thro !h nothin! in this world of cares.

MR . LIND+.

) t, my dear Nora, yo have 8 st told me all yo r tro bles.

N R".

#ooh/55those were trifles. $Lowerin! her voice.& I have not told yo the im%ortant thin!.

MR . LIND+.

The im%ortant thin!* 1hat do yo mean*

N R".

o look down %on me alto!ether, (hristine55b t yo o !ht not to. o are %ro d, aren't yo , of

havin! worked so hard and so lon! for yo r mother*

MR . LIND+.

Indeed, I don't look down on anyone. ) t it is tr e that I am both %ro d and !lad to think that I was %rivile!ed to make the end of my mother's life almost free from care.

N R".

"nd yo are %ro d to think of what yo have done for yo r brothers*

MR . LIND+.

I think I have the ri!ht to be.

N R".

I think so, too. ) t now, listen to this3 I too have somethin! to be %ro d and !lad of.

MR . LIND+.

I have no do bt yo have. ) t what do yo refer to*

N R".

%eak low. %%ose Torvald were to hear/ He m stn't on any acco nt55no one in the world m st

know, (hristine, e-ce%t yo .

MR . LIND+.

) t what is it*

NORA. (ome here. $# lls her down on the sofa beside her.& Now I will show yo that I too have

somethin! to be %ro d and !lad of. It was I who saved Torvald's life.

MR . LIND+.

: aved:* How*

N R".


16/108

I told yo abo t o r tri% to Italy. Torvald wo ld never have recovered if he had not !one there55

MR . LIND+.

es, b t yo r father !ave yo the necessary f nds.

N R". $smilin!&.

es, that is what Torvald and all the others think, b t55

MR . LIND+.

) t55

N R".

#a%a didn't !ive s a shillin!. It was I who %roc red the money.

MR . LIND+.

o * "ll that lar!e s m*

N R".Two h ndred and fifty %o nds. 1hat do yo think of that*

MR . LIND+.

) t, Nora, how co ld yo %ossibly do it* Did yo win a %ri


17/108

There is no need yo sho ld. I never said I had borrowed the money. I may have !ot it some other

way. $Lies back on the sofa.& #erha%s I !ot it from some other admirer. 1hen anyone is as

attractive as I am55

MR . LIND+.

o are a mad creat re.

N R".

Now, yo know yo 're f ll of c riosity, (hristine.

MR . LIND+.

Listen to me, Nora dear. Haven't yo been a little bit im%r dent*

N R". $sits % strai!ht&.

Is it im%r dent to save yo r h sband's life*

MR . LIND+.It seems to me im%r dent, witho t his knowled!e, to55

N R".

) t it was absol tely necessary that he sho ld not know/ My !oodness, can't yo nderstand that*

It was necessary he sho ld have no idea what a dan!ero s condition he was in. It was to me that the

doctors came and said that his life was in dan!er, and that the only thin! to save him was to live in

the so th. Do yo s %%ose I didn't try, first of all, to !et what I wanted as if it were for myself* I

told him how m ch I sho ld love to travel abroad like other yo n! wives3 I tried tears and

entreaties with him3 I told him that he o !ht to remember the condition I was in, and that he o !ht

to be kind and ind l!ent to me3 I even hinted that he mi!ht raise a loan. That nearly made him

an!ry, (hristine. He said I was tho !htless, and that it was his d ty as my h sband not to ind l!e

me in my whims and ca%rices55as I believe he called them. 6ery well, I tho !ht, yo m st be

saved55and that was how I came to devise a way o t of the diffic lty55

MR . LIND+.

"nd did yo r h sband never !et to know from yo r father that the money had not come from him*

N R".

No, never. #a%a died 8 st at that time. I had meant to let him into the secret and be! him never to

reveal it. ) t he was so ill then55alas, there never was any need to tell him.

MR . LIND+.

"nd since then have yo never told yo r secret to yo r h sband*


18/108

N R".

;ood Heavens, no/ How co ld yo think so* " man who has s ch stron! o%inions abo t these

thin!s/ "nd besides, how %ainf l and h miliatin! it wo ld be for Torvald, with his manly

inde%endence, to know that he owed me anythin!/ It wo ld %set o r m t al relations alto!ether3

o r bea tif l ha%%y home wo ld no lon!er be what it is now.

MR . LIND+.

Do yo mean never to tell him abo t it*

N R". $meditatively, and with a half smile&.

es55someday, %erha%s, after many years, when I am no lon!er as nice5lookin! as I am now. Don't

la !h at me/ I mean, of co rse, when Torvald is no lon!er as devoted to me as he is now3 when my

dancin! and dressin!5 % and recitin! have %alled on him3 then it may be a !ood thin! to have

somethin! in reserve55$)reakin! off.& 1hat nonsense/ That time will never come. Now, what doyo think of my !reat secret, (hristine* Do yo still think I am of no se* I can tell yo , too, that

this affair has ca sed me a lot of worry. It has been by no means easy for me to meet my

en!a!ements % nct ally. I may tell yo that there is somethin! that is called, in b siness, 0 arterly

interest, and another thin! called %ayment in installments, and it is always so dreadf lly diffic lt to

mana!e them. I have had to save a little here and there, where I co ld, yo nderstand. I have not

been able to % t aside m ch from my ho sekee%in! money, for Torvald m st have a !ood table. I

co ldn't let my children be shabbily dressed3 I have felt obli!ed to se % all he !ave me for them,

the sweet little darlin!s/

MR . LIND+.

o it has all had to come o t of yo r own necessaries of life, %oor Nora*

N R".

f co rse. )esides, I was the one res%onsible for it. 1henever Torvald has !iven me money for

new dresses and s ch thin!s, I have never s%ent more than half of it3 I have always bo !ht the

sim%lest and chea%est thin!s. Thank Heaven, any clothes look well on me, and so Torvald has

never noticed it. ) t it was often very hard on me, (hristine55beca se it is deli!htf l to be really

well dressed, isn't it*

MR . LIND+.

= ite so.

N R".


19/108

1ell, then I have fo nd other ways of earnin! money. Last winter I was l cky eno !h to !et a lot

of co%yin! to do3 so I locked myself % and sat writin! every evenin! ntil 0 ite late at ni!ht. Many

a time I was des%erately tired3 b t all the same it was a tremendo s %leas re to sit there workin!

and earnin! money. It was like bein! a man.

MR . LIND+.

How m ch have yo been able to %ay off in that way*

N R".

I can't tell yo e-actly. o see, it is very diffic lt to kee% an acco nt of a b siness matter of that

kind. I only know that I have %aid every %enny that I co ld scra%e to!ether. Many a time I was at

my wits' end. $ miles.& Then I sed to sit here and ima!ine that a rich old !entleman had fallen in

love with me55

MR . LIND+.1hat/ 1ho was it*

N R".

)e 0 iet/55that he had died3 and that when his will was o%ened it contained, written in bi! letters,

the instr ction> :The lovely Mrs. Nora Helmer is to have all I %ossess %aid over to her at once in

cash.:

MR . LIND+.

) t, my dear Nora55who co ld the man be*

N R".

;ood !racio s, can't yo nderstand* There was no old !entleman at all3 it was only somethin! that

I sed to sit here and ima!ine, when I co ldn't think of any way of %roc rin! money. ) t it's all the

same now3 the tiresome old %erson can stay where he is, as far as I am concerned3 I don't care abo t

him or his will either, for I am free from care now. $2 m%s %.& My !oodness, it's deli!htf l to think

of, (hristine/ 7ree from care/ To be able to be free from care, 0 ite free from care3 to be able to

%lay and rom% with the children3 to be able to kee% the ho se bea tif lly and have everythin! 8 st

as Torvald likes it/ "nd, think of it, soon the s%rin! will come and the bi! bl e sky/ #erha%s we

shall be able to take a little tri%55%erha%s I shall see the sea a!ain/ h, it's a wonderf l thin! to be

alive and be ha%%y. $" bell is heard in the hall.&

MR .

LIND+ $risin!&. There is the bell3 %erha%s I had better !o.


20/108

N R".

No, don't !o3 no one will come in here3 it is s re to be for Torvald.

+R6"NT. $at the hall door&.

+-c se me, ma'am55there is a !entleman to see the master, and as the doctor is with him55

N R".

1ho is it*

9R ; T"D. $at the door&.

It is I, Mrs. Helmer. $Mrs. LIND+ starts, trembles, and t rns to the window.&

N R" $takes a ste% towards him, and s%eaks in a strained, low voice&.

o * 1hat is it* 1hat do yo want to see my h sband abo t*

9R ; T"D.

)ank b siness55in a way. I have a small %ost in the )ank, and I hear yo r h sband is to be o r chiefnow55

N R".

Then it is55

9R ; T"D.

Nothin! b t dry b siness matters, Mrs. Helmer3 absol tely nothin! else.

N R".

)e so !ood as to !o into the st dy, then. $ he bows indifferently to him and sh ts the door into the

hall3 then comes back and makes % the fire in the stove.&

MR . LIND+.

Nora55who was that man*

N R".

" lawyer, of the name of 9ro!stad.

MR . LIND+.

Then it really was he.

N R".

Do yo know the man*

MR . LIND+.

I sed to55many years a!o. "t one time he was a solicitor's clerk in o r town.

N R".


21/108

es, he was.

MR . LIND+.

He is !reatly altered.

N R".

He made a very nha%%y marria!e.

MR . LIND+.

He is a widower now, isn't he*

N R".

1ith several children. There now, it is b rnin! %. h ts the door of the stove and moves the

rockin!5chair aside.&

MR . LIND+.

They say he carries on vario s kinds of b siness. N R".

Really/ #erha%s he does3 I don't know anythin! abo t it. ) t don't let s think of b siness3 it is so

tiresome.

D (T R R"N9 $comes o t of H+LM+R' st dy. )efore he sh ts the door he calls to him&.

No, my dear fellow, I won't dist rb yo 3 I wo ld rather !o in to yo r wife for a little while. $ h ts

the door and sees Mrs. LIND+.& I be! yo r %ardon3 I am afraid I am dist rbin! yo too.

N R".

No, not at all. $Introd cin! him&. Doctor Rank, Mrs. Linde.

R"N9.

I have often heard Mrs. Linde's name mentioned here. I think I %assed yo on the stairs when I

arrived, Mrs. Linde*

MR . LIND+.

es, I !o % very slowly3 I can't mana!e stairs well.

R"N9.

"h/ some sli!ht internal weakness*

MR . LIND+.

No, the fact is I have been overworkin! myself.

R"N9.


22/108

Nothin! more than that* Then I s %%ose yo have come to town to am se yo rself with o r

entertainments*

MR . LIND+.

I have come to look for work.

R"N9.

Is that a !ood c re for overwork*

MR . LIND+.

ne m st live, Doctor Rank.

R"N9.

es, the !eneral o%inion seems to be that it is necessary.

N R".

Look here, Doctor Rank55yo know yo want to live.R"N9.

(ertainly. However wretched I may feel, I want to %rolon! the a!ony as lon! as %ossible. "ll my

%atients are like that. "nd so are those who are morally diseased3 one of them, and a bad case too,

is at this very moment with Helmer55

MR .

LIND+ $sadly&. "h/

N R".

1hom do yo mean*

R"N9.

" lawyer of the name of 9ro!stad, a fellow yo don't know at all. He s ffers from a diseased moral

character, Mrs. Helmer3 b t even he be!an talkin! of its bein! hi!hly im%ortant that he sho ld live.

N R".

Did he* 1hat did he want to s%eak to Torvald abo t*

R"N9.

I have no idea3 I only heard that it was somethin! abo t the )ank.

N R".

I didn't know this55what's his name559ro!stad had anythin! to do with the )ank.

R"N9.


23/108

es, he has some sort of a%%ointment there. $To Mrs. LIND+.& I don't know whether yo find also

in yo r %art of the world that there are certain %eo%le who !o


24/108

h, well, don't be alarmed/ o co ldn't know that Torvald had forbidden them. I m st tell yo

that he is afraid they will s%oil my teeth. ) t, bah/55once in a way55That's so, isn't it, Doctor Rank*

)y yo r leave/ $# ts a macaroon into his mo th.& o m st have one too, (hristine. "nd I shall

have one, 8 st a little one55or at most two. $1alkin! abo t.& I am tremendo sly ha%%y. There is 8 st

one thin! in the world now that I sho ld dearly love to do.

R"N9.

1ell, what is that*

N R".

It's somethin! I sho ld dearly love to say, if Torvald co ld hear me.

R"N9.

1ell, why can't yo say it*

N R". No, I daren't3 it's so shockin!.

MR . LIND+.

hockin!*

R"N9.

1ell, I sho ld not advise yo to say it. till, with s yo mi!ht. 1hat is it yo wo ld so m ch like

to say if Torvald co ld hear yo *

N R".

I sho ld 8 st love to say551ell, I'm damned/

R"N9.

"re yo mad*

MR . LIND+.

Nora, dear55/

R"N9.

ay it, here he is/

N R". $hidin! the %acket&.

H sh/ H sh/ H sh/ $H+LM+R comes o t of his room, with his coat over his arm and his hat in his

hand.&

N R".

1ell, Torvald dear, have yo !ot rid of him*


25/108

H+LM+R.

es, he has 8 st !one.

N R".

Let me introd ce yo 55this is (hristine, who has come to town.

H+LM+R.

(hristine55* +-c se me, b t I don't know55

N R".

Mrs. Linde, dear3 (hristine Linde.

H+LM+R.

f co rse. " school friend of my wife's, I %res me*

MR . LIND+.

es, we have known each other since then. N R".

"nd 8 st think, she has taken a lon! 8o rney in order to see yo .

H+LM+R.

1hat do yo mean* Mrs. Linde. No, really, I55

N R".

(hristine is tremendo sly clever at book5kee%in!, and she is fri!htf lly an-io s to work nder

some clever man, so as to %erfect herself55

H+LM+R.

6ery sensible, Mrs. Linde.

N R".

"nd when she heard yo had been a%%ointed mana!er of the )ank55the news was tele!ra%hed, yo

know55she travelled here as 0 ick as she co ld. Torvald, I am s re yo will be able to do somethin!

for (hristine, for my sake, won't yo *

H+LM+R.

1ell, it is not alto!ether im%ossible. I %res me yo are a widow, Mrs. Linde*

MR . LIND+.

es.

H+LM+R.

"nd have had some e-%erience of book5kee%in!*


26/108

MR . LIND+.

es, a fair amo nt.

H+LM+R.

"h/ well, it's very likely I may be able to find somethin! for yo 55

N R". $cla%%in! her hands&.

1hat did I tell yo * 1hat did I tell yo *

H+LM+R.

o have 8 st come at a fort nate moment, Mrs. Linde.

MR . LIND+.

How am I to thank yo *

H+LM+R.

There is no need. $# ts on his coat.& ) t today yo m st e-c se me55R"N9.

1ait a min te3 I will come with yo . $)rin!s his f r coat from the hall and warms it at the fire.&

N R".

Don't be lon! away, Torvald dear.

H+LM+R.

"bo t an ho r, not more.

N R".

"re yo !oin! too, (hristine*

MR . LIND+ $% ttin! on her cloak&.

es, I m st !o and look for a room.

H+LM+R.

h, well then, we can walk down the street to!ether.

N R". $hel%in! her&.

1hat a %ity it is we are so short of s%ace here3 I am afraid it is im%ossible for s55

MR . LIND+.

#lease don't think of it/ ;oodbye, Nora dear, and many thanks.

N R".


27/108

;oodbye for the %resent. f co rse yo will come back this evenin!. "nd yo too, Dr. Rank. 1hat

do yo say* If yo are well eno !h* h, yo m st be/ 1ra% yo rself % well. $They !o to the door

all talkin! to!ether. (hildren's voices are heard on the staircase.&

N R".

There they are/ There they are/ $ he r ns to o%en the door. The N?R + comes in with the

children.& (ome in/ (ome in/ $ too%s and kisses them.& h, yo sweet blessin!s/ Look at them,

(hristine/ "ren't they darlin!s*

R"N9.

Don't let s stand here in the dra !ht.

H+LM+R.

(ome alon!, Mrs. Linde3 the %lace will only be bearable for a mother now/

$R"N9, H+LM+R, and Mrs. LIND+ !o downstairs. The N?R + comes forward with thechildren3 N R" sh ts the hall door.&

N R".

How fresh and well yo look/ ch red cheeks like a%%les and roses. $The children all talk at once

while she s%eaks to them.& Have yo had !reat f n* That's s%lendid/ 1hat, yo % lled both +mmy

and )ob alon! on the sled!e* 55both at once*55that was !ood. o are a clever boy, Ivar. Let me

take her for a little, "nne. My sweet little baby doll/ $Takes the baby from the M"ID and dances it

% and down.& es, yes, mother will dance with )ob too. 1hat/ Have yo been snowballin!* I

wish I had been there too/ No, no, I will take their thin!s off, "nne3 %lease let me do it, it is s ch

f n. ;o in now, yo look half fro


28/108

to fri!hten them. 7resh la !hter. Meanwhile there has been a knock at the hall door, b t none of

them has noticed it. The door is half o%ened, and 9R ; T"D a%%ears, lie waits a little3 the !ame

!oes on.&

9R ; T"D.

+-c se me, Mrs. Helmer.

N R" $with a stifled cry, t rns ro nd and !ets % on to her knees&.

"h/ what do yo want*

9R ; T"D.

+-c se me, the o ter door was a8ar3 I s %%ose someone for!ot to sh t it.

N R". $risin!&.

My h sband is o t, Mr. 9ro!stad.

9R ; T"D.I know that.

N R".

1hat do yo want here, then*

9R ; T"D.

" word with yo .

N R".

1ith me*55$To the children, !ently.& ;o in to n rse. 1hat* No, the stran!e man won't do mother

any harm. 1hen he has !one we will have another !ame. $ he takes the children into the room on

the left, and sh ts the door after them.& o want to s%eak to me*

9R ; T"D.

es, I do.

N R".

Today* It is not the first of the month yet.

9R ; T"D.

No, it is (hristmas +ve, and it will de%end on yo rself what sort of a (hristmas yo will s%end.

N R".

1hat do yo mean* Today it is absol tely im%ossible for me55

9R ; T"D.


29/108

1e won't talk abo t that ntil later on. This is somethin! different. I %res me yo can !ive me a

moment*

N R".

es55yes, I can55altho !h55

9R ; T"D.

;ood. I was in lsen's Resta rant and saw yo r h sband !oin! down the street55

N R".

es*

9R ; T"D.

1ith a lady.

N R".

1hat then*9R ; T"D.

May I make so bold as to ask if it was a Mrs. Linde*

N R".

It was.

9R ; T"D.

2 st arrived in town*

N R".

es, today.

9R ; T"D.

he is a !reat friend of yo rs, isn't she*

N R".

he is. ) t I don't see55

9R ; T"D.

I knew her too, once %on a time.

N R".

I am aware of that.

9R ; T"D.

"re yo * o yo know all abo t it3 I tho !ht as m ch. Then I can ask yo , witho t beatin! abo t

the b sh55is Mrs. Linde to have an a%%ointment in the )ank*


30/108

N R".

1hat ri!ht have yo to 0 estion me, Mr. 9ro!stad*55 o , one of my h sband's s bordinates/ ) t

since yo ask, yo shall know. es, Mrs. Linde is to have an a%%ointment. "nd it was I who

%leaded her ca se, Mr. 9ro!stad, let me tell yo that.

9R ; T"D.

I was ri!ht in what I tho !ht, then.

N R". $walkin! % and down the sta!e&.

ometimes one has a tiny little bit of infl ence, I sho ld ho%e. )eca se one is a woman, it does not

necessarily follow that55. 1hen anyone is in a s bordinate %osition, Mr. 9ro!stad, they sho ld

really be caref l to avoid offendin! anyone who55who55

9R ; T"D.

1ho has infl ence* N R".

+-actly.

9R ; T"D. $chan!in! his tone&.

Mrs. Helmer, yo will be so !ood as to se yo r infl ence on my behalf.

N R".

1hat* 1hat do yo mean*

9R ; T"D.

o will be so kind as to see that I am allowed to kee% my s bordinate %osition in the )ank.

N R".

1hat do yo mean by that* 1ho %ro%oses to take yo r %ost away from yo *

9R ; T"D.

h, there is no necessity to kee% % the %retence of i!norance. I can 0 ite nderstand that yo r

friend is not very an-io s to e-%ose herself to the chance of r bbin! sho lders with me3 and I 0 ite

nderstand, too, whom I have to thank for bein! t rned off.

N R".

) t I ass re yo 55

9R ; T"D.

6ery likely3 b t, to come to the %oint, the time has come when I sho ld advise yo to se yo r

infl ence to %revent that.


31/108

N R".

) t, Mr. 9ro!stad, I have no infl ence.

9R ; T"D.

Haven't yo * I tho !ht yo said yo rself 8 st now55

N R".

Nat rally I did not mean yo to % t that constr ction on it. I/ 1hat sho ld make yo think I have

any infl ence of that kind with my h sband*

9R ; T"D.

h, I have known yo r h sband from o r st dent days. I don't s %%ose he is any more nassailable

than other h sbands.

N R".

If yo s%eak sli!htin!ly of my h sband, I shall t rn yo o t of the ho se.9R ; T"D.

o are bold, Mrs. Helmer.

N R".

I am not afraid of yo any lon!er. "s soon as the New ear comes, I shall in a very short time be

free of the whole thin!.

9R ; T"D $controllin! himself&.

Listen to me, Mrs. Helmer. If necessary& I am %re%ared to fi!ht for my small %ost in the )ank as if I

were fi!htin! for my life.

N R".

o it seems.

9R ; T"D.

It is not only for the sake of the money3 indeed, that wei!hs least with me in the matter. There is

another reason55 well, I may as well tell yo . My %osition is this. I daresay yo know, like

everybody else, that once, many years a!o, I was ! ilty of an indiscretion.

N R".

I think I have heard somethin! of the kind.

9R ; T"D.

The matter never came into co rt3 b t every way seemed to be closed to me after that. o I took to

the b siness that yo know of. I had to do somethin!3 and, honestly, I don't think I've been one of


32/108

the worst. ) t now I m st c t myself free from all that. My sons are !rowin! %3 for their sake I

m st try and win back as m ch res%ect as I can in the town. This %ost in the )ank was like the first

ste% % for me55and now yo r h sband is !oin! to kick me downstairs a!ain into the m d.

N R".

) t yo m st believe me, Mr. 9ro!stad3 it is not in my %ower to hel% yo at all.

9R ; T"D.

Then it is beca se yo haven't the will3 b t I have means to com%el yo .

N R".

o don't mean that yo will tell my h sband that I owe yo money*

9R ; T"D.

Hm/55s %%ose I were to tell him*

N R".It wo ld be %erfectly infamo s of yo . $ obbin!.& To think of his learnin! my secret, which has

been my 8oy and %ride, in s ch an !ly, cl msy way55that he sho ld learn it from yo / "nd it wo ld

% t me in a horribly disa!reeable %osition55

9R ; T"D.

nly disa!reeable*

N R". $im%et o sly&.

1ell, do it, then/55and it will be the worse for yo . My h sband will see for himself what a

black! ard yo are, and yo certainly won't kee% yo r %ost then.

9R ; T"D.

I asked yo if it was only a disa!reeable scene at home that yo were afraid of*

N R".

If my h sband does !et to know of it, of co rse he will at once %ay yo what is still owin!, and we

shall have nothin! more to do with yo .

9R ; T"D $comin! a ste% nearer&.

Listen to me, Mrs. Helmer. +ither yo have a very bad memory or yo know very little of b siness.

I shall be obli!ed to remind yo of a few details.

N R".

1hat do yo mean*

9R ; T"D.


33/108

1hen yo r h sband was ill, yo came to me to borrow two h ndred and fifty %o nds.

N R".

I didn't know anyone else to !o to.

9R ; T"D.

I %romised to !et yo that amo nt55

N R".

es, and yo did so.

9R ; T"D.

I %romised to !et yo that amo nt, on certain conditions. o r mind was so taken % with yo r

h sband's illness, and yo were so an-io s to !et the money for yo r 8o rney, that yo seem to

have %aid no attention to the conditions of o r bar!ain. Therefore it will not be amiss if I remind

yo of them. Now, I %romised to !et the money on the sec rity of a bond which I drew %. N R".

es, and which I si!ned.

9R ; T"D.

;ood. ) t below yo r si!nat re there were a few lines constit tin! yo r father a s rety for the

money3 those lines yo r father sho ld have si!ned.

N R".

ho ld* He did si!n them.

9R ; T"D.

I had left the date blank3 that is to say, yo r father sho ld himself have inserted the date on which

he si!ned the %a%er. Do yo remember that*

N R".

es, I think I remember55

9R ; T"D.

Then I !ave yo the bond to send by %ost to yo r father. Is that not so*

N R".

es.

9R ; T"D.

"nd yo nat rally did so at once, beca se five or si- days afterwards yo bro !ht me the bond with

yo r father's si!nat re. "nd then I !ave yo the money.


34/108

N R".

1ell, haven't I been %ayin! it off re! larly*

9R ; T"D.

7airly so, yes. ) t55to come back to the matter in hand55that m st have been a very tryin! time for

yo , Mrs. Helmer*

N R".

It was, indeed.

9R ; T"D.

o r father was very ill, wasn't he*

N R".

He was very near his end.

9R ; T"D."nd died soon afterwards*

N R".

es.

9R ; T"D.

Tell me, Mrs. Helmer, can yo by any chance remember what day yo r father died*55on what day

of the month, I mean.

N R".

#a%a died on the @Ath of e%tember.

9R ; T"D.

That is correct3 I have ascertained it for myself. "nd, as that is so, there is a discre%ancy $takin! a

%a%er from his %ocket& which I cannot acco nt for.

N R".

1hat discre%ancy* I don't know55

9R ; T"D.

The discre%ancy consists, Mrs. Helmer, in the fact that yo r father si!ned this bond three days after

his death.

N R".

1hat do yo mean* I don't nderstand55

9R ; T"D.


35/108

o r father died on the @Ath of e%tember. ) t, look here3 yo r father has dated his si!nat re the

@nd of ctober. It is a discre%ancy, isn't it* $N R" is silent.& (an yo e-%lain it to me* $N R" is

still silent.& It is a remarkable thin!, too, that the words :@nd of ctober,: as well as the year, are

not written in yo r father's handwritin! b t in one that I think I know. 1ell, of co rse it can be

e-%lained3 yo r father may have for!otten to date his si!nat re, and someone else may have dated

it ha%ha


36/108

Mrs. Helmer, yo evidently do not realise clearly what it is that yo have been ! ilty of. ) t I can

ass re yo that my one false ste%, which lost me all my re% tation, was nothin! more or nothin!

worse than what yo have done.

N R".

o * Do yo ask me to believe that yo were brave eno !h to r n a risk to save yo r wife's life*

9R ; T"D.

The law cares nothin! abo t motives.

N R".

Then it m st be a very foolish law.

9R ; T"D.

7oolish or not, it is the law by which yo will be 8 d!ed, if I %rod ce this %a%er in co rt.

N R".I don't believe it. Is a da !hter not to be allowed to s%are her dyin! father an-iety and care* Is a

wife not to be allowed to save her h sband's life* I don't know m ch abo t law3 b t I am certain

that there m st be laws %ermittin! s ch thin!s as that. Have yo no knowled!e of s ch laws55yo

who are a lawyer* o m st be a very %oor lawyer, Mr. 9ro!stad.

9R ; T"D.

Maybe. ) t matters of b siness55s ch b siness as yo and I have had to!ether55do yo think I don't

nderstand that* 6ery well. Do as yo %lease. ) t let me tell yo this55if I lose my %osition a

second time, yo shall lose yo rs with me. $He bows, and !oes o t thro !h the hall.&

N R" $a%%ears b ried in tho !ht for a short time, then tosses her head&.

Nonsense/ Tryin! to fri!hten me like that/55I am not so silly as he thinks. $)e!ins to b sy herself

% ttin! the children's thin!s in order.& "nd yet55* No, it's im%ossible/ I did it for love's sake.

TH+ (HILDR+N $in the doorway on the left&.

Mother, the stran!er man has !one o t thro !h the !ate.

N R".

es, dears, I know. ) t, don't tell anyone abo t the stran!er man. Do yo hear* Not even %a%a.

(HILDR+N.

No, mother3 b t will yo come and %lay a!ain*

N R".

No, no,55not now.


37/108

(HILDR+N.

) t, mother, yo %romised s.

N R".

es, b t I can't now. R n away in3 I have s ch a lot to do. R n away in, my sweet little darlin!s.

$ he !ets them into the room by de!rees and sh ts the door on them3 then sits down on the sofa,

takes % a %iece of needlework and sews a few stitches, b t soon sto%s.& No/ $Throws down the

work, !ets %, !oes to the hall door and calls o t.& Helen/ brin! the Tree in. $;oes to the table on

the left, o%ens a drawer, and sto%s a!ain.& No, no/ it is 0 ite im%ossible/

M"ID. $comin! in with the Tree&.

1here shall I % t it, ma'am*

N R".

Here, in the middle of the floor.M"ID.

hall I !et yo anythin! else*

N R".

No, thank yo . I have all I want. B+-it M"ID.C

N R". $be!ins dressin! the tree&.

" candle here5and flowers here55 The horrible man/ It's all nonsense55there's nothin! wron!. The

tree shall be s%lendid/ I will do everythin! I can think of to %lease yo , Torvald/55I will sin! for

yo , dance for yo 55$H+LM+R comes in with some %a%ers nder his arm.& h/ are yo back

already*.

H+LM+R.

es. Has anyone been here*

N R".

Here* No.

H+LM+R.

That is stran!e. I saw 9ro!stad !oin! o t of the !ate.

N R".

Did yo * h yes, I for!ot, 9ro!stad was here for a moment.

H+LM+R.

Nora, I can see from yo r manner that he has been here be!!in! yo to say a !ood word for him.


38/108

N R".

es.

H+LM+R.

"nd yo were to a%%ear to do it of yo r own accord3 yo were to conceal from me the fact of his

havin! been here3 didn't he be! that of yo too*

N R".

es, Torvald, b t55

H+LM+R.

Nora, Nora, and yo wo ld be a %arty to that sort of thin!* To have any talk with a man like that,

and !ive him any sort of %romise* "nd to tell me a lie into the bar!ain*

N R".

" lie55*H+LM+R.

Didn't yo tell me no one had been here* $ hakes his fin!er at her.& My little son!bird m st never

do that a!ain. " son!bird m st have a clean beak to chir% with55no false notes/ $# ts his arm ro nd

her waist.& That is so, isn't it* es, I am s re it is. $Lets her !o.& 1e will say no more abo t it. $ its

down by the stove.& How warm and sn ! it is here/ $T rns over his %a%ers.&

N R" $after a short %a se, d rin! which she b sies herself with the (hristmas Tree.&

Torvald/

H+LM+R.

es.

N R".

I am lookin! forward tremendo sly to the fancy5dress ball at the tenbor!s' the day after tomorrow.

H+LM+R.

"nd I am tremendo sly c rio s to see what yo are !oin! to s r%rise me with.

N R".

It was very silly of me to want to do that.

H+LM+R.

1hat do yo mean*

N R".

I can't hit %on anythin! that will do3 everythin! I think of seems so silly and insi!nificant.


39/108

H+LM+R.

Does my little Nora acknowled!e that at last*

N R" $standin! behind his chair with her arms on the back of it&.

"re yo very b sy, Torvald*

H+LM+R.

1ell55

N R".

1hat are all those %a%ers*

H+LM+R.

)ank b siness.

N R".

"lready*H+LM+R.

I have !ot a thority from the retirin! mana!er to ndertake the necessary chan!es in the staff and in

the rearran!ement of the work3 and I m st make se of the (hristmas week for that, so as to have

everythin! in order for the new year.

N R".

Then that was why this %oor 9ro!stad55

H+LM+R.

Hm/

N R" $leans a!ainst the back of his chair and strokes his hair&.

If yo hadn't been so b sy I sho ld have asked yo a tremendo sly bi! favo r, Torvald.

H+LM+R.

1hat is that* Tell me.

N R".

There is no one has s ch !ood taste as yo . "nd I do so want to look nice at the fancy5dress ball.

Torvald, co ldn't yo take me in hand and decide what I shall !o as, and what sort of a dress I shall

wear*

H+LM+R.

"ha/ so my obstinate little woman is obli!ed to !et someone to come to her resc e*

N R".


40/108

es, Torvald, I can't !et alon! a bit witho t yo r hel%.

H+LM+R.

6ery well, I will think it over, we shall mana!e to hit %on somethin!.

N R".

That is nice of yo . $;oes to the (hristmas Tree. " short %a se.& How %retty the red flowers look55.

) t, tell me, was it really somethin! very bad that this 9ro!stad was ! ilty of*

H+LM+R.

He for!ed someone's name. Have yo any idea what that means*

N R".

Isn't it %ossible that he was driven to do it by necessity*

H+LM+R.

es3 or, as in so many cases, by im%r dence. I am not so heartless as to condemn a man alto!ether beca se of a sin!le false ste% of that kind.

N R".

No, yo wo ldn't, wo ld yo , Torvald*

H+LM+R.

Many a man has been able to retrieve his character, if he has o%enly confessed his fa lt and taken

his % nishment.

N R".

# nishment55*

H+LM+R.

) t 9ro!stad did nothin! of that sort3 he !ot himself o t of it by a c nnin! trick, and that is why he

has !one nder alto!ether.

N R".

) t do yo think it wo ld55*

H+LM+R.

2 st think how a ! ilty man like that has to lie and %lay the hy%ocrite with every one, how he has to

wear a mask in the %resence of those near and dear to him, even before his own wife and children.

"nd abo t the children55that is the most terrible %art of it all, Nora.

N R".

How*


41/108

H+LM+R.

)eca se s ch an atmos%here of lies infects and %oisons the whole life of a home. +ach breath the

children take in s ch a ho se is f ll of the !erms of evil.

N R". $comin! nearer him&.

"re yo s re of that*

H+LM+R.

My dear, I have often seen it in the co rse of my life as a lawyer. "lmost everyone who has !one to

the bad early in life has had a deceitf l mother.

N R".

1hy do yo only say55mother*

H+LM+R.

It seems most commonly to be the mother's infl ence, tho !h nat rally a bad father's wo ld havethe same res lt. +very lawyer is familiar with the fact. This 9ro!stad, now, has been %ersistently

%oisonin! his own children with lies and dissim lation3 that is why I say he has lost all moral

character. $Holds o t his hands to her.& That is why my sweet little Nora m st %romise me not to

%lead his ca se. ;ive me yo r hand on it. (ome, come, what is this* ;ive me yo r hand. There

now, that's settled. I ass re yo it wo ld be 0 ite im%ossible for me to work with him3 I literally

feel %hysically ill when I am in the com%any of s ch %eo%le.

N R" $takes her hand o t of his and !oes to the o%%osite side of the (hristmas Tree&.

How hot it is in here3 and I have s ch a lot to do.

H+LM+R. $!ettin! % and % ttin! his %a%ers in order&.

es, and I m st try and read thro !h some of these before dinner3 and I m st think abo t yo r

cost me, too. "nd it is 8 st %ossible I may have somethin! ready in !old %a%er to han! % on the

Tree. $# ts his hand on her head.& My %recio s little sin!in!5bird/ $He !oes into his room and sh ts

the door after him.&

N R". $after a %a se, whis%ers&.

No, no55it isn't tr e. It's im%ossible3 it m st be im%ossible.

$The N?R + o%ens the door on the left.&

N?R +.

The little ones are be!!in! so hard to be allowed to come in to mamma.

N R".


42/108

No, no, no/ Don't let them come in to me/ o stay with them, "nne.

N?R +.

6ery well, ma'am. $ h ts the door.&

N R". $%ale with terror&.

De%rave my little children* #oison my home* $" short %a se. Then she tosses her head.& It's not

tr e. It can't %ossibly be tr e.

Act II

( E SA E SCENE.-- E Christmas ree is in the corner by the $iano, stri$$ed of its ornaments

and #ith burnt-do#n candle-ends on its disheveled branches. N)*A!S cloak and hat are lying on

the sofa. She is alone in the room, #alking about uneasily. She sto$s by the sofa and takes u$ her

cloak.

N R". $dro%s her cloak&.

omeone is comin! now/ $;oes to the door and listens.& No55it is no one. f co rse, no one will

come today, (hristmas Day55nor tomorrow either. ) t, %erha%s55$o%ens the door and looks o t&.

No, nothin! in the letterbo-3 it is 0 ite em%ty. $(omes forward.& 1hat r bbish/ of co rse he can't

be in earnest abo t it. ch a thin! co ldn't ha%%en3 it is im%ossible55I have three little children.

$+nter the N?R + from the room on the left, carryin! a bi! cardboard bo-.&

N?R +.

"t last I have fo nd the bo- with the fancy dress.

N R".

Thanks3 % t it on the table.

N?R +. $doin! so&.

) t it is very m ch in want of mendin!.

N R".

I sho ld like to tear it into a h ndred tho sand %ieces.

N?R +.

1hat an idea/ It can easily be % t in order558 st a little %atience.

N R".

es, I will !o and !et Mrs. Linde to come and hel% me with it.


43/108

N?R +.

1hat, o t a!ain* In this horrible weather* o will catch cold, ma'am, and make yo rself ill.

N R".

1ell, worse than that mi!ht ha%%en. How are the children*

N?R +.

The %oor little so ls are %layin! with their (hristmas %resents, b t55

N R".

Do they ask m ch for me*

N?R +.

o see, they are so acc stomed to have their mamma with them.

N R".es, b t, n rse, I shall not be able to be so m ch with them now as I was before.

N?R +.

h well, yo n! children easily !et acc stomed to anythin!.

N R".

Do yo think so* Do yo think they wo ld for!et their mother if she went away alto!ether*

N?R +.

;ood heavens/55went away alto!ether*

N R".

N rse, I want yo to tell me somethin! I have often wondered abo t55how co ld yo have the heart

to % t yo r own child o t amon! stran!ers*

N?R +.

I was obli!ed to, if I wanted to be little Nora's n rse.

N R".

es, b t how co ld yo be willin! to do it*

N?R +.

1hat, when I was !oin! to !et s ch a !ood %lace by it* " %oor !irl who has !ot into tro ble sho ld

be !lad to. )esides, that wicked man didn't do a sin!le thin! for me.

N R".

) t I s %%ose yo r da !hter has 0 ite for!otten yo .


44/108

N?R +.

No, indeed she hasn't. he wrote to me when she was confirmed, and when she was married.

N R". $% ttin! her arms ro nd her neck&.

Dear old "nne, yo were a !ood mother to me when I was little.

N?R +.

Little Nora, %oor dear, had no other mother b t me. Nora. "nd if my little ones had no other

mother, I am s re yo wo ld55 1hat nonsense I am talkin!/ $ %ens the bo-.& ;o in to them. Now I

m st55. o will see tomorrow how charmin! I shall look.

N?R +.

I am s re there will be no one at the ball so charmin! as yo , ma'am. $;oes into the room on the

left.&

N R" $be!ins to n%ack the bo-, b t soon % shes it away from her&.If only I dared !o o t. If only no one wo ld come. If only I co ld be s re nothin! wo ld ha%%en

here in the meantime. t ff and nonsense/ No one will come. nly I m stn't think abo t it. I will

br sh my m ff. 1hat lovely, lovely !loves/ t of my tho !hts, o t of my tho !hts/ ne, two,

three, fo r, five, si-55 $ creams.& "h/ there is someone comin!55. $Makes a movement towards the

door, b t stands irresol te.&

$+nter MR . LIND+ from the hall, where she has taken off her cloak and hat.&

N R".

h, it's yo , (hristine. There is no one else o t there, is there* How !ood of yo to come/

MR . LIND+.

I heard yo were % askin! for me.

N R".

es, I was %assin! by. "s a matter of fact, it is somethin! yo co ld hel% me with. Let s sit down

here on the sofa. Look here. Tomorrow evenin! there is to be a fancy5dress ball at the tenbor!s',

who live above s3 and Torvald wants me to !o as a Nea%olitan fisher5!irl, and dance the Tarantella

that I learned at (a%ri.

MR . LIND+.

I see3 yo are !oin! to kee% % the character.

N R".


45/108

es, Torvald wants me to. Look, here is the dress3 Torvald had it made for me there, b t now it is

all so torn, and I haven't any idea55

MR . LIND+.

1e will easily % t that ri!ht. It is only some of the trimmin! come nsewn here and there. Needle

and thread* Now then, that's all we want.

N R".

It is nice of yo .

MR .

LIND+ $sewin!&. o yo are !oin! to be dressed % tomorrow N R". I will tell yo what55I shall

come in for a moment and see yo in yo r fine feathers. ) t I have com%letely for!otten to thank

yo for a deli!htf l evenin! yesterday.

N R". $!ets %, and crosses the sta!e&.1ell, I don't think yesterday was as %leasant as s al. o o !ht to have come to town a little

earlier, (hristine. (ertainly Torvald does nderstand how to make a ho se dainty and attractive.

MR . LIND+.

"nd so do yo , it seems to me3 yo are not yo r father's da !hter for nothin!. ) t tell me, is Doctor

Rank always as de%ressed as he was yesterday*

N R".

No3 yesterday it was very noticeable. I m st tell yo that he s ffers from a very dan!ero s disease.

He has cons m%tion of the s%ine, %oor creat re. His father was a horrible man who committed all

sorts of e-cesses3 and that is why his son was sickly from childhood, do yo nderstand*

MR .

LIND+ $dro%%in! her sewin!&. ) t, my dearest Nora, how do yo know anythin! abo t s ch

thin!s*

N R". $walkin! abo t&.

#ooh/ 1hen yo have three children, yo !et visits now and then from55from married women, who

know somethin! of medical matters, and they talk abo t one thin! and another.

MR .

LIND+ $!oes on sewin!. " short silence&. Does Doctor Rank come here everyday*

N R".


46/108

+veryday re! larly. He is Torvald's most intimate friend, and a !reat friend of mine too. He is 8 st

like one of the family.

MR . LIND+.

) t tell me this55is he %erfectly sincere* I mean, isn't he the kind of man that is very an-io s to

make himself a!reeable*

N R".

Not in the least. 1hat makes yo think that*

MR . LIND+.

1hen yo introd ced him to me yesterday, he declared he had often heard my name mentioned in

this ho se3 b t afterwards I noticed that yo r h sband hadn't the sli!htest idea who I was. o how

co ld Doctor Rank55*

N R".That is 0 ite ri!ht, (hristine. Torvald is so abs rdly fond of me that he wants me absol tely to

himself, as he says. "t first he sed to seem almost 8ealo s if I mentioned any of the dear folk at

home, so nat rally I !ave % doin! so. ) t I often talk abo t s ch thin!s with Doctor Rank, beca se

he likes hearin! abo t them.

MR . LIND+.

Listen to me, Nora. o are still very like a child in many thin!s, and I am older than yo in many

ways and have a little more e-%erience. Let me tell yo this55yo o !ht to make an end of it with

Doctor Rank.

N R".

1hat o !ht I to make an end of*

MR . LIND+.

f two thin!s, I think. esterday yo talked some nonsense abo t a rich admirer who was to leave

yo money55

N R".

"n admirer who doesn't e-ist, nfort nately/ ) t what then*

MR . LIND+.

Is Doctor Rank a man of means*

N R".

es, he is.


47/108

MR . LIND+.

"nd has no one to %rovide for*

N R".

No, no one3 b t55

MR . LIND+.

"nd comes here everyday*

N R".

es, I told yo so.

MR . LIND+.

) t how can this well5bred man be so tactless*

N R".

I don't nderstand yo at all.MR . LIND+.

Don't %revaricate, Nora. Do yo s %%ose I don't ! ess who lent yo the two h ndred and fifty

%o nds*

N R".

"re yo o t of yo r senses* How can yo think of s ch a thin!/ " friend of o rs, who comes here

everyday/ Do yo realise what a horribly %ainf l %osition that wo ld be*

MR . LIND+.

Then it really isn't he*

N R".

No, certainly not. It wo ld never have entered into my head for a moment. )esides, he had no

money to lend then3 he came into his money afterwards.

MR . LIND+.

1ell, I think that was l cky for yo , my dear Nora.

N R".

No, it wo ld never have come into my head to ask Doctor R"N9. "ltho !h I am 0 ite s re that if I

had asked him55

MR . LIND+.

) t of co rse yo won't.

N R".


48/108

f co rse not. I have no reason to think it co ld %ossibly be necessary. ) t I am 0 ite s re that if I

told Doctor Rank55

MR . LIND+.

)ehind yo r h sband's back*

N R".

I m st make an end of it with the other one, and that will be behind his back too. I m st make an

end of it with him.

MR . LIND+.

es, that is what I told yo yesterday, b t55

N R". $walkin! % and down&.

" man can % t a thin! like that strai!ht m ch easier than a woman55

MR . LIND+.ne's h sband, yes.

N R".

Nonsense/ $ tandin! still.& 1hen yo %ay off a debt yo !et yo r bond back, don't yo *

MR . LIND+.

es, as a matter of co rse.

N R".

"nd can tear it into a h ndred tho sand %ieces, and b rn it %55the nasty dirty %a%er/

MR .

LIND+ $looks hard at her, lays down her sewin! and !ets % slowly&. Nora, yo are concealin!

somethin! from me.

N R".

Do I look as if I were*

MR . LIND+.

omethin! has ha%%ened to yo since yesterday mornin!. Nora, what is it*

N R". $!oin! nearer to her&.

(hristine/ $Listens.& H sh/ there's Torvald come home. Do yo mind !oin! in to the children for

the %resent* Torvald can't bear to see dressmakin! !oin! on. Let "nne hel% yo .

MR .


49/108

LIND+ $!atherin! some of the thin!s to!ether&. (ertainly 55 b t I am not !oin! away from here

ntil we have had it o t with one another. $ he !oes into the room on the left, as H+LM+R comes

in from the hall.&

N R". $!oin! % to H+LM+R&.

I have wanted yo so m ch, Torvald dear.

H+LM+R.

1as that the dressmaker*

N R".

No, it was (hristine3 she is hel%in! me to % t my dress in order. o will see I shall look 0 ite

smart.

H+LM+R.

1asn't that a ha%%y tho !ht of mine, now* N R".

%lendid/ ) t don't yo think it is nice of me, too, to do as yo wish*

H+LM+R.

Nice*55beca se yo do as yo r h sband wishes* 1ell, well, yo little ro! e, I am s re yo did not

mean it in that way. ) t I am not !oin! to dist rb yo 3 yo will want to be tryin! on yo r dress, I

e-%ect.

N R".

I s %%ose yo are !oin! to work.

H+LM+R.

es. $ hows her a b ndle of %a%ers.& Look at that. I have 8 st been into the bank. $T rns to !o into

his room.&

N R".

Torvald.

H+LM+R.

es.

N R".

If yo r little s0 irrel were to ask yo for somethin! very, very %rettily55*

H+LM+R.

1hat then*


50/108

N R".

1o ld yo do it*

H+LM+R.

I sho ld like to hear what it is, first.

N R".

o r s0 irrel wo ld r n abo t and do all her tricks if yo wo ld be nice, and do what she wants.

H+LM+R.

%eak %lainly.

N R".

o r skylark wo ld chir% abo t in every room, with her son! risin! and fallin!55

H+LM+R.

1ell, my skylark does that anyhow. N R".

I wo ld %lay the fairy and dance for yo in the moonli!ht, Torvald.

H+LM+R.

Nora55yo s rely don't mean that re0 est yo made to me this mornin!*

N R". $!oin! near him&.

es, Torvald, I be! yo so earnestly55

H+LM+R.

Have yo really the co ra!e to o%en % that 0 estion a!ain*

N R".

es, dear, yo m st do as I ask3 yo m st let 9ro!stad kee% his %ost in the bank.

H+LM+R.

My dear Nora, it is his %ost that I have arran!ed Mrs. Linde shall have.

N R".

es, yo have been awf lly kind abo t that3 b t yo co ld 8 st as well dismiss some other clerk

instead of 9ro!stad.

H+LM+R.

This is sim%ly incredible obstinacy/ )eca se yo chose to !ive him a tho !htless %romise that yo

wo ld s%eak for him, I am e-%ected to55

N R".


51/108

That isn't the reason, Torvald. It is for yo r own sake. This fellow writes in the most sc rrilo s

news%a%ers3 yo have told me so yo rself. He can do yo an ns%eakable amo nt of harm. I am

fri!htened to death of him55

H+LM+R.

"h, I nderstand3 it is recollections of the %ast that scare yo .

N R".

1hat do yo mean*

H+LM+R.

Nat rally yo are thinkin! of yo r father.

N R".

es55yes, of co rse. 2 st recall to yo r mind what these malicio s creat res wrote in the %a%ers

abo t %a%a, and how horribly they slandered him. I believe they wo ld have %roc red his dismissalif the De%artment had not sent yo over to in0 ire into it, and if yo had not been so kindly

dis%osed and hel%f l to him.

H+LM+R.

My little Nora, there is an im%ortant difference between yo r father and me. o r father's

re% tation as a % blic official was not above s s%icion. Mine is, and I ho%e it will contin e to be so,

as lon! as I hold my office.

N R".

o never can tell what mischief these men may contrive. 1e o !ht to be so well off, so sn ! and

ha%%y here in o r %eacef l home, and have no cares55yo and I and the children, Torvald/ That is

why I be! yo so earnestly55

H+LM+R.

"nd it is 8 st by intercedin! for him that yo make it im%ossible for me to kee% him. It is already

known at the )ank that I mean to dismiss 9ro!stad. Is it to !et abo t now that the new mana!er has

chan!ed his mind at his wife's biddin!55

N R".

"nd what if it did*

H+LM+R.

f co rse/55if only this obstinate little %erson can !et her way/ Do yo s %%ose I am !oin! to make

myself ridic lo s before my whole staff, to let %eo%le think that I am a man to be swayed by all


52/108

sorts of o tside infl ence* I sho ld very soon feel the conse0 ences of it, I can tell yo / "nd

besides, there is one thin! that makes it 0 ite im%ossible for me to have 9ro!stad in the )ank as

lon! as I am mana!er.

N R".

1hatever is that*

H+LM+R.

His moral failin!s I mi!ht %erha%s have overlooked, if necessary55

N R".

es, yo co ld55co ldn't yo *

H+LM+R.

"nd I hear he is a !ood worker, too. ) t I knew him when we were boys. It was one of those rash

friendshi%s that so often %rove an inc b s in afterlife. I may as well tell yo %lainly, we were onceon very intimate terms with one another. ) t this tactless fellow lays no restraint on himself when

other %eo%le are %resent. n the contrary, he thinks it !ives him the ri!ht to ado%t a familiar tone

with me, and every min te it is :I say, Helmer, old fellow/: and that sort of thin!. I ass re yo it is

e-tremely %ainf l for me. He wo ld make my %osition in the )ank intolerable.

N R".

Torvald, I don't believe yo mean that.

H+LM+R.

Don't yo * 1hy not*

N R".

)eca se it is s ch a narrow5minded way of lookin! at thin!s.

H+LM+R.

1hat are yo sayin!* Narrow5minded* Do yo think I am narrow5minded*

N R".

No, 8 st the o%%osite, dear55and it is e-actly for that reason.

H+LM+R.

It's the same thin!. o say my %oint of view is narrow5 minded, so I m st be so too. Narrow5

minded/ 6ery well55I m st % t an end to this. $;oes to the hall door and calls.& Helen/

N R".

1hat are yo !oin! to do*


53/108

H+LM+R. $lookin! amon! his %a%ers&.

ettle it. $+nter M"ID.& Look here3 take this letter and !o downstairs with it at once. 7ind a

messen!er and tell him to deliver it, and be 0 ick. The address is on it, and here is the money.

M"ID.

6ery well, sir. $+-it with the letter.&

H+LM+R. $% ttin! his %a%ers to!ether&.

Now then, little Miss bstinate.

N R". $breathlessly&.

Torvald55what was that letter*

H+LM+R.

9ro!stad's dismissal.

N R".(all her back, Torvald/ There is still time. h Torvald, call her back/ Do it for my sake55for yo r

own sake55for the children's sake/ Do yo hear me, Torvald* (all her back/ o don't know what

that letter can brin! %on s.

H+LM+R.

It's too late.

N R".

es, it's too late.

H+LM+R.

My dear Nora, I can for!ive the an-iety yo are in, altho !h really it is an ins lt to me. It is, indeed.

Isn't it an ins lt to think that I sho ld be afraid of a starvin! 0 ill5driver's ven!eance* ) t I for!ive

yo nevertheless, beca se it is s ch elo0 ent witness to yo r !reat love for me. $Takes her in his

arms.& "nd that is as it sho ld be, my own darlin! Nora. (ome what will, yo may be s re I shall

have both co ra!e and stren!th if they be needed. o will see I am man eno !h to take everythin!

%on myself.

N R". $in a horror5stricken voice&.

1hat do yo mean by that*

H+LM+R.

+verythin!, I say55

N R". $recoverin! herself&.


54/108

o will never have to do that.

H+LM+R.

That's ri!ht. 1ell, we will share it, Nora, as man and wife sho ld. That is how it shall be.

$(aressin! her.& "re yo content now* There/ There/55not these fri!htened dove's eyes/ The whole

thin! is only the wildest fancy/55Now, yo m st !o and %lay thro !h the Tarantella and %ractise

with yo r tambo rine. I shall !o into the inner office and sh t the door, and I shall hear nothin!3

yo can make as m ch noise as yo %lease. $T rns back at the door.& "nd when Rank comes, tell

him where he will find me. $Nods to her, takes his %a%ers and !oes into his room, and sh ts the

door after him.&

N R" $bewildered with an-iety, stands as if rooted to the s%ot, and whis%ers&.

He was ca%able of doin! it. He will do it. He will do it in s%ite of everythin!.55No, not that/ Never,

never/ "nythin! rather than that/ h, for some hel%, some way o t of it/ $The door5bell rin!s.&Doctor Rank/ "nythin! rather than that55anythin!, whatever it is/ $ he % ts her hands over her

face, % lls herself to!ether, !oes to the door and o%ens it. R"N9 is standin! witho t, han!in! %

his coat. D rin! the followin! dialo! e it be!ins to !row dark.&

N R".

;ood day, Doctor Rank. I knew yo r rin!. ) t yo m stn't !o in to Torvald now3 I think he is b sy

with somethin!.

R"N9.

"nd yo *

N R". $brin!s him in and sh ts the door after him&.

h, yo know very well I always have time for yo .

R"N9.

Thank yo . I shall make se of as m ch of it as I can.

N R".

1hat do yo mean by that* "s m ch of it as yo can*

R"N9.

1ell, does that alarm yo *

N R".

It was s ch a stran!e way of % ttin! it. Is anythin! likely to ha%%en*

R"N9.


55/108

Nothin! b t what I have lon! been %re%ared for. ) t I certainly didn't e-%ect it to ha%%en so soon.

N R". $!ri%%in! him by the arm&.

1hat have yo fo nd o t* Doctor R"N9., yo m st tell me.

R"N9.

$sittin! down by the stove&. It is all % with me. "nd it can't be hel%ed.

N R". $with a si!h of relief&.

Is it abo t yo rself*

R"N9.

1ho else* It is no se lyin! to one's self. I am the most wretched of all my %atients, Mrs. Helmer.

Lately I have been takin! stock of my internal economy. )ankr %t/ #robably within a month I shall

lie rottin! in the ch rchyard.

N R".1hat an !ly thin! to say/

R"N9.

The thin! itself is c rsedly !ly, and the worst of it is that I shall have to face so m ch more that is

!ly before that. I shall only make one more e-amination of myself3 when I have done that, I shall

know %retty certainly when it will be that the horrors of dissol tion will be!in. There is somethin! I

want to tell yo . Helmer's refined nat re !ives him an ncon0 erable dis! st at everythin! that is

!ly3 I won't have him in my sick5 room.

N R".

h, b t, Doctor Rank55

R"N9.

I won't have him there. Not on any acco nt. I bar my door to him. "s soon as I am 0 ite certain that

the worst has come, I shall send yo my card with a black cross on it, and then yo will know that

the loathsome end has be! n.

N R".

o are 0 ite abs rd today. "nd I wanted yo so m ch to be in a really !ood h mo r.

R"N9.

1ith death stalkin! beside me*55To have to %ay this %enalty for another man's sin* Is there any

8 stice in that* "nd in every sin!le family, in one way or another, some s ch ine-orable retrib tion

is bein! e-acted55


56/108

N R". $% ttin! her hands over her ears&.

R bbish/ Do talk of somethin! cheerf l.

R"N9.

h, it's a mere la !hin! matter, the whole thin!. My %oor innocent s%ine has to s ffer for my

father's yo thf l am sements.

N R". $sittin! at the table on the left&.

I s %%ose yo mean that he was too %artial to as%ara! s and %ate de foie !ras, don't yo *

R"N9.

es, and to tr ffles.

N R".

Tr ffles, yes. "nd oysters too, I s %%ose*

R"N9.ysters, of co rse, that !oes witho t sayin!.

N R".

"nd hea%s of %ort and cham%a!ne. It is sad that all these nice thin!s sho ld take their reven!e on

o r bones.

R"N9.

+s%ecially that they sho ld reven!e themselves on the nl cky bones of those who have not had the

satisfaction of en8oyin! them.

N R".

es, that's the saddest %art of it all.

R"N9.

$with a searchin! look at her&. Hm/55

N R". $after a short %a se&.

1hy did yo smile*

R"N9.

No, it was yo that la !hed.

N R".

No, it was yo that smiled, Doctor Rank/

R"N9.

$risin!&. o are a !reater rascal than I tho !ht.


57/108

N R".

I am in a silly mood today.

R"N9.

o it seems.

N R". $% ttin! her hands on his sho lders&.

Dear, dear Doctor Rank, death m stn't take yo away from Torvald and me.

R"N9.

It is a loss yo wo ld easily recover from. Those who are !one are soon for!otten.

N R". $lookin! at him an-io sly&.

Do yo believe that*

R"N9.

#eo%le form new ties, and then55 N R".

1ho will form new ties*

R"N9.

)oth yo and Helmer, when I am !one. o yo rself are already on the hi!h road to it, I think.

1hat did that Mrs. Linde want here last ni!ht*

N R".

ho/55yo don't mean to say yo are 8ealo s of %oor (hristine*

R"N9.

es, I am. he will be my s ccessor in this ho se. 1hen I am done for, this woman will55

N R".

H sh/ don't s%eak so lo d. he is in that room.

R"N9.

Today a!ain. There, yo see.

N R".

he has only come to sew my dress for me. )less my so l, how nreasonable yo are/ $ its down

on the sofa.& )e nice now, Doctor Rank, and tomorrow yo will see how bea tif lly I shall dance,

and yo can ima!ine I am doin! it all for yo 55and for Torvald too, of co rse. $Takes vario s thin!s

o t of the bo-.& Doctor Rank, come and sit down here, and I will show yo somethin!.

R"N9.


58/108

$sittin! down&. 1hat is it*

N R".

2 st look at those/

R"N9.

ilk stockin!s.

N R".

7lesh5colo red. "ren't they lovely* It is so dark here now, b t tomorrow55. No, no, no/ yo m st

only look at the feet. h well, yo may have leave to look at the le!s too.

R"N9.

Hm/55Nora. 1hy are yo lookin! so critical* Don't yo think they will fit me*

R"N9.

I have no means of formin! an o%inion abo t that. N R". $looks at him for a moment&.

7or shame/ $Hits him li!htly on the ear with the stockin!s.& That's to % nish yo . $7olds them %

a!ain.&

R"N9.

"nd what other nice thin!s am I to be allowed to see*

N R".

Not a sin!le thin! more, for bein! so na !hty. $ he looks amon! the thin!s, h mmin! to herself.&

R"N9.

$after a short silence&. 1hen I am sittin! here, talkin! to yo as intimately as this, I cannot ima!ine

for a moment what wo ld have become of me if I had never come into this ho se.

N R". $smilin!&.

I believe yo do feel thoro !hly at home with s.

R"N9.

$in a lower voice, lookin! strai!ht in front of him&. "nd to be obli!ed to leave it all55

N R".

Nonsense, yo are not !oin! to leave it.

R"N9.

$as before&. "nd not be able to leave behind one the sli!htest token of one's !ratit de, scarcely even

a fleetin! re!ret55nothin! b t an em%ty %lace which the first comer can fill as well as any other.


59/108

N R".

"nd if I asked yo now for a55* No/

R"N9.

7or what*

N R".

7or a bi! %roof of yo r friendshi%55

R"N9.

es, yes/

N R".

I mean a tremendo sly bi! favo r55

R"N9.

1o ld yo really make me so ha%%y for once* N R".

"h, b t yo don't know what it is yet.

R"N9.

No55b t tell me.

N R".

I really can't, Doctor Rank. It is somethin! o t of all reason3 it means advice, and hel%, and a

favo r55

R"N9.

The bi!!er a thin! it is the better. I can't conceive what it is yo mean. Do tell me. Haven't I yo r

confidence*

N R".

More than anyone else. I know yo are my tr est and best friend, and so I will tell yo what it is.

1ell, Doctor Rank, it is somethin! yo m st hel% me to %revent. o know how devotedly, how

ine-%ressibly dee%ly Torvald loves me3 he wo ld never for a moment hesitate to !ive his life for

me.

R"N9.

$leanin! towards her&. Nora55do yo think he is the only one55*

N R". $with a sli!ht start&.

The only one55*


60/108

R"N9.

The only one who wo ld !ladly !ive his life for yo r sake.

N R". $sadly&.

Is that it*

R"N9.

I was determined yo sho ld know it before I went away, and there will never be a better

o%%ort nity than this. Now yo know it, Nora. "nd now yo know, too, that yo can tr st me as

yo wo ld tr st no one else.

N R". $rises, deliberately and 0 ietly&.

Let me %ass.

R"N9.

$makes room for her to %ass him, b t sits still&. Nora/ N R".

Play-'A Doll's House'

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